How to create beautiful floors with decorative tiles

Floors are playing a starring role in interiors and there’s a definite trend towards using eye-catching patterns and shapes, with geometric and Moroccan-inspired designs being particularly popular at the moment.

The increasingly wide choice of beautiful decorative tiles (and inexpensive underfloor heating systems) also means that tiles are being used throughout the home rather than just in kitchens, bathrooms and hallways as we’ve traditionally tended to use them in Britain.

Fired Earth’s creative director Rob Whitaker, says: “With time being something of a luxury for most of us, maintenance is a key consideration when choosing floor tiles. Porcelain designs are ideal for busy households since they’re low-maintenance and resilient.

“Despite being eminently practical, there’s no need to compromise on style and Fired Earth’s latest collections include a stunning range designed in collaboration with Neisha Crosland.

“The tiles include eye-catching Hula Hoop motifs that would be equally at home in contemporary and traditional interiors, and an intricate Moorish-inspired pattern that’s perfectly in keeping with the trend for Moroccan-style designs.”

Whitaker advises to always think about scale when you’re planning a floor since a little pattern can go a long way, particularly in a small room. He says a really bold floor might work best with neutral walls and pared back accessories, although it very much depends on the look you want to achieve. A decorative, rug-style floor panel or border set into simple base tiles is often a good compromise if you’re worried about the pattern looking too dominant.

For a subtle decorative effect, Whitaker says to think about laying unpatterned tiles in formations such as herringbone.

“Fired Earth’s new St Ives porcelain parquet is perfect for this look, replicating the effect of beautiful wooden floors and yet being suitable for wet areas such as bathrooms where real wood might warp.

“Another way of creating stunning patterned floors is to use shaped tiles such as hexagons. Fired Earth’s Handmade Classic Hexagons offer the ideal combination of a beautifully traditional material and a modern geometric shape, ensuring that they work perfectly in any style of home,” he says.

“When you’re planning a patterned floor, always dry-lay the tiles before fixing them so that you can see how the pattern looks as it extends across the room. That way you can easily rearrange the design if you need to.”

For more information visit firedearth.com.