You do not just have a choice of colour and style for your tile design, the right choice of texture can add aesthetic qualities as well as functionality.

Texture examples: Glossy chic, small textured cubes, a rippled surface, softened edges, tumbled travertine, non-slip floor tile patterns, or a mosaic zone with a variety of textures that catch the eye, creating contrast.

Three steps to choosing texture…

One. Plain tiles.

The basic textures available on plain wall and floor tiles can be briefly described as glossy, matt and satin. This can get a little more detailed the further we delve into the categories.

Your plain tiles will probably consist of the main use of space on the wall or floor. What texture do you envisage for the majority of the wall or floor?

Glossy finishes can be a polished and shiny flat smooth surface, just broken by the edge of the tile and grout lines. This smooth surface can also be rippled with slightly raised lines to change the effect of where the light is caught and reflected by the tiles. There are many different rippled and raised patterns available in the tile surfaces.

Satin finishes are able to soften the shine encouraging a chic and sometimes understated elegance. A satin finish may suit the rest of the room scheme, including the fabrics that make up the design concept of the room.

Matt finishes will look more natural by reflecting less light, often seen in natural stone or natural stone effect tiles. A matt finish can bring additional benefits such as non-slip qualities. If an area is constantly getting wet, such as a bathroom floor, a matt finish is recommended from a health and safety perspective.

Two. Add Features.

If choosing plain tiles with a flat surface, perhaps break up the design with scored tiles as a feature wall to sculpt texture to certain areas. Coordinating border tiles will also add a variety of texture and interest if needed. Mosaics are ideal to inject contrasting texture and colour features to the design of the wall and floor.

Design features can be adding a border or two borders horizontally around the room, not necessarily at the top of the room but this is an accepted and well used design feature. Going vertical, you can add a mosaic strip to inject texture to the wall in a modern way, which looks good in bathrooms near to sanitary wear such as the sink or shower to make the room flow. Feature walls are popular when wallpapering and also when tiling as there are many attractive tiles that look divine when fixed on an entire wall, allowing the textures and colours to dominate the room with a statement of accent colour injection. There is also nothing to stop you from placing textured tiles within the plain tiles being fixed to the wall to add some contrast, especially if a large wall is being tiled that needs breaking up a little as long as the sizes match up or the decorative tiles can be easily cut to the size of the plain tile design.

Something different… wave mosaics, antique pearl mosaics, polished glass squares, natural stone strips, rough and smooth combined patterns and shapes such as shells and raised circles. These border and decorative tiles are only limited to the imagination, check out Tileflair for some ideas and inspiration.

Three.Functionality.

Texture can fulfil the desire to add style, variety and creativity to walls, but can be cleverly used in tile design to serve an important safety functionality as well.

Non-slip tiles have various patterns and styles of raised textured bumps, to cause resistance and reducing the chances of slipping over. Commercial applications such as shopping malls or other public spaces could be dangerous if there were no steps taken to create a non-slip surface, leading to injuries, dangerous to the general public. This could also lead to compensation claims if action could have been taken to prevent injuries as well as lost business if and when changes have to be made. Precautions can also be as important when planning a wet room, domestic bathroom or kitchen, your garden path when it rains and also your hallway.

Tiles themselves are a functional choice of material.When fixed correctly they can last for many years to come, outliving alternative surfaces in terms of durability. Glazed porcelain floor tiles have an especially high breakage threshold. Check out the Tileflair (http://www.tileflair.co.uk/) 25 year guarantee. Tiles are hygienic, they are easy to clean, stain proof and do not hold dirt and germs like alternative materials to tiles do, such as carpets.

So in conclusion, there is a lot of choice of texture for tiles which can add to the look, style and functionality of the tile design concept. Texture can be integrated to either the main plain tiles or as a decorative feature. Have some fun with tiles and texture.