When it comes to a new kitchen or bathroom, your choice of tiles is pretty important. Not only are they a huge statement in their own right, their colour and style will set the tone for the rest of your interior.
We offer completely free tile samples, so it’s easy to see how they’ll look in your own home. If you’ve just received your samples, here’s our guide to testing them out.
Check them in the right room
While a comfy sofa and a cup of tea have their merits, we recommend checking the samples in the room where they’ll be laid. The size of the space, the amount of natural light and the ceiling height can all affect how your tiles will look and feel.
- Test wall tiles in different places, as they can appear darker on shaded walls
- In a bathroom, how do the samples look against your sanitaryware and fittings?
- In a kitchen, how do the samples co-ordinate with your cabinets and worktop?
- How do the samples look with paint colours?
- How thick are floor tile samples? Will there be a step up into the room?
Test at different times
It goes without saying that tile colours can look different throughout the day. Be sure to observe your samples in the morning light, in early afternoon and under artificial light in the evenings.
- Move samples around the room to see how they look
- The direction your room faces affects the natural lighting. For example, a west-facing room will be brighter in the afternoon, so tiles will feel lighter
- Artificial lighting plays a huge part in the look and feel of a space. Traditional incandescent lightbulbs usually offer a more inviting feel than cool white LED bulbs
Less can be more
Where possible, we recommend ordering a maximum of four tile samples for each floor or wall. After all, too much choice can sometimes be overwhelming in itself. While it’s a good idea to test the samples out together, adjacent colours can easily confuse the mind - keeping tiles separate will help you to read their colour better.
Check the texture
Alongside colour, texture can play a huge part in our interiors. Holding a tile in your hands is a completely different experience to visualising it on-screen and will give you a much better sense of how your new room will look and feel.
- A glossy tile will bounce light around the room, increasing the feeling of space
- Riven surfaces offer a more rustic feel and can help increase grip underfoot
Go with your gut
Our interiors play an over-sized role in how we feel each day. While we’d always encourage asking friends and family for their opinion, at the end of the day it’s your home. So don’t worry about what others think or what the latest trends are - go with whatever colour or design your heart tells you!