With so many choices when it comes to tile colors it’s easy to forget about the basics. You don’t need extravagant colors to get extraordinary results. White tile can give you everything you need to make the most of your space. So here’s your complete guide to using it!
White Equals Bright
White tile is a highly effective tool for adding brightness to any space. Not only is the light color of each individual tile bright, but the entire installation as a whole will help to reflect light around the room. This effect can be increased even more by choosing white tile that has a glossy finish.
Create Contrast
White tile is also a great way to provide contrast. If you have a darker color scheme this can be an especially attractive way to go. You can also create contrast by surrounding your tiles with a darker-colored grout.
A Clean Look
White is a color that we associate with cleanliness. And for that reason, it makes sense we would want to use white in our homes. While some people love this idea right away, others are a little more skeptical because they are afraid dust and dirt will show up easier on white flooring.
White tile makes this decision simple because tile itself is an effortless material to clean, so you can enjoy the double benefit of its white color and the fact that if it does get soiled it would take much less time and effort to clean than other flooring options.
A Wide Variety Of Shades
White doesn’t just mean plain white. There are many, many, shades to choose from. You can easily find whites to match all spaces and because white tile is manufactured from an array of materials many have their own unique shades as well.
Keep Cool
Many homeowners choose to use white tile in rooms that also have many windows because it not only reflects the light but the heat from the sun. By reflecting as opposed to absorbing the heat, your tiles will stay much cooler than other materials, and so will your house. While white tile can be used in almost any home application, by far the most popular are:
A White Tile Backsplash
The job of a backsplash is to protect the areas behind your sink and stove from water and heat damage. Because tile is the preferred material to do so, a kitchen backsplash has also become a place that can be used to add a splash of color, design, or style to your kitchen.
And in the case of white tiles, this means bringing in brightness and a clean look which can really make your kitchen look phenomenal. Don’t be afraid to mix it up either, white with other colors can also be a good-looking idea and with so many different types of white backsplash tiles on the market from subway to mosaic tiles, your own creativity is your only limit.
A White Tile Bathroom
Because tile is impervious (with the proper maintenance of course) to the damage that water and moisture could do to other flooring materials it is by far the best choice for use in the bathroom. The bathroom is another place where white tile shines. Most bathrooms don’t get a lot of light for two reasons.
The first is that many are just built in places that do not have any windows or access to natural light and the second is that even if you do have windows, you won’t be keeping the shades up all the time for obvious reasons. White tile brings in brightness that you would not otherwise have.
It makes you feel like you are in a space that is full of light and clean, both of which are very important for a bathroom. An added benefit is that the brightness of white tiles will add a feeling of space to bathrooms that happen to be very small. To create your white tile bathroom you can use wall tiles, floor tiles, or both. There is also an enormous amount of materials and styles to choose from too.
The Most Common Materials
There are plenty of tile materials to choose from when looking for something white. Typically you will of course see the standards such as white porcelain tile and white ceramic tile. Another very popular option is glass. White glass tile is translucent and really has a gem-like quality.
This makes it very stylish, but because it is glass it’s also very tough yet easy to clean. It is therefore very often used in backsplashes and comes in many shades of white along with other colors as well. White marble tile is a more classic option and also can really range in color and have unique veining. It works both on the floor and wall alike, and really looks luxurious.
Popular White Options:
White Subway Tile: Subway tile is an easy way to go if you like white because this is the color they were originally made in. These are rectangular as opposed to being square. They were designed to be glossy and white to bring light to dark underground subway stations.
Subway tiles also use very thin grout lines which means they need less cleaning. It is these traits along with their simple and timeless good looks which really appeal to homeowners.
White Beveled Subway Tile: If you are looking for something a little different, white beveled subway tile is another variation of this standard tile. These will have an edge that is not perpendicular to the face of the tile which adds both depth and dimension. The Metro in Paris is actually many people’s inspiration for using these in their homes as they are used extensively there. If you look carefully you can see the beveled edge in the tile below.
White Glass Subway Tile: Most subway tiles are ceramic or porcelain but white glass subway tiles are also becoming more and more popular especially in the kitchen. A white subway tile backsplash using glass tiles will typically also use a white backing to make their effect more intense.
Subway tiles regardless of the variety you choose make a really nice choice for the bathroom too. Many people love them so much they install them from the floor to the ceiling. They also are a great choice for the shower because their thin grout lines mean less exposure to water. So don’t overlook considering a white subway tile bathroom.
White Mosaic Tile: Mosaic tiles are another style of tile that works exceptionally well in white. There are many materials to choose from but regardless of what you decide on, each individual tile will almost always be made up of many miniature-sized tiles on a mesh backing.
White mosaic tiles are seen both on the wall and the floor. In fact, they make a top-notch bathroom floor tile not only because of their color but the fact that they have many more grout lines than other types of tiles means they will give you a superior grip on slippery floors. You may want to choose black and white mosaic tiles for extra contrast.
White Penny Tile: Definitely not as well known as other types or styles of tile, penny tile is a very unique and often overlooked white tile choice. Named after its shape and size which are similar to the penny, it makes for an interesting retro look that will be a guaranteed conversation piece. White penny tile is ideal for backsplashes, bathroom walls, and floors. An extra benefit is that it comes on pre-mounted sheets so it’s a cinch to install.
It’s hard to believe one color of tile has so much to offer. Cool, contrasting, clean, and bright are more than enough to make any project a winner. And with so many shades, materials, and styles, you will be more than pleased with what white tile can provide not just in your kitchen or bathroom but anywhere you decide to use it!
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