Best of Both Worlds: Outdoor to Indoor Tile Guide

Psst! I’m going to let you in on a secret…There is a clever trick that interior designers use to make any room look bigger. Want to know what it is? It’s all to do with flooring. Ya see, if you use different flooring in every room of your home, visually the spaces seem smaller. Each time the flooring changes, it becomes disjointed from the adjacent space and acts like a full stop for the eye. So, using the same flooring throughout a home is a great way to create visual length and depth.

However, there’s more. This amazing visual trick can just as easily be applied in another way. If you use the same flooring both inside and outside your home, that seamless integration means your eye has no ‘full stop’, even past the foundations of your home.

Using the same tiles or flooring option both inside and out means an uninterrupted view and a much larger visual space.

Today I wanted to talk about a few tiles we stock here at Tile Mountain which give you the best of both worlds. They work beautifully indoors but also can be used outside, creating that lovely unbroken view that will make your home and garden look bigger and also create visual continuity, perfect for tying your home to your outside space.

Tiles Perfectly Suited for Outdoor Use

Bluenorte (slip rating R9) is a beautiful grey with a bluish tint that gives the look of a natural stone effect with a smooth texture. This contemporary tile would be perfect in a more minimalist space or one which utilises the latest trends of a monochrome colour scheme. Consider this for a contemporary space or one with a Scandi vibe.

Morvan (slip rating R11) is a stunning outdoor porcelain tile in a creamy beige colour with a natural rustic stone effect finish and texture. This tile is perfect for creating continuity when tiling indoor to outdoor and it’s slip resistance and durable qualities make it an ideal choice to use in high-traffic areas.

Bluenorte Outdoor Slab Tiles (slip rating R11) are trendy grey porcelain tiles with a subtle riven texture, making it the perfect choice for outside and indoor use. It’s available in two sizes, three finishes, and four colours so you’ve got plenty of options to create a subtle and elegant look in your home no matter what your style.

Our Dunsen (slip rating R11) tiles authentically replicate the look of sand-based flagstones but feature a high slip rating, meaning they’re great for use in kitchens, bathrooms and conservatories but work equally well on a patio or in the garden. Their matt texture and natural good looks will give you the perfect blend of style and functionality.

Tiles That Go from Indoors to Out

Our gorgeous Nature porcelain tiles (slip rating R10) replicate the beauty of natural slate in a large format floor tile with a slip resistant texture, ideal for indoor and outdoor use. With no sealing required, it’s incredibly durable and perfectly suitable for any high-traffic areas whilst providing a look that’s perfectly suited inside and out. With each tile created using ink-jet technology, you’ll get a realistic natural look with every tile having a unique appearance.

Our simple but elegant Lounge Matt (slip rating R9) comes in both black and ivory, allowing you to create your own bespoke and unique look in interiors and exteriors. Although these tiles provide slightly less slip resistance than the choices above, they can still be used successfully outdoors and work perfectly to create a seamless look.

Our Country Honey range gives you the look and beauty of real wood without the hassle of upkeep or maintenance for the perfect rustic or country finish inside and out. Whilst this tile hasn’t been tested by our manufacturers for slip resistance, it is frost resistant so while it’s suitable for outdoor use, you’ll want to be careful of using it in any high-traffic areas where water is present.

A Few Things to Keep In Mind!

Of course, not all tiles that you use indoors can be used outdoors. You’ll want to be sure that the tiles you use are appropriate for outside use. Check out our Best Tiles for Outside Areas post for further information on why not all tiles are created equal!

You’ll also want to be mindful when choosing tiles of their slip rating. We provided an in-depth guide in this post but essentially, you want to make sure that when the tiles get wet, there’s no chance of someone having an accident by slipping on the tiles. The higher the slip rating, the better the tiles will fare if it’s a bit wet or slushy outdoors – not uncommon for our British summers or winters, unfortunately! So the best tiles to use outside will always be those with a rating of R9 or higher. We’ve referenced the slip ratings where they’ve been tested above but if you have a question, please just check with our customer service advisors.

And of course, be sure to check out our full range of outdoor tiles, available in a wide range of colours and styles.