Tile outlines and defineskitchen spaces. A tileborder gives the island inthis kitchen designed byTim Quigley of Min-neapolis, Minnesota, itsown separate visualspace. The backsplash be-hind the stove forms afunctional accent.

Putting Tile to Workin the KitchenThe right tile in the right place canmake or break the look as well asthe function of your kitchen

BY LANE MEEHAN

Our black Lab, Bogey, is a walkingmud factory and sheds so muchthat he should be bald. When it

came time to choose tile for our kitchenfloor, we looked for tile that would help todisguise evidence of Bogey and our three ac-tive boys. We chose a tile that looks likestone, but in a color and finish that couldhide dirt and dog hair until I had a sparemoment to run the vacuum.

Our choice was based primarily on ease ofmaintenance, just one consideration whenchoosing kitchen tile. As a tile-store ownerwith a background in design, I field ques-tions all the time about incorporating tile in-to clients' kitchens. This article addresses thequestions I am asked most frequently.

What types of tile can Ichoose from?The two most basic categories of tile arestone and ceramic. Stone tile is a naturalproduct, mined or quarried directly from theearth. The three most common stones usedfor tile are granite, marble and limestone,granite being the hardest.

Stone in its natural state is porous, sowherever it's used in a kitchen, it must besealed to resist staining and discoloration.Stone tile has color all the way through, sodeep scratches won't expose a different basecolor. However, a highly polished surface ona stone tile seems to accentuate even thesmallest scratches. Stone can be installed onfloors, countertops or backsplashes, but itdoes tend to be a high-maintenance product.

On the other hand, ceramic tile is madefrom clay rolled flat and either sun-baked orfired in a kiln. There are hundreds of differ-

ent clays, each with its own characteristicsthat can vary the tile's performance. Color isapplied to ceramic tile in the form of baked-on glazes that also seal the tile.

In the past, ceramic-tile finishes had prob-lems standing up to heavy use and abuse, butwith recent technical advances, ceramic tilenow performs better than it used to. Withmost ceramic tile, the color is just on the sur-face, so deep scratches expose the clay below.

Porcelain is another man-made tile prod-uct. Porcelain is much denser than ordinaryceramic, making it harder to scratch andbreak. But as with stone, the shinier the sur-face of ceramic or porcelain, the more scratch-es will show. So I try not to use high-glosstiles anywhere in a kitchen except on back-splashes, areas that are less susceptible toscratching. In the past, porcelain has beenmore expensive than ceramic, but improve-ments in technology have reduced the price.

Beyond the amount of gloss, tile finishescan vary greatly. Tile finishes are graded bytheir ability to resist wear due to traffic; alight-industrial tile has a higher durabilityrating than most residential-grade tiles. In-dustrial-rated tile is a bit more expensive, butthe extra cost makes sense if your kitchen re-sembles a freeway. In addition to a durabilityrating, the Tile Council of America (864-646-8453) gives tile a coefficient of friction(COF) rating indicating how slippery thesurface will be underfoot. But if the tile feelstoo smooth or too slick to the touch, it willprobably be too slippery to use on the floor.

Lifestyle and lighting affect choicesThe first thing I ask clients about is theirfamily, their lifestyle and the way their

Multipurposeporcelain

Ceramic wall tilewith blue crackleglaze

Commercialceramic wall tile

Rosso-Veronatumbled marble

Handmade glazedwall tile

Handmadesanded floor tile

Porcelain floortile

Limestonetile

Stone look-alikeceramic tile

Marble floor orwall tile

Tile can act as a dimmerswitch. This kitchen getslots of light from two sides.The natural colors and mat-te finish of the tumbled-marble countertop andbacksplash help to softenthe light and cut down onglare in a kitchen with a lotof windows.

No time for cleaning? For busy, activefamilies with kids and pets, consider a tilefloor with a lot of color variations suchas this stone look-alike. It stays betterlooking longer between cleanings.

kitchen is going to be used. For example, fora client who has a large family or who does alot of entertaining, the kitchen is a busy hubwith a casual atmosphere. For this kitchen, Imight suggest warm-colored tile with per-haps a softer stone look.

After the client's lifestyle, I look at the typeof lighting in the kitchen. If it is blessed witha great deal of natural light from windows orskylights, tumbled marble tile or tile with amatte finish will absorb light and create asofter look (photo above). A textured surfaceon the tile softens the effect even further.

On the other hand, tile with a glossy finishreflects light and helps to brighten areas of akitchen that are dimly lighted or that receivelittle or no natural light. Remember thatglossy tile used in a kitchen with a lot oflight, either natural or artificial, requiresmore frequent cleaning because fingerprintsor water spots tend to show up more.

When choosing tile, I also look at the col-or and finish of the cabinets and counter-tops. If the counters and cabinets have amatte or satin finish, then I try to keep thesame feel in the floors and the backsplash.By the same token, if the kitchen has the

polished, streamlined look of many contem-porary kitchens, I suggest a straightforwardtile pattern with a glossy finish.

Tile color can make a large contributiontoward a warm or cool feel in a kitchen. Theearthy tones of limestone or tumbled marbleare the warmest of the tile colors, whilebright whites and blues tend to be quite cool.But even cool colors can be warmed withcolored grout. For example, an ivory or off-white grout color can take the cool edge offbright white. The reverse can be true if you'retrying to achieve a formal or industrial feelwith gray or blue tile. A steel-gray grouthelps to create a crisp, cool look.

Will my three boys and the familydog hurt my tile floor?A client's lifestyle has the biggest bearing onthe choice of floor tile. If you'd rather spendtime with your three growing boys than tak-ing care of your kitchen floor, then I suggesttile that hides a multitude of sins (and dirt)and always seem to look nice, such as a ce-ramic-stone look-alike (photo left). A quickvacuum and an occasional mopping, andyou're off and running.

TILE PATTERNS AT WORK

The right pattern can make a kitchen look wider. Floor tile installed in a straightpattern makes a narrow room seem narrower (drawing left) while tile in a diago-

nal pattern softens the tunnel effect of a long, narrow kitchen, making it seem

wider (drawing right).

If cooking and entertaining are big parts ofyour life, then I'd suggest tile that won't stainif hot grease and oil or an occasional glass ofwine is spilled on it. A glazed ceramic tileworks best in this situation, but for an old-world look, you can use a real stone, such aslimestone. If you select a stone-tile floor, besure to treat it with a good sealer accordingto the manufacturer's directions. We recom-mend either Miracle Sealants Porous Plus(800-350-1901) or One Master Marble andStone Care's Gold Shield (800-254-7166)for sealing stone tile.

No matter what tile you choose for yourkitchen floor, the grout should also be sealed.To make the grout more impervious to spillsand stains, I recommend starting with a la-tex-modified grout or one that is mixed witha latex additive instead of water. Once thegrout has cured properly, a sealer such asMiracle Sealants Porous Plus will fight offmost food incursions. Another grout optionis epoxy, which is stain resistant and does notrequire sealing. But because epoxy is harderto work with for the installer, we generallyuse it for smaller areas, such as countertops.With some tile, such as limestone, epoxy

grout is not recommended, so be sure tocheck with manufacturers' suggestions.

How does a tile floor relate toadjacent rooms?The kitchen-floor tile should help to estab-lish a visual flow into the surrounding areas,so I ask clients about the colors and materi-als on the floors of the rooms that are adjoin-ing the kitchen. For example, if the kitchenfloor joins up with a dark wood floor in thedining room, consider using tile with awarm, medium color to cut down on the vi-sual contrast between rooms. If the kitchenfloor meets colored carpet in an adjacentroom, keep in mind that you'll probablychange the carpet at some point, so choosea neutral tile color that will go with futurecarpet choices.

Tile thickness is another consideration.Whether the kitchen floor butts up againstother existing tile, hardwood floors or carpet,the tile installer will need to install some sortof threshold to create a clean transition intothe next room. Tile thickness can also affectdoors that swing into the kitchen, as well asappliances such as dishwashers or trash com-

pactors that have to fit under the counter-tops in a kitchen.

Can tile make my tiny kitchenlook bigger?Tile layout can have a big impact on a room'sappearance. While a parallel or straight pat-tern can intensify the narrowness of akitchen, a diagonal tile pattern makes a roomlook wider (drawings above).

Tile size can also affect the appearance ofthe room. The smaller the tile, the busier thegrout-joint pattern. The simple grout-jointpattern you get with larger 10-in. to 12-in.tiles can make a small room look larger. Small-er 4-in. to 6-in. tiles on a floor can have theopposite effect, creating a mosaic pattern orgiving the floor a cobblestone look.

Clipping the corners of square tiles createshexagons or octagons with small squarespaces left between. The small tiles (calleddots) that fill the spaces can introduce a dashof color to the floor in a pattern that breaksup the simple straight lines of square tile.

Irregular tile patterns such as block random(using three sizes of tile) or a pinwheel pat-tern can help to unify a kitchen that has many

Handmade tile is pretty but uneven.The irregular surface of handmadeceramic tile is a challenge to work onand can be hazardous to wine glasses.Cutting boards should always be usedon tile countertops.

entrances and exits. These patterns also workwell to blend together tile that is highly var-ied in color. A tile border on the floor canmake a kitchen look cozier by bringing theeye in or by creating a frame around thekitchen table or an island (photo p. 78). Formore detailed advice on using tile patterns,see "Drawing Board" on p. 28.

Is tile okay for a kitchencountertop?Granite-slab countertops have long beenpopular in high-end kitchens. Tile counter-tops both ceramic and stone have some ofthe same attributes as slabs, such as durabil-ity and heat resistance, but at less than halfthe cost, depending on the tile you choose.

Granite tile can be installed with tightgrout joints to give the impression of a solidslab. And with granite tile, it's easy to add aborder to accent or complement the color ofthe stone. One drawback to stone tile on acountertop is the edges. Although you canround over the edges, granite tile is thinnerthan a solid slab ( in. to in. comparedwith in., normal thickness for a graniteslab), so it's tougher to get the same full-slablook. Another drawback is not being able toinstall an undermount sink with granite tile.

Although the tight grout joints of granitetile create a good, smooth work surface, ma-

chine-made ceramic tile with standard groutjoints makes a slightly rougher work surface.Handmade tile is usually installed withwider grout joints that are charming, but itsinherently bumpy surface can be difficult towork on and can cause wine glasses or bowlsto tip over (photos above left).

The edges of a tile countertop can be ad-dressed in various ways. Continuing the tileover the edge gives the countertop a thicklook. Relief tile, such as a rope pattern, canturn countertop edges into a visual focal point.Wooden edges that match or complementcabinets are also popular (photo above left).

As on floors, borders on countertops canadd decoration. But if it's used in too largean area or if a lot of items are stored on thecounter, a border can be lost or distracting.

Tile can also be combined with other typesof surfaces for a dramatic look (top photop. 80). For instance, the savings from tilingmost of the countertop might leave enoughmoney for a solid slab of granite in the sinkarea for an undermount sink. A stone slab or awood surface on only the island could makea bold statement while providing a smoothsurface for an informal eating area.

Can tile be used as a cutting board?Although few tile or stone surfaces can standup to a sharp kitchen knife, most hold up

TILE ART AND ACCENTSThe backsplash of cows in a pasture

(left) in this kitchen designed by

Randy Fritz of Lakeside, California,

combines the art of Roger Dunham of

Petaluma, California, with the practi-

cality of ceramic tile. Random deco-

rative tiles in a backsplash of less ex-

pensive, machine-made tile (below)

give this kitchen a colorful accent

well under other kitchen rigors such as abusefrom pots and pans. Limestone scratcheseasily, but those scratches can be sanded out.Surfaces such as glossy tile or highly pol-ished granite tend to show marks more read-ily, and their scratches are harder to removeor cover up. Stone or ceramic tile with a mat-te finish tends to hide scratches and surfaceabrasions better.

Stone tile is also porous, so it has to besealed properly to resist staining from thingssuch as red wine and grease. And some ce-ramic tiles as well as polished stone such asgranite or marble can lose their shine whenexposed to some food acids.

As in floors, latex-modified grout shouldbe used on tiled countertops along with a goodcoat of grout sealer. Again, epoxy grout, whichcosts a little more and is a little harder to in-stall, will make the grout impenetrable.

Should the backsplash blend ormake a splash?A tile backsplash is the spot where you canbe really creative with tile in the kitchen(photo above left). Because a backsplashfunctions to protect the wall from splashesand splatters that come from cooking andpreparing food, the only prerequisite is thatbacksplash tile be easy to keep clean. Beyondthat, the choices become mainly aesthetic.

I always ask clients how much stuff theyplan to keep on their countertops. Toasters,microwaves and canisters tend to block thebacksplash, and in that case, the backsplashjust provides a backdrop of color and texture.I usually recommend extending the tile fromthe countertop all the way to the bottoms ofthe wall cabinets so that the backsplash actsas a visual connection between the upper andlower cabinets.

Borders usually work best above longstretches of counter that are uninterruptedby windows or appliances. And when in-stalled three-quarters of the way up thebacksplash, a border won't get lost near thecountertop or under the wall cabinets. Atthat height, a border will usually clear theheight of the toaster or a bowl of fruit for acontinuous line.

If the client is thinking of having decora-tive tiles scattered randomly throughout thebacksplash, I suggest taping playing cards tothe wall at random to see if the effect worksin that particular kitchen. Playing cards canalso be used in a line to test the visual powerof a border.

Isn't tile expensive?Tile varies greatly in price, and budget is aconcern for the vast majority of my clients.So here's my strategy for keeping costs

down. First, use reasonably priced machine-made tile for large areas in the kitchen. Thenthere will be money left for those hand-made borders, small murals or strategicallyplaced accent tiles that will give your kitchena rich look without breaking the bank (pho-to above right).

Installation prices can vary greatly depend-ing on the type of tile, the layout and theconditions of the existing floors and walls. Atile installer can explain what your optionsare and how much each option costs. Even ifyou opt for a less expensive installation, al-ways seal the tile. Sealing tile is pretty easy,so you can save a little by doing it yourself.Spend some money on a good sealer.

For good ceramic floor tile, expect to paybetween $2.85 and $5.50 per sq. ft. Above$5.50 per sq. ft., the market really explodes,and there is a huge range of floor tiles tochoose from. Wall tiles start at around $2.50per sq. ft. Installation prices vary around thecountry, but here on Cape Cod, installing ce-ramic tile costs $4 to $5 per sq. ft. on top of

When she's not taking her three sons to karatepractice, Lane Meehan and her husband, Tom, ownand manage Cape Cod Tileworks in Harwich,Massachusetts. Photos by Roe A. Osborn, exceptwhere noted.

the price of the tile.