Ah, tile.  It’s not your momma’s cold, hard bath surface anymore.  Tile has become one of the most versatile, beautiful, customizable—and useful– “accoutrements” for your home.

Tile as a flooring choice is fantastic– especially if you have kids or pets because it’s long-lasting and tough as nails.  (Not to mention the fact that it can be great for hiding minor flaws and those annoying specks of dirt that crop up every minute of every day.)

Best of all, you can install designer tiles (hand-painted like the ones below or otherwise) and lay them out in a customized pattern to produce a floor or wall that transforms into a one-of-a-kind work of art.

Source: http://www.westsidearttiles.com

And tile can be used anywhere.  Below is a great use of tile in a cozy little attic space…

Source: www.houzz.com

And tile can be made from hard materials, or soft… like the tile on the garage floor below…

Source: http://css2psd.com/

Glass tile can add brightness and sparkle to a kitchen backsplash…

Source: www.home-indoor.info

And can add depth above a countertop, and can create the look of stacked bricks…

Source: bhg.com

Source: bhg.com

A listello border can be added to either wall or floor tile, to break up a monotone (and potentially monotonous) color scheme…

Source: bhg.com

Of course, if flooring’s your thing, you just can’t beat tile (unless we’re talking hardwood, of course).  Speaking of hardwood, the following is actually vinyl tile! (It’s defined as tile because of the way it’s installed.)

Source: alibaba.com

Another example of vinyl flooring—this one would be great for a playroom…

Source: materialicious.com

Here’s an example of concrete tile—the use of horizontal and vertical patterns can really add dimension to one room, or can be used to separate two rooms (or areas of one room) beautifully.

Source: concreteflooringss.com

And talk about beautiful, this Minton floor resides In the U.S. Capitol building…

Source: aoc.gov

Here’s a beautiful entryway that showcases stone tile so effectively…

Source: kcrock.com

Check out this stone tile—between the walls and the floor, it creates a ton of character in this home.  And that custom medallion… priceless.

Source: elitewoodflooring.com

At last we come to ceramic tile… what many people think of first when they think “tile flooring.” (Great pattern and colors here, by the way, and it carries through all the way up the garden tub steps.)

Source: ceramic-tile.com

More ceramic for a patio floor and enclosure (note the custom inlaid designs on the walls)…

Source: jerusalempottery.biz

What a dramatic use of porcelain tile—this flooring really makes a statement!

Source: Myhomeandgarden.com

By the way, in case you didn’t know, porcelain is ceramic’s distant cousin.  Both are made of clay, but porcelain is actually made from a more purified and refined clay.  So it’s a lot more durable and dense.

A post on tile wouldn’t be complete without a shout-out to marble…

Source: homesandgardenjournal.com

Just keep in mind that marble does need a lot more maintenance than ceramic or porcelain.  It needs to be sealed—not only after installation—but after most major cleanings to maintain its lustrous appearance.  It’s also very porous and a lot more sensitive to temperature changes.

But, oh, it is gorgeous… especially when inlaid as a marble “rug” as shown here…

Source: designinteriorideas.com

Finally, just  a quick peek at how tile can be used in all sorts of decorative ways, from table tops and chair backs…

Source: colorbakery.com

… to knick-knacks, bookends and wall hangings…

Source: colorbakery.com

A nice way to end this…

Source: smalltowndesigns.blogspot.com

I’ll have more on this popular option, in a future blog post.  Next week, we’ll be all about bugs.  Yes, you read that correctly… bugs.  (It’s officially springtime, you know!)

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a reputable flooring contractor (for tile or otherwise), be sure to start by searching on Kudzu.