When it comes to ceramic floor tile, who says it must remain on the floor? The possibilities are nearly endless. First of all let’s take a quick look at how ceramic tile is made, and why there are so many design options. 

Ceramic tile is made with clay fired in a kiln. A variety of patterns, textures, finishes and colors can be achieved similar to those achieved in pottery. The effects can be breathtaking with dripping colors or a solid color such as cobalt blue. 

Designs are applied to the tile through a special color glazing and through this many looks can be achieved, including any color of the rainbow. The color glaze is melted into the design when the tile is fired in the kiln creating a durable finish. The size and thickness of the tile are determined during this process to ensure consistency. 

Some of the Many Creative Uses of Ceramic Floor Tile in Your Home

Ceramic floor tiles can create a very artful and lasting effect in your masterpiece of decor. Some of the ways that you can use it are as following:

Mosaics

Solid Color with or without a border

Kitchen back-splashes

Countertops

Stairs

Creating or defining flooring areas 

As a special floor base board around base of walls

The possibilities are truly limitless when it comes to ceramic floor tile

 Tiling doesn’t need to be confined to your floor.  can even tile your floor with beautiful ceramic floor tiling and continue on up your wall with matching tile, or tile of complimenting patterns and colors. You can use ceramic floor tile in almost any area of your home. The sky is the limit when using ceramic tile in a creative way while decorating and adding the finishing touches to your masterpiece, your home.

Would you like to be one of those people who never minds if neighbors or friends stop by because your home always looks fabulous? You can make that happen with just a few changes to your routine. Here are some suggestions to creating a fresh and inviting home free of clutter and dirt. Let’s start with clutter.

A place for everything: Now, getting here is not easy or fast. It’s up to you to make a commitment to organizing and creating systems that everyone in your family can handle. You might want to start by thinking of your home as a retail store. For example, put all of the office/school supplies in one place, all bed linens in another. Also, invest in a little label maker. You can then label every drawer and cupboard with a description of its contents, and even label some items – such as the scissors – with their category so it’s easy to remember where to put them back after using them.

Buy and use a put-away basket: Every evening walk through your house and put everything that’s out of place in the basket. Then walk through a second time and put it all where it belongs. This is also a great project to delegate to your kids. You can even charge a fine – a nickel for anything that any family member forgets to put back in its place. Save the money for a family dinner out in the future.

Assign standard chores: These can include everyone – you, kids and spouse – making their own beds, rinsing and putting their own dishes in the dishwasher, choosing their clothes for school the next day, and whatever else you want to see happen daily. Once these habits develop your responsibilities will diminish. This also provides a good discipline for their future lives. 

Understand that none of these steps will happen overnight. This is a work in process and you will always have to make adjustments over time. But the best time to start is now. And maybe every week you’ll see signs of progress.

When it comes to flooring and wall covering, there aren’t a lot of materials out there that can compete with the popularity of ceramic tiles. Why?  Lets take a look at what ceramic tile has to offer.

1. Versatility and Beauty

Unlike most materials, the application of ceramic tiles is not confined to one part of the home. Sure, it reigns supreme in kitchens and in bathrooms, but it can work just as well in any other room. In fact, it is often used all throughout the house, indoors and outdoors,  in climates where carpeting would be too warm an option. Other settings include offices, laboratories, hospitals, and shopping malls.

With the variety of shapes, colors, patterns, and textures available, the design potential of ceramic tile is virtually endless.  You can mix and match, lay the tiles in a variety of directions to create your own interesting patterns. With only your creativity and imagination as your limitations, there is no end to the unique results and create a space screaming with character.

2. Resistance and Durability

Ceramic tiles are produced more or less the same way and with the same natural materials as it has been throughout the centuries. Despite its ancient origins, not many modern flooring and wall covering materials can resist and endure common sources of wear as well as ceramic tile. 

It can withstand fire, water,  frost, and many chemicals. That is, it does not burn or give off smoke, it resists moisture and frost (and thus molds and bacteria), and  it does not absorb or retain chemical agents that may cause stains or odors. 

A quality ceramic tile installation can easily last a decade or two. It is so resilient, in fact, that even NASA uses it on their space shuttles. Even when it occasionally cracks or chips, compared to other materials, it is relatively easy to restore or replace.

3. Easy To Clean and Low-maintenance

Since ceramic tiles can resist almost any kind of dirt and contamination, cleaning them is easy and maintaining them is not expensive. A damp cloth, sponge, or mop and cleaning agents such as bleach or a small amount detergent may be used to keep your tiles looking great. Sealing every three or four years can also help keep them in tip-top condition. When installing ceramic tiles, its great idea to put aside a few pieces for future repairs or replacement.

The advantages of ceramic tile don’t end here.  Make sure to talk to a trusted flooring dealer in order to select the flooring best suited to your lifestyle and needs.

Due to its ability to resist contamination and  withstand common sources of wear, ceramic tile flooring and wall coverings are a great option throughout your home in decorating.  Ceramic tile is quite easy to clean and has very low maintenance requirements. Once installed correctly ceramic tile is easily  cared for and maintained and do not demand more than a normal cleaning regimen. 

Although tile is not demanding, this does not mean you should not make any effort to ensure that your floors and walls remain in optimal condition. The following are a few care and maintenance tips that will help keep your tiles looking great for years to come:

Daily Ceramic Tile Cleaning

Dust and debris can easily be removed by sweeping or vacuuming. Unless an area has heavy traffic, mopping your ceramic floor once a week should be more than enough. Avoid using soap or detergent or any type of cleanser which contains acid, vinegar, or ammonia as they might cause the surface of your tiles and the grout (the material used to fill the spaces between your tiles) to discolor or fade. Go for cleansers with a neutral pH instead. To prevent residue build up or fungus or bacterial growth, make sure that your tiles are always properly rinsed with clean water.

Grout Care

Grout is an important part of ceramic tile flooring. Without it, water and other types of contaminants can easily seep through your floor installation. Because of this, it is important that as soon as the tiles are laid down, the grout is sealed immediately.  

The two types of grout are available: cement-based and epoxy. Cement-based grout, which is usually used for DIY projects, needs to be followed-up with a penetrating protective sealer. Epoxy grout, on the other hand, more commonly used by professionals,  can be used by itself or without a sealer. The latter is more resistant to water and stains, but is also much higher in price. We generally recommended that you apply the sealer twice a year.

Ceramic Tile Protection

To prevent scratches and fading, attach pads at the bottom of the legs of your furniture. Pay special attention to those made of metal as they might rust and cause stains. You can also place mats on areas with heavy traffic to prevent dust, oil, and other contaminants from being in close contact with your tile flooring.

By following these tips for care and maintenance, your tile will bring you joy and protect your floors for years to come.

Happy Valentines Day!

Do you have a spare room designated as the guest room; and yet you are unsure where to start decorating the space for a guest? 

Guests spaces don’t need to be confined to a spare bedroom.  Many spots in your home can be converted to make a comfortable, welcoming area for your friends and family to unwind.

First, ask yourself “What makes me feel comfortable and welcome when I am a guest?” A great place to start is to decide where your guest can sleep.  A comfortable bed is a great piece to have, however not everyone can provide the space for an extra bed. Consider a comfortable sofa sleeper, futon or air mattress. Don’t use second-hand sleeping material here – if you don’t want to sleep in it, chances are your guests won’t either!

A second item to set aside for your visitors is storage. To avoid awkward placement of travel gear, storage for at least one suitcase is ideal. 

Providing space for dressing is a nice amenity in a guest room or area. An accent or lounge chair is great for stashing a sweater while not in use or to give a sense of personal space.

Thoughtful touches such as a water glass with small pitcher, alarm clock, tissues and an extra blanket will ensure your guests that they are welcome and cherished.  Lighting makes for a comfortable space and is great when  getting dressed to winding down for sleep.

Most importantly, ensure adequate privacy for your guests. Window coverings, doors or even reassuring guests that the space is theirs after a certain time are a must in any type space.

Following these general guidelines will guarantee visitors will want to return to your company time after time.  

In Part 1, we talked about the color wheel and color selection. Here are some more suggestions to make color work well in your home.

Neutral does not equal beige: Yes, beige is a neutral, but there are many other colors that can play as a neutral in your home. Take a look at a soft shade of lavender or a mushroom-toned off-white. Neutrals balance warm and cool tones and fall into the color background of a room. For example, the blue used in this living room works as a neutral in the space. 

Don’t overload your color palette: While a mixture of colors can be beautiful, too many or the wrong shades together can be disastrous. You might want to start by finding a fabric that offers a good selection of two or three colors and use it as the basis for the color design of your space. 

Avoid over-trendy choices for substantive pieces: You may love the newest bright light purple, but use it as an accent wall color or in throw pillows. Wall colors and accessories can be easily switched out, but when purchasing furniture, choose shades that will stand the test of time.

Understand that lighting changes the look of colors: Something that seems too bright under fluorescent lights will shift in strength and hue under natural or incandescent lighting. Be sure to select and match colors under natural lighting first and see how each color will look in the room during different times of the day.

Finally, for a good idea of colors that you can live with, take a look in your closet. Chances are if you love a shade enough to buy it to wear, you will enjoy it in your home also. With just a little thought, you can take the leap into color and help make your home reflect your style and personality.

Blue can also be a neutral color in your room

Adding color to your home allows you to personalize your space. It does take careful thought, however, to include color wisely. Here are a few suggestions before you dive into color options for your décor. 

Get to know the color wheel: Choosing a color palette can be difficult, but you can set yourself up for success by knowing the basics of the color wheel and how colors work together. A number of Internet sites provide instruction on color wheel basics and it’s worth a review. 

For example, colors that sit directly across from each other on the wheel, such as orange and blue, green and red or yellow and purple, are called complementary colors. Using a complementary color scheme creates an arresting look that can be overwhelming. On the other hand, sticking with similar color choices – next to each other on the color wheel – can quickly become boring.

Use the principle of 60-30-10: Select a dominant color and use it for 60 percent of the color in a room. Use 30 percent – or half as much color – for your secondary color choice. Finally, add accents of a third color for the final 10 percent. For example, you could select red for a dominant color in a dining room, painting the walls and including some red in the rug on the floor. Brown as the secondary color might include the wood floors and a buffet and dining table. For a daring accent choice, use a yellow-orange for the dining chair cushions and table centerpiece. 

It may be tempting to stick with neutrals when decorating, but the careful selection of colors that work for you can help make your home as inviting and welcoming as you are.