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Tile Shopping 101 With Ann Sacks

TGet more flooring tips and advice. Back to Fabulous Floors

(Continued from Page 1) By Kathy McCleary
Check out the other surfaces in your home. If you've got wood floors in your living room, and want tile for your entry, you need to think carefully about where you’ll transition from wood to tile, and about the look of the wood itself. "The grain of wood forms a pattern," says Sacks. "And you need to think about how the tile is going to look with the grain. It can be a lot going on if you have a patterned tile floor next to wood."

Over the last twenty years, Sacks says, more homeowners have become comfortable with using tile as an allover flooring material for an entire house. "It’s great for people who don’t like a lot of distractions, a lot of changes. It gives you something visually to take you all the way through the house." Every room on the main level of Sacks' home — living room, dining room, kitchen, den, guest bedroom — is now tiled in limestone.

PHOTO

Above: The Capri line of ceramic tiles is offered in a variety of subtle shades.

Emote. Just as Sacks was transported to Mexico by the sight of a tile trivet, many homeowners want tile that reminds them of a special trip, or favorite memory. "If someone says, ‘I’ve never forgotten going to southern France. I loved the color palette, and the feeling of hand crafted work,’ well, then, they can choose beautiful French tile. For people who have a certain nostalgia about an authentic experience, it’s really nice to carry that into your home."

Finally, consider working with a pro. "It could be an interior designer, or it could be a salesperson in the a tile store. You want to find someone who is trying to discover how you want your home to feel," Sacks says.

Kathy McCleary is a frequent contributor to HGTV.com.

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