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'When painting tiles,' advises Helen Shaw, Benjamin Moore's UK director, 'it’s essential that the paint is easy to maintain and can resist oil splashes or stains. Yes absolutely, but you'll need to paint the tiles in primer first. 'To create the illusion of more space when planning small kitchen ideas, select a warm neutral tone that can be used all over to draw in light and bring warmth to the scheme,' advises Ruth from Little Greene.Īs you would with a paint sample, it's always advisable to order a sample tile and place it in your kitchen to assess the way the color changes according to the time of day, as well as in natural and artificial light. If you prefer something that’s low maintenance, then ceramic or porcelain could be for you.' What is the best color for kitchen tiles?Ĭhoosing the right color wall tile for your kitchen is no different to choosing the right paint color for the walls. 'You will also need to talk a little more care and attention with any natural materials. 'You can opt for a range of materials – take marble or encaustic, for example – but remember to seal them first.' 'It’s important to consider how much maintenance you want,' advises Hamish from Ca'Pietra.
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While ceramic or porcelain tiles are always the top choice for kitchens thanks to their durability, you can afford to choose less hardy materials for your wall as the surface won't be subject to as much wear and tear as, say, your kitchen flooring ideas would. Mosaics offer a far more delicate touch when decorating a wall, creating simple repetitive patterns around their small individual shapes.īest reserved for more compact areas like a backsplash, they tend to create a subtle, yet confident look in a kitchen. It’s always good to try to avoid having an area of tiles that just stops short of a corner – the sides of tiles can be difficult to obscure in an attractive way so covering whole walls avoids this problem.’ 4. Tiling up to the ceiling and down to the floor, and even behind glazed cupboards, has much more impact. ‘We love to expand the tiled areas and extend them away from just the cooking area and make feature walls. ‘Tiles, like wallpaper, are a great way to add texture, color and pattern to large areas of a room,’ says Helen Parker, creative director at deVOL. These handmade ceramic tiles in Emerald Green (part of a kitchen in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York) add a fresh and spirited backdrop against the deep pink and navy blue cupboards. Wall tiles are easy to maintain, hygienic and can create a serious style statement when used in statement block colors. Why stop at installing a backsplash? Tiles are an amazingly practical surface for kitchens, so consider covering entire walls with your favorite tile, not just around the sink and cooking area.
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