Room-by-Room Tile Guide: Choosing the Right Tile for Every Space

Choosing tiles isn’t just about finding a colour or pattern you like. A tile that works perfectly on a kitchen wall might be completely wrong for a busy hallway or wet-room floor.

The good news is that you don’t need to become a tile expert before you start shopping. Think about where the tiles are going, how much wear they’ll get and whether they’re likely to get wet. From there, you can narrow down the material, finish and size that will work best.

What Should You Check Before Choosing a Tile?

Before falling in love with a particular design, check whether it is intended for walls, floors or both. For flooring, you’ll also want to consider slip resistance and how much wear the tile is designed to handle.

Outdoor areas need a little more thought again. Tiles used outside must be suitable for external temperatures and weather conditions, rather than simply being described as porcelain.

Our product pages include the key specifications wherever they are available, but if you’re unsure whether a tile will work for your project, ask us before ordering.

Best Tiles for Bathrooms and Wet Rooms

Bathrooms need tiles that can handle moisture, regular cleaning and, particularly on the floor, wet feet.

Porcelain is a great choice for bathroom floors because it is hard-wearing and has very low water absorption. Ceramic tiles are ideal for many bathroom walls and usually give you a huge choice of colours, patterns and finishes.

• Bathroom walls: Ceramic and porcelain are both good options. Gloss tiles bounce light around the room, while matt finishes tend to give a softer, more contemporary look.
• Bathroom floors: Look for a tile specifically recommended for floor use and pay attention to the slip rating, particularly around showers and baths.
• Wet rooms: Smaller tiles or mosaics can make it easier to create the falls needed towards the drain. Waterproofing and correct installation are just as important as the tile itself.

If slip resistance is leaving you scratching your head, our guide to anti-slip tile ratings explains what the different ratings mean. You can also browse our Anti Slip Floor Tiles.

Best Tiles for Kitchens

Kitchen tiles need to cope with everyday life: spills, crumbs, muddy shoes, dropped pans and plenty of cleaning.

For floors, porcelain is one of the easiest choices to live with. It’s durable, easy to clean and available in everything from stone and marble effects to wood-look planks.

On kitchen walls, you have much more freedom. Metro tiles, patterned ceramics, textured designs and coloured splashbacks can all add personality without having to deal with the same wear as a floor.

• Floors: Choose a durable tile designed for floor use, with a finish that won’t become too slippery when wet.
• Splashbacks: This is a good place to be more adventurous with colour, shape and pattern.
• Grout: Don’t treat grout as an afterthought. The colour can completely change the finished look and the right product will make cleaning easier too.

You’ll find grout, adhesive, trims and other installation essentials in our Tiling Accessories collection.

Living Rooms and Open-Plan Spaces

Tiles are increasingly popular in living rooms and open-plan kitchens because they’re practical without limiting you to a cold or clinical look.

Large-format porcelain tiles can make a room feel more spacious by reducing the number of grout lines. If you prefer something warmer, wood-effect porcelain gives you the appearance of timber without worrying about scratches, staining or the maintenance that comes with real wood.

Underfloor heating works particularly well beneath tiled floors, but make sure the complete installation system, including adhesive and grout, is suitable.

If you’re tiling a large open area, it’s also worth ordering all your tiles together so you can keep the shade and production batch consistent.

Browse our Wall and Floor Tiles for plenty of options suitable for larger spaces.

Hallways and Entrances

Hallways often take more punishment than almost any other room. Shoes bring in grit and water, furniture gets dragged through them and they’re walked on constantly.

Porcelain is usually our first choice here. Stone-effect tiles hide everyday marks well, wood-effect planks can soften the look, and patterned tiles are brilliant if you want the entrance to make more of a statement.

A decent entrance mat will make a surprisingly big difference too, especially in winter, by catching grit before it reaches the tiles.

Utility Rooms and Boot Rooms

A utility or boot room is rarely the place for a delicate floor. You want something that can take muddy shoes, wet coats, washing baskets and whatever else gets thrown at it.

Hard-wearing porcelain with a matt or lightly textured finish is usually a sensible choice. Mid-tones and stone effects are particularly forgiving if you don’t fancy mopping the floor every five minutes.

Outdoor Patios and Paths

Outdoor tiles have a tougher job than indoor ones. They need to cope with rain, frost, dirt and changes in temperature, so never assume that an indoor porcelain tile can automatically be used outside.

• Patios: Choose porcelain or another tile specifically approved for outdoor use.
• Steps: Think about slip resistance and edge details from the start. Purpose-made step tiles or suitable nosings can give a much neater finish.
• Drainage: Outdoor surfaces need the correct falls so rainwater can drain away rather than sitting on the tiles.

Our Anti Slip Outdoor Porcelain Tiles collection is a good place to start if you’re planning a patio or garden project.

Can You Use Wall Tiles on the Floor?

Usually, no.

Wall tiles aren't necessarily manufactured to cope with foot traffic, impact or the additional demands placed on a floor. Floor tiles, on the other hand, can often be used on walls, provided the wall and installation system can safely support their weight.

This becomes especially important with large-format porcelain tiles, where correct preparation and adhesive choice matter just as much as the tile.

A Few Things to Check Before You Order

Once you’ve narrowed down your favourite tiles, there are a few final things worth doing before hitting the checkout button.

1. Measure the area carefully and include an allowance for cuts, breakages and wastage.
2. Check that the tile is approved for the wall, floor or outdoor area where you plan to use it.
3. Look at the slip rating if the floor could regularly become wet.
4. Order a sample if colour, texture or shade variation is important to you.
5. Make sure you have the correct adhesive, grout and preparation products for the job.

And if you’re still not sure, ask us. Choosing the right tile before you start is considerably easier than discovering halfway through the job that you’ve picked the wrong one.

Start by browsing our Wall and Floor Tiles, then find the adhesive, grout and finishing products you need in Tiling Accessories.