Part 30: 5 tiling tricks to transform hotel interiors

Technology is leading the way in a new wave of tile innovation, say tiles experts Tiles Direct. Here are their 5 tiling tips for transforming hotel interiors by using tiles in contemporary and classic ways

Hotels represent an escape – a destination more beautiful and more luxurious than their own home. This concept is communicated well in the bedroom, but the bathroom is often forgotten – either the victim of a budget spent mostly on the bedroom, or a symptom of lax design.

The reality is that the bathroom can, with a little work, come into its own and beautifully complement the overall aesthetic of your hotel. Here are the impactful ways hotels can take their interior design to new and opulent heights.

Incorporate technology

A waterproof bathroom TV set allows for a dose of much-craved away-from-home luxury. The best way to excite your guest with this technology is to incorporate it into a black quartz tile wall. The monochrome means the TV picture appears seemingly from nowhere after the machine is switched on. Combine this with other high-tech accessories, such as a touch-screen temperature control shower, to further develop a stylish and state-of-the-art bathroom experience.

Take cues from your surroundings

A large number of hotel bathrooms are windowless. While this is an effective way to reduce corridor noise for your guests and save space, it can lead to some pretty bland and forgettable designs.

Treating the bathroom as an anonymous space divorced from its surroundings can mean uninspiring interior. The strategic use of bathroom wall or floor tiles can succeed in making your hotel’s bathrooms unique and enabling them to elegantly complement their outside surroundings.

For example, a beachside hotel could benefit from a lot of colour and patterning in the bathroom, while smooth, white metro tiles would be a perfect fit for an urban boutique hotel. Small considerations like these make hotels more all-encompassing getaways that epitomise their locations.

Go beyond the bathroom

Tiles create an airy, Mediterranean feel, and are easier to clean than carpet. Sturdy, durable tiles will stand the test of time. Be careful, though, as busy, multi-coloured patterns aren’t the best choice for a room focused on relaxation. Try subtle pastel shades and simple patterns in a band across the floor, with most floor space being given to plain, white floor tiles.

Dabble with darker tones

Darker tones are a timeless choice and add a luxury edge to your bathroom. T he reality is that any dark colour can work, from regal purples to luxurious dark reds – and these shades come into their own when paired with white bathroom fittings, with a few white tiles interspersed to draw the colour out even further. If you have a window, frame it with tiles in darker tones to highlight the entrance of natural light.

Get all eyes on focal points

Boutique hotels need to let their key features do the talking – be it a statement piece of artwork or a bespoke sculpture. The room itself should highlight these unique features, and an effective way to do this is to create a focal point in the room, primarily through the use of lighting. However, in a smaller room, you’ll need something to reflect the light and create the illusion of extra space. A small gathering of wall tiles framing bespoke artwork or decor can achieve that. Rare, distinctive and unusual items can tell the story of hotels and reflect passions, so having a room design that incorporates this sense of character is crucial.

Tiles Direct say their customers ‘own their own designs for less’, see what they do by visiting their website