The 6 Best Tiles for Modern Homes That You Need to See
The modern design movement came about in the 20th century. Designers pivoted away from ornate Victorian styles and instead opted for clean lines and minimalist decor. Now, decades later, modern design is still going strong.
You can bring this look into your living spaces. Tile can help you accomplish it. With the best tiles for modern homes, you can design rooms that reflect this style trend in fresh, creative ways.
Warm Browns
Modern-style homes often include many wood elements. It’s a popular material for shelves, furniture, wall paneling, window frames and more. The wood pieces are often stained or finished with methods that highlight their natural grain and color.
Of course, that means that modern homes often feature many brown items. Modern design embraces that fact and expands the brown theme beyond the wooden items.
For example, you may want to use many earthy brown tiles in your modern-style decorating. They’ll serve as a solid, neutral foundation for the rest of your design ideas.
Period Hues
Much of today’s modern design stems from the mid-century modern movement of the 1940s, 50s and 60s. While brown is a huge part of that look, bright colors are also involved. You’ll find jewel tones, rich reds, golden yellows and various greens throughout many mid-century looks.
The goal here shouldn’t be to cover your home from top to bottom with vibrant shades. Instead, you’re aiming for pops of color here and there. They should attract eyes and make a vibrant statement.
Where could you use tiles to incorporate these accent colors?
- Bathroom or kitchen backsplash
- Behind a central piece of furniture, such as the sofa
- Fireplace surround
- Shower wall
Porcelain Waterjet Tile - View Details>>
For your bold elements, try onyx tiles in Honey and Multi Color Red or marble in Olive Green.
Natural Stone Floors
Mid-century modern homes often featured floors made of natural stone. Travertine and slate were two popular choices during that period.
Travertine tiles are available in sizes up to 12 inches by 12 inches. Large sizes like that are ideal for creating the clean-line look that’s essential to modern design. Plus, those stones have a matte finish that would fit right in with your modern theming.
Geometric Patterns
Just like you can use color to make a statement in modern design, you can also use patterns. Geometric designs that repeat over and over are especially popular. You'll commonly see shapes like triangles and hexagons. Circles and squares work for this look, too.
Try a double-triangle look using diamond tiles, they make an incredible statement that will make your floor a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
If you'd prefer right angles, rectangle mosaics could do the trick. Options include Stacked and Brick tile layouts.
Geometric Waterjet Design - View Details>>
For an incredible statement, you could choose Dimensione tiles. They feature a 3D pattern created with water jet technology.
Dimensional Tile - View Details>>
Black and White
Sure, modern design is often saturated with shades of brown. But just like you can use pops of bright colors to draw the eye, you can also use areas of black and white.
In modern design, black and white are often seen together on patterned elements. Tiles with bold designs could be a great way to encompass this color scheme as well as the geometric-pattern trend.
Not every line in a modern-style home has to be hard and straight. You’ll find organic curves and other abstract shapes in modern looks, too, such as the one shown.
Abstract Tile - View Details>>
Stacked Rectangles
Subway tiles, which are typically twice as wide as they are tall, are extremely popular in houses today. They’re often arranged in an offset pattern, similar to how you’d build a brick wall.
While you can take that approach in a modern-style home, a stacked arrangement can be an even better choice. It involves stacking the rectangles in neat columns, and it’s just right for a decor scheme that emphasizes straight, clean lines. You can arrange the stacks horizontally, as shown below, or turn them on their sides for a vertical look.
Choosing a stacked arrangement gives you some freedom to experiment with tile size. Standard subway tiles are 3 inches by 6 inches, but you may notice that the tiles above don’t hold to that 1:2 ratio. Even still, the look works.
You can also try this approach with bigger tiles. Try stacks of white Bianco Dolomite marble, perhaps cut to 4 inches by 12 inches.
Finding the Best Tiles for Modern Homes
Tile can be a star player in your modern home design. From colorful onyx rectangles to bold geometric mosaics, you may use tile throughout your decor.
This video can provide additional modern inspiration:
Of course, getting help from the pros can make all the difference in your quest for the best tiles for modern homes. When you include Artsaics in your remodeling plans, we’ll help you design a unique tile arrangement that embraces the best of modern design and reflects your individual tastes.