Posted: January 2008

Old Idea Drives New Kitchens

Kitchens have always been the center of a home. Today, a kitchen is much more than a place to prepare and cook food. It's also where families gather, kids do their homework and guests are entertained, so what goes into a kitchen renovation has to be both good looking and hard working.

Need for Practicality and Good Looks

Accommodating the evolving role for kitchens requires materials that are attractive and functional. Many renovators are finding that an old kitchen standby - tiles are just right for their needs. Not only are tiles beautiful, they're multifunctional - just think of all the things you can do with traditional tiles - decorative backsplashes, countertops or hardwearing floors are just a few ideas. They're also available in virtually any color, practical as all get out (resist stains, water and heat) and you can get them in all kinds of materials to meet both your unique design requirements and your budget.

Adaptability Provides Beauty and Functionality

However, a larger new kitchen combined with a single tile treatment can be just too much of a good thing. As a result, many renovators are taking advantage of the beauty and functionality of tiles but using them in conjunction with other materials to provide attractive contrasts as well as alternate functions.

Tiles Are All Different

All tiles aren't created equally. Here's a quick snap shot of some pros and cons of different tile types.

The content of this article was provided courtesy of Murray Anderson.  Murray Anderson is an experienced freelance writer. His work has been published in print and newspapers in both the US and Canada as well as on numerous web sites. He writes on many topics but specializes in home and house related subjects.