Ceramic tile is a cost effective solution to decorating many areas of the home. One way to take an ordinary tile installation and make it special is with tile patterns. Tile patterns can vary the look of the installation and give it a custom one of a kind appearance. There are many ways in which tile patterns can be used to customize a tile wall or floor.

One way to use tile patterns is simply with a staggered installation. In other words, one row starts with a whole tile and the next row starts with a half tile. This breaks up some of the straight lines which not only gives a custom appearance, but can hide defects such as walls that aren’t straight.

Another popular use of tile patterns is a diagonal installation. In this pattern, instead of laying the tile parallel to the wall, you install it at a forty-five degree angle. The easiest way to start this tile pattern is by cutting tiles in half diagonally, and starting with a row of these tiles against a straight wall.

More complex tile patterns can be created with different sizes of tiles. Mix up four inch tiles with two inch tiles for instance to create a seemingly random pattern in the tile. In between each four inch tile, install four two inch tiles, to create a unique and interesting pattern.

Finally, for the easiest in tile patterns, simply use an accent stripe. Get tile in the same size and type, but in a strikingly different color and install a stripe of this accent tile in a row at eye level. Or make a border of the accent tile around the perimeter of the installation.

Tile makes a beautiful finish, but with imagination and tile patterns, it can be much better.