Fireplaces are beautiful gathering spots for you to spend time with your loved ones on the brisk and chilly days. Meant to be eye-catching centerpieces that act as a room’s focal point, fireplaces often bring coziness and warmth to your home design. If you’re looking to update your old fireplace this season or are adding a new one to your home, installing tile around your fireplace is a great way to add a spark of pattern, refined finish, and elevated style.
Known for its durability, tile is fairly easy to keep clean which is why you can often find tile as backsplashes in kitchens and baths. There are many different types of tile, but not all are made to withstand high temperatures. Ceramic, porcelain, glass, metal, quartz, and stone are some of the tiles that can withstand the most heat. Even limited to these materials, these tiles come in a variety of textures, shapes, sizes, and patterns.
One thing to keep in mind when installing tile is that, it’s perfect for surrounding a fireplace, but you should not use it in the firebox. Materials in the firebox need to meet building codes and must be able to endure extreme heat. When you are looking for tiles to upgrade your fireplace, make sure you confer with a flooring expert to ensure that your product selection is safe for high-temperature applications. Another benefit to consider is if your room has carpet or hardwood flooring, tile will protect the surrounding areas around your fireplace which are exposed to embers and sparks.
Textural or Sculptural Tiles
Pacific Rim Silver Engineered Stone Concrete by Emser Tile
For a high-end, artistic look that adds a dramatic flair to your fireplace, sculptural tile brings dimension to your room. These tiles are beautiful works of art all by themselves, but when you place them on your fireplace, it brings the whole hearth to life. Textural tiles can come in rough, coarse, smooth, or silky textures. As an eclectic tile choice, textural tiles offer fascinating and stunning designs. Both of these styles can create an impressive wall feature around your fireplace that is avant-garde.
Modern Large-Format Tiles
Metro Cream Vein Cut Honed Limestone Emser Tile
Oversized, large-format tiles on your fireplace can make a huge modernistic impact on your décor. This design typically focuses on straight lines and simplicity. Large-format tiles offer a clean look and have the ability to make a room appear larger. When placed on a fireplace, they make a dramatic statement that will automatically upgrade your fireplace to the main focus of your room. When installed around a fireplace, large-format tiles are typically used to create a floor-to-ceiling focal point that draws in the eye.
Rustic-Chic Tiles
Volcanic Gray Limestone by Daltile
If you’re looking to create a more natural and organic fireplace, tiles that bring some of the earth tones indoors are ideal for you. A good rustic design has tone, texture, and style that mimics the aesthetics and natural feel of organic elements! Slate, natural stone, and wood-look tiles can make your fireplace look hand-built while adding neutral colors and texture.
Moroccan-Inspired Tiles
Memoir Glazed Ceramic in Crystal Grey by Daltile
Moroccan-styled décor is inspirational due to its beautiful colors, and bold patterns. To achieve an opulent Moroccan theme on your fireplace, be sure to incorporate tile that has abstract and geometric patterns. Hues of blue and green and terracotta reds and oranges are the prominent color schemes for this style. Splashes of gold and silver are heavily featured as well and can be used as accents for furnishings such as grates and baskets, wood holders, and tools for your fireplace.
