How to Mix and Match Tiles Like a Professional Designer

Learn How to Create a Designer-Level Kitchen or Bathroom by Mixing Tile Styles

White on white? More like boring on boring. Sure, selecting uniform tiles for your home may be the "safe" choice to make sure everything goes together. But the result can be dull and one-dimensional. The professionals will tell you that mixing materials in your interior design plan is the best way to achieve a curated space that reflects you! But, figuring out how to combine tiles can be challenging if you didn't go to school for interior design. Don't worry! The LilLi Tile team is here to teach you how to mix and match tiles like a professional designer.

Should You Mix and Match Tiles?

Should you be mixing tile styles? Yes! Combining different tiles in a space brings in color, personality, and fun. It's the perfect way to create a focal point, add a pop of color, or break up the space in a visually interesting way. Let's look at some benefits of mixing materials in interior design plans.

Benefits of Mixing Materials in Interior Design

1. Create Visual Interest

Mixing materials creates visual interest. If you use the same material or color throughout a space, it can feel dull, cold, and even unwelcoming. Layering in different materials is how you unlock that cozy home energy!

2. Bring in Color and Pattern

Sometimes, all you need is a small pop of color. Combining different tiles in a space allows you to create focal point accents, whether that's a patterned tile backsplash or a colorful shower niche.

3. Curate Your Custom Space

Finally, mixing materials is how you create a space that feels curated and custom to you. This is your opportunity to inject your personal style into your home and showcase your unique personality.

Types of Tiles to Mix and Match

Cement

Cement tiles are made from a mixture of cement, sand, and color pigments. They're known for their durability, versatility, intricate patterns, and vibrant colors.

Porcelain Glaze

Porcelain tiles are a type of ceramic tile fired at higher temperatures, making them more durable and less porous. They are available in a variety of color glazes and are perfect for use in wet areas like showers and pools.

Zellige

Zellige tiles are handcrafted Moroccan clay tiles. Because they are handmade, they offer beautiful color and texture variations, giving them a character-rich feel.

Terracotta

Terracotta tiles are made from natural clay and fired in traditional wood ovens. They are known for their warm, earthy tones and rustic appearance, making them a popular choice.

Terracotta Tile

Terrazzo

Terrazzo tiles feature colorful aggregates embedded into a material like cement. These mid-century inspired tiles provide a confetti-like explosion of color and personality.

Metallic

Metal insert tiles add sparkle and shimmer to a space thanks to embedded copper or brass metallic designs.

How to Combine Tiles Like a Pro in 7 Steps

Are you ready to mix and match tiles like a pro? Simply follow these seven easy steps.

1. Use 2 to 3 Different Tiles Max

Sometimes, less is more. We recommend using two to three different tile styles in one space. This allows you to pick one primary tile to cover large surfaces like floors, one secondary tile for smaller areas like backsplashes and shower walls, and one accent tile for pops of color in shower niches or tile borders.

2. Make One Tile "The Star" of the Show

We love color and pattern. However, too many competing patterns in one space can feel overwhelming. When combining different tile styles, choose one to be the star of the show and allow the other tiles to play supporting roles. For example, you could use our Twinkle cement tile pattern on a kitchen backsplash and complement it with a simple white tile floor.

3. Choose Different Sizes, Patterns, and Materials for Contrast

When mixing materials in interior design, you want to ensure they all complement each other but also have enough differences to set them apart. Choose tiles in various sizes, patterns, and even materials. The contrast you create in your space could be as simple as a matte vs. glossy finish or as bold as hexagon tiles paired with arabesque tiles.

4. Apply Different Tiles to Different Surfaces

Mixing and matching tiles doesn't mean using three different tile patterns on the floor (although it could!). Applying different tiles to different surfaces, like floors, backsplashes, and shower niches, lets you easily highlight different focal points in the room.

5. Find a Natural Breaking Point (or Make One)

When using different tiles in one space, you'll want to be mindful of where those tiles ultimately meet and ensure there is a natural breaking point between them. For example, floor tile and wall tile occupy different planes, and the point at which they meet feels like a natural transition between the materials. However, you can also make your own breaking point by creating tile wainscoting on one half of a wall, a tile border, or artfully color-blocking tiles.

6. Ensure the Color Hues and Undertones Match

The most important step in mixing and matching tiles is making sure they actually match! Pay attention to your color combinations and even the undertones. For example, red tiles could easily clash if one looks more pink and the other leans burgundy. We recommend always ordering samples because the lighting in the space can also have a huge impact on the color.

7. Tie the Look Together With a Design Motif

Finally, it's fun to combine colors and patterns, but you'll want to make sure there is one common theme to tie all the materials together. This design motif could be anything from floral patterns to earthy, rustic textures. (Hint: Your design motif should also match your personality!)

Tile Combination Dos and Don'ts

Dos

• Select a complementary grout. Grout is a small detail that can greatly impact the look of your tile. Pick one that complements all of your tile selections.
• Consider applications. Different tiles have different applications. For example, cement tiles are suitable for high-traffic areas like floors, whereas metal insert tiles are better used for things like backsplashes.
• Trust your vision. This is your home, and it should reflect you!

Don'ts

• Overdo it. Maximalism is great, but you don't want to bring in too many competing colors and patterns.
• Ignore practicality. While you may love a tile, you want to make sure it makes sense for your space, budget, and application.
• Forget to have fun. The design process should be fun! Don't stress, and remember to take a break or ask for help when you need it.

LiLi Makes It Easy to Mix and Match Tiles

Mixing and matching tiles just got easier with LiLi Tile! We have collections of cement, porcelain, Zellige, terracotta, terrazzo, and more, so you can mix, match, and shop all in one place! Plus, all our collections are designed to go together, making it easier to combine tiles for a stylish, curated look.

Start Shopping Our Tile Collections