Using Porcelain or Slate Flooring to Create the Illusion of Space

Porcelain tile and flooring has long been prized for its beauty, durability, and easy maintenance. If you live in a small space such as a condo or apartment, you may think that particular flooring materials cannot be used in your space, but nothing could be further from the truth. Whether you want to give the illusion of space to a small area or want to make a large open area seem cozier, the professionals at Natural Stone Sales can give you some guidance on material size and color to use to get the effect you’re looking for.

Making Smaller Rooms Feel Bigger

Porcelain in general tends to create a more spacious atmosphere to any room due to the luminescent quality of light and shimmer it tends to bring. For a small room such as a bathroom, smaller tiles appear to amplify space. You may want to skip accent wall tiles in smaller rooms as they tend to compress the area. Instead, consider laying a few darker accent tiles on the floor to open it up a bit. Matching mosaics on the floor and shower will also lend give the illusion of a greater surface area and taking the tile all the way to the ceiling will add height. When choosing colors, you may want to match wall and tile colors for a more streamlined appearance. Lighter color tiles will almost always convey a greater sense of space. Avoid dark accent walls with materials like slate, as this compresses the openness of the space.
Tiny tiles tend to look out of place anywhere but a bathroom or backsplash, so in other small rooms be sure to consider different shapes or patterns. If your room is a more rectangular shape you might consider plank shaped tiles to help the flow of the room. Smaller spaces also lend themselves well to herringbone or brick-joint patterns. Laying tiles in a diagonal vs. straight on configuration can make a narrow area, such as a hallway, feel wider. House Beautiful advises that you should “never let square footage limit your décor choices.” They have several beautiful tile examples in 100+ Beautiful Designer Bathrooms That Bring Style to a Small Space.

Adding Coziness to a Larger Area

Darker colored materials such as slate tend to give the room a cozier feel. Also using oversized tiles with fewer grout lines showing will add a greater intimacy. However, if the room has low ceilings you may want to go with lighter colors with a glossy finish. Smaller tiles and busy patterns make a big space feel overwhelming. Larger tiles laid in a straight pattern will draw the eye into an area so if you want to draw the eye to a central art piece or into the sitting area that would be ideal. On the other hand, if you have an open floor plan and you just want the room to look less cavernous, consider a diagonal configuration. Diagonal configurations should not be used in a room with many doorways, alcoves, or breaks in wall space. Diagonal tile is difficult to lay in this type of room and the various sized border pieces tends to constrict the flow of the room. If you choose some accent tiles make sure they are spaced widely apart or the pattern may be overwhelming, especially in open areas.

Call our experts at Natural Stone Sales today at 303-777-7485 to make an appointment. They can offer the best solutions for your space and suggest the perfect size, style, texture, and color to maximize the beauty of any living area.