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Kitchen Tiles
Kitchen tile is probably the most important decorative material of the entire house. The reason is simple - kitchen is the center of the house and this center is usually covered in tiles. Kitchen tiles have properties which are resistant to grease, heat and moisture. Unfortunately, grease, heat and moisture are unavoidable part of the everyday kitchen life. What's more, kitchen tiles are very durable. Thus, it is not surprising that tiles are the preferred choice to decorate kitchens.
Types of Kitchen Tiles
There are 3 types of kitchen tiles:
- Ceramic
- Porcelain
- Glass
There are also modern innovations:
- Metal
- Stainless
- Granite
Ceramic Kitchen Tiles
The choice of the kitchen tile is dictated by the desired esthetics within the available budget. There is also another reason such as durability. Ceramic kitchen tiles are ideal for places where heat is a real issue. The ceramic material absorbs the heat very well and thus prevents the damage to furniture and benchtops.
Porcelain Kitchen Tiles
Porcelain kitchen tiles are fantastic for kitchen splashbacks. The material is sufficiently durable to withstand accidental damage from pots and cutlery. Porcelain is also heat resistant and very easy to clean. Sometimes, glass kitchen tiles replace porcelain in splashbacks and countertops. However, the high cost of glass makes this choice not very popular. Often, glass tiles are used as add-on decorations to boost the look of ceramic or porcelain tiles.
Granite Kitchen Tiles
Granite kitchen tiles are a new addition to the kitchen Decor. Granite is a very good material for splashbacks. Sometimes granite kitchen tiles match granite benchtops. This provides a depth, style and wealth to the look of your kitchen. Again, the high cost of granite makes many of these great options impractical for the average home owner. The cheaper metal tiles are another modern idea to decorate your kitchen. Metal and stainless steel are popular choices in modern kitchens. Especially, countertops and splashbacks are suitable for these two impact resistant materials.
Ideas Using a Kitchen Tile
Kitchen tiles are suitable for two surfaces: the floor and the wall.
Both require careful consideration and the prior computer or paper design is a must.
The kitchen tile manufacturers will tell you which tile is appropriate to which surface.
However, the color and the pattern matching entirely depends on you.
A lot of people make a common mistake to match wall tiles with benchtops.
In fact, you should contrast your wall tiles against kitchen cabinet and cupboard doors.
Generally, slightly lighter or darker shade of the kitchen doors is a desirable color of the wall tiles.
However, many modern designers try to brave vivid coulours of the kitchen furniture against the background tiles.
A floor kitchen tile also requires a careful design consideration.
Interior designers tend to contrast it against the rest of the kitchen.
Dark but warmer colours of the tiles often bring the desired effect.
However, shades of yellow-cream are often the more practical choice.
It is easier to see dirt on dark rather then creamy kitchen floor.
The Kitchen Tile and The Grout
Kitchen tiles are simple to maintain. However, the grout is another story. The material is often impossible to clean due to the organic nature of the dirt. Nonetheless, you can solve the problem with a degreaser. By applying degreaser on tiles and the grout you can easily remove the unwanted dirt. The final step is to use water and dishwashing liquid to finish off the job.
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