Guest Blogger Series: “Top 5 Tips When Selecting Tile” By Triangle Tile & Stone of NC, LLC

As promised, Design Lines has brought back Triangle Tile & Stone of NC, LLC to give you some important tips to keep in mind when selecting tile. For a profile on the company click here.

1. Utilizing the services of an interior design firm can be crucial in gaining valuable direction and advice to achieve the most satisfactory end result to your project. The established relationships these interior design firms have with reputable vendors can guide you towards the best selection and pricing available and help you save money in the end. Be proactive in calling ahead to set up a design appointment with a design sales consultant at the tile and stone showroom. With the knowledge of the inventory and product offerings they along with your hired interior designer will be instrumental in making product/design suggestions and very helpful in generating the necessary paperwork that your builder/contractor/installer will need to price the job for you.

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(Image from image Google.)

2. Come prepared for your meeting at the showroom by bringing approximate dimensions and pictures of your space if doing a remodel or a floor plan if new construction. This will help the sales consultant see the space you are working with and better guide you with design and patterns. Also bring inspiration pictures you have clipped out of magazines or colors/fabrics in adjoining spaces that may dictate undertones for your new tile selections.

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(Image from image Google.)

3. Porcelain or Stone? The maintenance involved is very different for each of these products. It is wise to start thinking ahead of time about how much maintenance you would be willing to do for your space. Natural limestone, marbles, and travertines while beautiful, are porous and require regular sealing. While not a difficult process, it is necessary to keep up the beauty of the products. Porcelains do not require sealing and are therefore fairly maintenance free.

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4. To accent or not to accent? That is the question. Accent tiles are a great way to break up the tile design in a space. The one item to consider when contemplating an accent is whether or not you will like it in the long term. Mosaics are always a very cost effective way to accent because many smaller strips can be cut from the larger sheets and used as borders. This way you get more bang for your buck.

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(Images are from a recent client project, for more information about the project click here.)

5. Checking out samples and taking them home to view in your lighting is crucial for making that final decision. Most showroom lights do not represent how the tile coloration would look inside your home. Taking the pieces home gives you time to view them during all times of the day to ensure they are working with the other elements of your home.

We hope you enjoyed these tips and if you have any thoughts or experiences yourself, please do share!