Given that we live in what is often a grey and dreary little island, making our homes ‘light and spacious’ is high up on the list of UK homeowners’ priorities. Taking advantage of natural light as much as possible in your interiors can certainly brighten up proceedings and create a calming space that really does feel like home, but how exactly should you go about it? Well, here are some of our favourite schemes that emphasise natural light in your home for inspiration…
Natural Daylight
If your living space isn’t overlooked, the concept of maximum width glazed window/wall section, combined with roof lights, is the way to go. This scheme is a beauty, not for everyone perhaps, but something to aim for! All that natural light and space needs some easy-on-the-eye tiles to ‘ground’ the scheme … such as our Mikeno Honey Wood Effect Wall & Floor planks, with realistic graining to replicate real timber.
Light & Bright
Keep the look light, bright and spacious by creating a scheme that combines pale walls and floor with a run of glazed windows overlooking the terrace. Including a pop of colour such as a sofa or dining table adds that all-important focus point, without detracting from the clean and spacious look. Our Stonebase Light Grey vitrified ceramic tiles are designed to replicate Indonesian stone and come in two sizes, 600mm x 600mm for an expansive feel and 300mm x 600mm for a more intricate look.
With a Dark Emphasis
Bring light into the home by concentrating on an all-over white scheme for cabinets, surfaces, walls and ceiling. Include huge windows too – especially if the view is of skies and greenery. But once again, it’s a clever choice to ground the whole look with focus flooring. Try our Country Nut Floor Tiles in dark, textured, wood-effect porcelain to add that contrasting dark look.
Through The Window
A huge window fills a bathroom with enough light to withstand the use of dark tiles for floors and walls – just keep the ceiling and window wall painted white to add balance and clarity. These stunning tiles are our Evolution Matt Natural Grey floor and wall tiles, available in two large formats.
A Closer Look
Our new Clay Blossom vintage-look ceramic floor and wall tiles have distinct pattern and colouring, but don’t add that ‘dark’ feel to a room that some vintage-style tiles can. Each tile measures 450mm x 450mm and is designed to look like four smaller tiles.
Background Lights
Another patterned tile from our Clay collection, this time we’re using Clay Seal as a focal point providing colour and pattern in a light-filled hallway. Once again, each tile measures 450mm x 450mm and is designed to look like four smaller tiles. The background is a very soft cream-grey and off-white, with details in tan and blue. Samples are available here, just click on the green sample box.
Bright & White
The most obvious way of bringing light into the home is by using light colours, such as white, ivory, palest grey and perhaps some metallics. Adding a dark feature island won’t detract from the general feeling of lightness and adds a nice focal point. Our Alaska White Gloss Floor Tiles are a great choice here, looking all clean and sparkling and helping to bounce the natural light around the kitchen.
Hallway of Dreams
This light and bright hallway is pretty perfect, whichever way you think about it. Beautiful staircase, pale and pristine walls, simple architectural detailing, interesting lighting and of course, a beautiful floor. A mix of white (or cream or ivory or the palest grey) and some natural wood detailing always looks chic. The wonderful floor tile here are our Surface Off White Matt Wall & Floor Tiles in concrete-effect porcelain.
Add Some Sparkle
Throw some light and a little bit of sparkle around the room with our Comet Rose Square Stone Mosaics – perfect for a large expanse or a little bit of exquisite detail.
Re-Make, Re-Model
Starting on a new bathroom project? We like the idea of including floor-to-ceiling glass panels (they don’t even have to be opening windows) to allow light to flood into a small bathroom that could otherwise perhaps be quite dark. And it’s rather nice to be washing your hands whilst overlooking the garden. All tiles here are from our Kromatika collection, available in Black and White and five other colours.
Up Close
Another suggestion for a ‘pale but interesting’ floor tile to help boost a lighter look in your home. This is the Clay Chequer Silver floor tile, with a vintage appearance, measuring 450mm x 450mm and designed to look like four smaller tiles.
Kitchen Style
We can’t resist our new Clay White Wall Tiles, shown here as a perfect splashback in a stylish, light and airy kitchen. Each tile measures 200mm x 400mm and is designed to look like 2 x 3 smaller tiles. A great way of adding a clear, clean, vintage look to a new kitchen.
Have you been inspired to include any of these ideas in your next interior refresh? If so then don’t forget to send us your pictures of the end result – share your pics with us over on Twitter tagging @TileMountainUK or on Instagram!
You might also enjoy these posts on the Tile Mountain blog…
Linda has worked as a freelance interiors writer and blogger for many years; she has written for most of the major home and design magazines, including KBB Magazine, Grand Designs, Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Period Homes and Good Homes. She made the break and moved from London back to her home town of Shrewsbury three years ago and has just finished renovating her house. She also works in an interior design studio, produces copy for brochures and website, tries to tame her garden, aims to finish all the home furnishing projects she has on the go … and loves walking.