How to Choose the Right Tile
Walk into a tile showroom and you'll quickly realize just how many choices there are. Porcelain, ceramic, marble, limestone, travertine, zellige, terrazzo, glass, mosaics, large-format tile...and that's before we even start talking about size, finish, pattern, grout and layout. The good news is you don't need to understand every tile on the market. You just need to know which materials make sense for where they're being used, the look you're trying to create, and your investment level.
Here's a quick guide to the tile types I most commonly consider for residential projects.
Ceramic Tile
Ceramic is made from clay that's fired and typically finished with a glazed surface. It's widely available and comes in an enormous variety of colors, shapes and patterns.
Pros: Affordable, easy to maintain, huge selection, and a great choice for backsplashes and many wall applications.
Cons: Generally softer and more prone to chipping than porcelain, and not every ceramic tile is appropriate for floors, showers or exterior applications.
Price: Basic ceramic can start around $2–$5 per square foot, while designer, handmade and specialty ceramics can easily reach $15–$30+ per square foot before installation.
Porcelain Tile
Porcelain is also made from clay, but it's fired at higher temperatures, making it denser and less porous than standard ceramic. It's one of the most versatile materials we can specify.
Pros: Extremely durable, water resistant, easy to maintain, and available in remarkably realistic stone, marble, concrete and wood looks.
Cons: Typically costs more than basic ceramic and is harder to cut, which can increase installation costs.
Price: Many quality porcelain tiles fall around $4–$15 per square foot, with premium and large-format products ranging from $15–$30+.
Natural Stone Tile
Natural stone includes marble, limestone, travertine, slate and other stones cut into tile.
This is where you get the depth, movement and variation that manufactured products try to reproduce but can never completely duplicate.
Marble
Beautiful, timeless and available in everything from subtle Carrara to dramatic Calacatta and richly colored varieties.
Pros: Luxurious, completely unique and timeless.
Cons: Porous, can stain or etch, and generally requires sealing and more maintenance.
Price: Approximately $8–$30+ per sq. ft. Premium or specialty marble mosaics can easily reach $30–$75+ per sq. ft.
Limestone & Travertine
These stones typically have a softer, warmer appearance than marble and can be beautiful when we're creating an organic, Old World or European-inspired space.
Pros: Natural warmth, beautiful texture and unique variation.
Cons: Porous, softer than porcelain, and requires appropriate sealing and maintenance.
Price: Approximately $5–$15+ per sq. ft. Premium finishes, larger formats, and specialty pieces can run $15–$25+ per sq. ft.
Slate
Slate has more texture and a darker, earthier character, making it particularly well suited to certain rustic, organic and transitional designs.
Pros: Durable, distinctive and naturally slip resistant when appropriately finished.
Cons: Color and texture can vary considerably, and some slate requires sealing.
Price: Natural stone tile varies tremendously, but $8–$30+ per square foot for the material is a reasonable planning range, with premium marbles and specialty stones going considerably higher.
Zellige & Handmade Tile
Zellige has become incredibly popular, and it's easy to understand why. Traditional zellige is handmade from clay, resulting in subtle variations in color, texture, thickness and surface. Light reflects differently from tile to tile, creating a depth you simply don't get from a perfectly uniform manufactured product.
Pros: Beautiful character, texture, variation and handcrafted appearance.
Cons: Irregular edges and surfaces are intentional, installation requires more skill, and homeowners who want everything perfectly uniform may not appreciate the imperfections.
Price: Expect approximately $15–$35+ per square foot for authentic or premium handmade products, although there are less expensive ceramic tiles designed to achieve a similar look.
Glass Tile
Glass tile can add beautiful color, reflection and dimension, particularly in backsplashes, showers and accent areas.
Pros: Nonporous, stain resistant and available in beautiful colors and finishes.
Cons: Can show water spots, scratches and adhesive behind the tile if not installed correctly. Some glass tile can also feel dated depending on its size and application, so I use it selectively.
Price: Approximately $10–$30+ per square foot, with specialty glass going higher.
Cement & Encaustic Tile
Cement and encaustic-style tiles are known for their beautiful colors and patterns and can create a striking feature floor or wall. True cement tile is porous and requires more maintenance than porcelain.
Pros: Distinctive patterns, rich color and lots of personality.
Cons: True cement requires sealing, can stain, and develops a patina. Patterned porcelain often gives us a similar aesthetic with easier maintenance.
Price: Approximately $8–$25+ per square foot, depending on whether we're using porcelain, handmade cement or a specialty product.
Mosaics
"Mosaic" actually describes the size and format, rather than one particular material. Mosaics can be made from marble, porcelain, ceramic, glass or combinations of materials.
They're particularly useful for shower floors because the additional grout lines provide traction and allow the tile to follow the slope toward the drain.They can also create beautiful accents, niches and feature areas.
Pricing varies enormously depending on the material and pattern. A simple porcelain mosaic might be relatively inexpensive, while an intricate waterjet marble mosaic can cost $50, $75 or even $100+ per square foot.
Large-Format Tile
Large-format tile has become increasingly popular for floors, shower walls and contemporary bathrooms. Fewer grout lines create a cleaner, more expansive look, and today's porcelain can beautifully mimic large slabs of marble or stone.
The important thing to understand is that bigger tile doesn't necessarily mean cheaper installation. Large-format tile requires extremely flat surfaces, specialized cutting and handling, and an experienced installer.
Tile Prices Are Only Half the Story
Here's where tile gets tricky. A $6-per-square-foot tile isn't necessarily going to produce a less expensive finished project than a $15-per-square-foot tile.
Installation can make a huge difference.
A straightforward 12x24 porcelain tile installed in a simple pattern is very different from:
Small mosaics
Herringbone or intricate patterns
Handmade irregular tile
Large-format porcelain
Natural stone
Book-matched or vein-matched layouts
Curbless showers
Niches and detailed transitions
The more complicated the material and layout, the more skilled labor and preparation may be required. That's why I recommend considering material and installation together, rather than choosing tile based solely on its price per square foot.
So, Which Tile Is Best?
It depends on where we're putting it. For a hardworking bathroom floor or shower, porcelain may give us the best combination of beauty, durability and maintenance. For a backsplash, I may care more about color, texture and character and choose ceramic or handmade tile.
For a luxurious primary bathroom, natural marble may be worth the additional maintenance.
And sometimes we'll mix materials, perhaps porcelain on the main floor, marble mosaic on the shower floor and handmade ceramic on a feature wall.
The goal isn't to choose the most expensive tile or the trendiest tile.
The goal is to choose materials that work beautifully together, perform appropriately for the space, and support the overall design of your home.
How I Select Tile With My Clients
Just like countertops, I don't start the process by walking clients into a tile showroom and saying, "What do you like?" There are simply too many options.
As part of my design process, I first create the overall design and use conceptual tile, stone and finish swatches in the renderings so we can establish a direction.
Maybe we're looking for a warm ivory shower tile with subtle variation. Maybe the room needs a soft blue handmade tile. Maybe we want marble, or the look of marble without the maintenance.
Then we go on a tile selection trip together.
I take my clients to trusted Nashville and Middle Tennessee vendors where we can see the actual tile, stone, countertops and plumbing fixtures in person and make our final selections.
And sometimes we change direction. That's completely normal. A sample may look warmer or cooler than expected, or we might put two materials together and realize there's a better combination sitting three feet away.
3D renderings give us the roadmap. Seeing and touching the real materials is what allows us to confidently make the final selections.
Planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel in Nashville or Middle Tennessee?
I'll help you visualize the space before construction begins and guide you through selecting tile, countertops, fixtures and all the details that bring the design together.
Let's discuss your dream space! Book a complimentary video consult with me at 615interiors.com.
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