The latest in tiles: large format and creative designs

With the ability to create a seamless look thanks to rectified edges that allow for smaller grout lines, large format tiles are making a statement in high-end properties and can help small rooms appear larger.

Live House Design Studio’s Remi Golebiowski and Izabela Wójcik have even seen large format tiles used as cladding for several projects, such as The Wall House in Christchurch, where the architectural concrete tile is a durable and stunning choice that ensures the home blends with its surroundings.

“You can also make different furniture pieces with them, such as benchtops and tables,” says Remi. “It also has a very interesting effect if you use them in a swimming pool because you get this almost seamless surface.”

Unlike a coat of paint, though, tiles are often a permanent fixture – making it vital that the right choice is made by seeking advice from experts.

One aspect to be aware of with large format tiles, is they require a different installation process compared to smaller tiles.

Izabela says when choosing and installing large format tiles, the most important thing for architects, builders, and clients to be aware of is that much more space is needed for the installation process and manoeuvring of the product.

“It’s not a typical tiling job,” she says. “There needs to be close cooperation between the tiler and the builder. It also takes a little bit more time and access needs to be prepared.”

Remi adds: “It’s a very different job and different process than laying standard-sized tiles. Often it involves crane operation because you can’t just move them by hand up the floors or the staircase. It’s much more involved and everyone – the client, the builder, the architect – needs to be aware of that and plan ahead.”

From concrete-look tiles, porcelain tiles, textured and wood-look tiles, there are countless options to choose from. Not every option is right for every space, though, with certain tiles more suited for bathroom flooring and others ideal for making a bold statement with a 3D form.

While it is often asked if porcelain or ceramic tiles are better, Remi and Izabela explain that this is a common misconception as not one product is “better” than the other – they simply have different purposes.

“There is a saying that every tile is ceramic, but not every tile is porcelain. Ceramic soft-body tiles are more clay-based and their level of water absorption and hardness is suitable for interior walls only, while porcelain can be used for either,” explains Izabela, with porcelain containing more sand and processed in a different way to ceramic tiles.

“It’s false thinking that one is worse – it is just a different technological process and different material for different purposes.”

Live House Design Studio supplies both ceramic and porcelain tiles of varying sizes, including 3D effect tiles made possible by the composition of ceramic.

“If you want to achieve a decorated, 3D effect on a bathroom wall, you will need to use ceramic tiles. It is a different material that can achieve something different to porcelain,” says Remi.

“Although the latest is a smooth porcelain with a 3D effect printed on it. If you want to achieve a decorated, 3D effect on a shower wall with fixtures, now you can.”

While dimensional art tiles aren’t available in porcelain, textures such as woodgrains, stone and concrete are a popular choice. Made possible by today’s innovative technology, photorealistic digital printing is used in the production of these tiles to successfully imitate the appearance of real wood.

“Natural timber can have limitations. We’ve had projects where the whole floor is done with timber-look tiles,” says Izabela. “Especially when the surface structure and the print are best quality, you can't tell the difference.”

However, Izabela wouldn’t recommend using timber-look in areas such as the bathroom if the rest of the home features real timber flooring: “If you have the two side by side, you will see the difference. We don’t recommend making that combination design-wise.”

Natural timber flooring remains a timeless solution though, and Live House Design Studio also supplies a range of real timber flooring that has been specially selected from central Europe by Izabela and Remi to ensure it is suited to New Zealand’s climate and lifestyle.

“Our best seller is solid oak and ash flooring. It’s quite an exciting product that is different from the average solid wood available on the market – having up to 10mm of sandable layer. It is supplied with low humidity content (6 to 8%), and because of that as well as some technical tricks, it’s much more stable – as stable as engineered timber,” shares Remi.

“It can be used with underfloor heating, it’s fully certified and has been tested. You can achieve a really seamless look and it’s easy to install. We can supply it either prefinished in the factory or uncoated. It is a very customisable product.

“We also have a full coating system available so other timber elements can be the same colour. We had a client recently who chose the same colour of oil on the floor, the furniture, veneer panels, and stairs to create a seamless look.”

Explore all tile and timber flooring options from Live House Design Studio.

Words by Cassie Birrer