Changing the direction of how you lay the tiles can alter the look you can achieve with the same base tiles.

In a bathroom you can choose to set the wall tiles in either the traditional portrait orientation or use the same tiles in a landscape format to give a more contemporary feel.

Kitchen tiles are usually 100x100mm and may be laid on a 45 degree angle to get a rustic feel to the wall or square on to a more modern look.

On the floor putting tiles on the ‘diamond’ can be effective in deceiving the eye to change the appearance to the size of the floor or to remove the corridor effect in narrow hallways and galley kitchens.

Use modular tiles in two or more sizes to create multiple piece patterns. This method has been widely used on floors but now walls are also benefiting from this design concept.

Floors
Geometric patterns can give a floor a modern image or a random pattern can be used to give a rustic look. A change of size can delineate specific areas or be used to either generate or frame a feature within a room.

Walls
There are two main ways in which size can be used on walls either

• to delineate an area such as a shower with the use of a mosaic or
• in a horizontal or vertical band to create points of interest in a room
  

Colour can change the mood of a room, highlight its good points and obscure its bad points. Counters and walls can use tiles that complement or contrast in colour to those used on the floor.

Using the colour schemes from the colour wheel can help to find accent colours to add pizzazz or complimentary colours for an oasis of calm.

Whether it’s a subtle hint of colour that is required or to help frame an area of interest in a room decorative factory pieces, be them motifs or borders, can help achieve the desired look.

Motifs can add interest to a particular area of wall by either braking up a larger expanse of plain colour or by introducing the accent colour for a chosen colour scheme.

Border tiles can be run either horizontally or vertically to different effect. Using borders in the chosen accent colour can add that required pizzazz.

A combination of matt and gloss or textured and smooth tiles texture can be used to create a stunning look.

Using natural stone borders and motifs add texture and relief to a flat ceramic tile.

A textured floor tile can be used on the walls to get that authentic stone feel.