So we are now halfway through January, and as it’s the first month of the year the accompanying clarity in relation to getting on top of things and to-do lists for a fresh start means that quite a few of you have been discussing your renovation plans online with me. So, today, I thought I’d do a piece on one of the big areas within renovation – tile choices. The nuts and bolts of a room, from kitchens to bathrooms, and even flooring, tiles are one of the most impactful decisions you’ll make in the home. There is such an abundance of wonderful products on the market these days that it can be a little daunting trying to narrow down your search and get just the look you want and which will outlast trends (drooling over competing looks on Pinterest is a bit of a past time of mine!). And tiles are such a big investment, usually in cost but also longevity, once those tiles are in they’re usually staying there for quite a while! I’ve been planning our kitchen for nearly a year now and keep changing my mind (luckily no tiles have been purchased or adhered). So, with all this in mind, today lets talk tiles!

.

Like most of us, I love being able to buy from small companies that have the personal touch, so when Decorum Tiles got in touch to ask if I’d like to see there collection & feature them I was very pleased to agree as I think they have a lot to offer. Decorum Tiles are an English company based in the Chiltern countryside with over 20 years experience in the industry who offer a wide selection of tiles, including a range of beautiful hand painted ones and a few that you can personalise with text. If you are looking for a small firm (who supply to high street names) with a great history and a personalisation service that’s reasonably priced you can’t go far wrong with Decorum. From the great quality of the products they source in Spain, Italy and Portugal to the hand painted designs crafted by ceramic artists in their studio, there is a wonderful range to choose from.

.

As we seem to be mainly about the blues and the greens in the Design Soda house I wanted to show you a few of these shades (above) alongside some of the great textures I found from Decorum. I really love these colours, some are even hand painted (the two smaller bricks at the bottom of shot) the colours all have a great depth to them, in part due to the crackle-glaze of some and the dragged technique of others. These are perfect for when you want to use gorgeous colours within a design but you don’t want the colour to jump out and ahead of the overall look. I think these would blend quite naturally alongside other design decisions, they wouldn’t dictate the style of the room so they are a pretty versatile option if you want to add some interest that has style without distracting from other elements, I’d be very tempted to lay them herringbone style in the way arranged in shot.

.

I’m so pleased with my personalised Design Soda tile. How cool to have tiles hand painted with whatever text you like! At around £20 per tile in various designs, you could get quite a bit written before breaking the bank and goodness the possibilities are endless for what you could write! I went for a fairly plain brushstroke font on the Neve tile but there are many styles if you take a look around their site. What would you have written on one? 

.

Tiles: White Carrara Brick Mosaic Tiles & Shell Mystic Circle in White

Marble is still all the rage in interiors this year, and it’s not hard to see why, so sleek and glamourous but with none of the sterility or chintz that either of those words often evoke. I’m really persuaded by marble, i’m not sure our lives are pristine enough to take a worktop and its upkeep but on a wall (particularly) herringbone fashion I think you’d get a great deal of bang for your cleaning buck here.

.

Staying with natural materials, have you noticed the gorgeous iridescence of these mother of pearl beauties at the bottom of this image? I just love these tiles and could imagine them well in a small bathroom, downstairs loo or wet room, maybe even behind the sink section of a fairly rustic or industrial kitchen to add a bit of luxe contrast.

.

.