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Wall Tile That Will Make You Feel Awesome

I don’t know about you, but I thought that I have been there, done that and got the t-shirt when it comes to wall tile. I never imagined that I would ever experience the awesome feeling of seeing something new and breathtaking in the world of wall tile. Was I living in a cave wearing blinders in the dark? Was I transported to another planet where wall tile was nonexistent? Was I stranded on an island in the middle of the South Pacific?

No, I was living in the Chicago area and the thought came to me that I should take a look to see what has happened to wall tile in the 21st century. What a splendid idea! So I did…

As I began to explore all the possibilities I began to realize that wall tile has become an amazing decorating art form that has truly evolved over the past few years. As I researched the forms of wall tile available today, each step of my search brought me into new and exciting materials, styles, colors, shapes and textures that are sure to please even the most scrupulous of individuals.

At first, I came across wall tiles that are familiar to even the most novice wall tile seeker. These wall tiles were those made of ceramic, glass, limestone, marble/granite, porcelain, slate, travertine and mosaic.

The ceramic wall tile I first came across came only in earth tone shades. The glass wall tile had more to choose from. Different shapes of glass in each tile, multi-colored tiles and an array of surface textures.

When I looked at glass tile I found that you are able to get glass tile in every color under the rainbow. The options for glass tile textures are open to exactly what you are looking for. The variety of styles is one of the largest of the tile family.

The limestone wall tile was mostly of earth tone, but offered a multitude of design patterns and borders. This made it possible to mix and match designs to create works of wall tiles art on your surrounding walls.

The marble/granite wall tile was presented mostly in shades of off-white and beige, but dark brown marble and an aqua blue granite tile are also offered. It was nothing new. This type of wall tile has been around a long time.

The porcelain wall tile came mostly in medium to dark shades of tans and browns. With the exception of Flagstone (a mosaic porcelain style) and Cognac (with a design pattern), most of your porcelain wall tile is solid color.

The slate tile in general has a mixture of earth tone colors creatively combined into each tile. With grays, tans, browns and reddish browns mixed into the display depending on what particular color combination you are looking for.

With Travertine wall tiles, you have a diverse selection of colors to choose from. From earth tones of brown and beige, from rustic walnut to golden volcano, from Egyptian Gold to Tuscany Blend, these tiles have a natural beauty that has descended through the ages.

I’m sure you are familiar with mosaic tiles. Each tile consists of small tile or stone pieces placed in some sort of geometric pattern. There are a variety of pastel colors to choose from. You can also choose from tile pieces or stone pieces with a flat or polished finish.

Now let’s get to what I call the interesting wall tiles. These are wall tiles that you have to see in order to get the full impact of their unique elegance. So let’s get started.

I will now take a look at what is offered in hand crafted wall tile. First I will describe the hand crafted tiles available in an array of colors such as Mojave, Dijon, Vermouth, Espresso, Savannah, Breakwater and several other artful shades.

This is the Ashbury collection. As for the textured surfaces of these tiles, they are presented in Anchor Bay, Du Bois, Ghiradelli, Montreaux, Presidio, Soledad and several other elegant textured designs. You have to see for yourself how beautiful these truly are.

Next, we will take a look at the Classic Shapes Collection. Here we have classic shades of beige tones with elegant shapes called Mini Acanthus, Acanthus, Dot and Dash, Acropolis, Crown and Stop Corner, Peter's Lattice and Sonia's Flower. To see the articulate detail of these pieces, you have to examine them online.

The Artisan-Heritage Collection consists of Country Hen, The Rooster and Plentiful Platter. The title of each of these pieces does describe what is present on the tile, but does not express the detail these beautiful tiles will bring to your kitchen decor. You truly have to see these exquisite pieces for yourself to feel the charm and warmth that radiates from each piece.

Before I move on to Modern Wall Tile, I would like to delve into the Olde California Collection. This collection consists of multi-colored designs fired into these tiles making them a desirable addition to any room in which they are displayed. With titles such as Adobe, Patio, Plaza, Benecia, Clara, Diego, Mojave, San Gabriel, San Luis Rey and Vallejo, you just have to see the rich Spanish heritage devoted to these extraordinary works of tile art.

Other collections in the handcrafted tile category are the First Choice Collection, the Casual Elements Series, the Confetti Collection, the Campagna Collection and the Heritage Pecos. Take a few minutes and explore these and all the others I mentioned. You will discover how you can create an enchanted atmosphere in the comfort of your own home.

Now it is time to take a look at modern wall tile. This version of tile is creating a new frontier that will pave the way to future generations of artfully expressive fashion.

I will start with tile categories. Here you will find modern wall tiles in topics such as Glass Tile, Tile Blends, Ceramic/Porcelain Tile, Cork tile, Pebble Tile, Steel Tile, Brio, Lush, Mod Dots and Mod Rocks. Now I will attempt to provide you with some basic information on each of these. Remember, this is all Modern Tile.

For modern glass tile you have Mosaic, Blends, Square, Subway, Recycled and Tattoos. Out of all of these modern glass tiles, I thought I would give you an idea of the styles of Glass Tattoos offered. You have Sailor Girl, Compass Blue, Anchor, Compass Red, Koi, Swallow, Dagger Heart and Mom Heart. If you are familiar with regular tattoos, then you will have an idea of what these glass tiles look like. Otherwise, just go online and have a look at these and all the modern glass tiles that I have mentioned.

Moving over to Modern Tile Blends. This is just exactly what it sounds like. These tiles are made with blends of different tile materials. Here you can pick from stock blends that are tile blends that the manufacture has already catalogued, or you can put together your own custom blended tiles with unlimited possibilities.

Now we will discuss Modern Ceramic/Porcelain wall tiles. There are 2 main styles to choose from when it comes to modern Ceramic/Porcelain tiles. First you have your Mod Dots. These are glazed porcelain penny rounds. With a variety of colors to choose from, you can mix and match color dots for a modern look to any wall indoors or outdoors.

The other style of Modern Ceramic/Porcelain wall tiles is called RAW tiles. RAW Tiles are derived from fabric designs and graphics. The process for making these tiles was first used by Persians and over the years the technique was introduced to California from immigrating Spaniards. The modern version introduces patterns or designs on the tile that match well with contemporary decor.

Next we have Modern Cork Tile. This cork tile follows in the footsteps of Mod Dot tile. This is a cork mosaic in a penny round style. You have the option to stain the cork rounds to any color of your choice or using wood stain you may retain the natural color of the cork. Before grouting the cork tile a sealer must be applied. You have to see examples of the finished product in order to fully appreciate the beauty.

Our next example of Modern Wall Tile is Pebble Tile. These are natural polished pebbles. They are now available in six color combinations. These tiles are mesh mounted and are shaped in an interlocking pattern. With outstanding durability, these tiles can be applied indoors or outdoors.

So now we have come to Stainless Steel Tile. This tile is constructed with a heavy porcelain base and a 1mm stainless steel overlay. This tile is ideal for kitchen backsplash applications. Not recommended for standing water applications, such as spas or pools. With six styles to choose from, you’re sure to find a style to match your application.

For those who wish to go green, most all of the Glass Modern Wall Tile that I have gone over is also available in recycled material. All of these products are environmentally safe and are generally easy to apply.

If you are ready to make a striking and dramatically pleasing appearance to one or more rooms of your home, then you should seriously consider wall tile. You will see how an ordinary room will suddenly turn into a masterpiece.

About the Author

Barbara Tobiasz is an expert in interior/exterior decorating. Along with her husband Joe, they own and operate Wall-Decor-Concepts.com. For more information on Wall Tile, go to: http://www.Wall-Decor-Concepts.com

Is there any safe way to turn a slanted brown aspalt tile roof white without damageing the tile?

I've heard that most roof coatings damge these tiles and I have no leaks right now but would like a cooler roof.

replace the tile with a lighter color, and get an attic fan.

MP USA 15 tile break by Colin Brown