Now top European designers produce new tiling designs with as much excitement and flair as top fashion designers. Hand painted tiles can now be produced to your own design and colour scheme. Beautiful hand made tiles are now produced all over the world. Eg. Mexico, Zimbabwe and even Cornwall to name but a few.

Porcelain Tiles

One of the latest materials to be used in tile production is now giving us a range of extremely good quality and hard wearing versatile tiles for use in every location.

One of the earliest forms of tiling, these are now used from school projects to the most exquisite bathrooms. Mosaics have been used for generations and can be seen in their most beautiful form in many churches throughout the world. They are most widely available in glass, ceramic, porcelain, marble or other natural stones.

With the return to natural products slate, has now widened its popularity by becoming available in many sizes from 10x10cm to 60x60cm and is now used on both walls and floors to create a stunning effect. The range of colours of slate is enormous and it is now imported from Wales to China.

The latest retail variation from the traditional polished marble is tumbled marble. This is a very natural textured looking product available in a variation of colours and sizes from 10x10cm.

These are generally quite soft materials, however, there are numerous excellent porcelain/ ceramic equivalent looking products available that have a wonderful look and feel, which are virtually maintenance free.

This is a very porous, often high maintenance material. It has been used for generations and examples of well worn terracotta can be found in lots of old restaurants in such places at St Paul de Vence in France. However, in the modern industry there are fantastic terracotta lookalike tiles that can be laid easily and are maintenance free.

One of the latest fashions in the tile industry are the various forms of glass tiles which are also used as borders of inset tiles to create a very dramatic effect.

Again, a new invention using anything from aluminium to stainless steel to metallic finishes. A stunning effect which goes especially well with high tech stainless steel kitchen appliances.