Please help me choose tiles for my new kitchen!

[AnnaLegovah]

Hi folks

New kitchen is currently being installed and I need to find tiles for the wall (kitchen fitter can get us a big discount at Topps Tiles so probably will be through them). I've never chosen tiles for a kitchen before and I'm a bit unsure.

It's a small kitchen with white wooden shaker style cupboards, oak worktop and oak laminate flooring.

Not sure I like shiny tiles but perhaps something with a rougher texture to it? But what size? And what shape looks good? What's easiest to clean?

Argh help! Any advice?

metro tiles seem to be in at the moment. white marble style might look nice. don't know how easy to keep clean though.

I've seen that Metro style tiles are quite fashionable but worried they might date quickly - house is a Victorian terrace so I'm trying to keep with a 'traditional' style.

White marble looks nice.

I think that grout is the bit that gets dirty quickest. so I would avoid it by having the one piece back splash instead. did see in a showroom where they used glass with fancy (F&B) wallpaper behind. that would be in keeping with that period, and be practical.

That's interesting Tabitha, I suggested a splash back but both DH and fitter ruled against it. I love the idea of wallpaper behind a splash back! Maybe I'll suggest it again.

Splashbacks! You can have any colour, you only need to do behind the cooker and sink if you don't want to do the whole lot (we haven't) and they look lovely. Also like idea of wallpaper behind splash backs.

I think the metro tiles are spot on: they are traditional and in keeping with a Victorian house - can't see how that would date unless you went for a madly fashionable colour or coloured grout perhaps, but you could change the grout a few years down the line. I had a matt white tile that shape in my last kitchen in a Victorian house. Pretty sure I got them from Topps.

I would not put wallpaper behind a splash back - I think that is far more likely to date quickly and what are the practicalities of replacing it?

I think metro tiles are timeless. One piece back splashes have been fashionable for about 10 years now and I am an interior designer and lots of people getting rid of them and going back to tiles! Matt ceramics v popular again and I am glad as I love them!

I knew I knew my kitchen fashion stuff noddy!!!

I put metro tiles in my first development 14 years ago and they were still there when the house was resold last year and still looked good.

:) I have just finished a kitchen and matched the units and tiles and it looked great

Ah now you've got me. I suppose metro style tiles are in the London underground so maybe I was wrong in my original opinion?

We are going to update update our kitchen in our edwardian semi. The units are in excellent condition so just going to change the work tops, flooring and have tiling.

Love the look of metro tiles they will go perfectly with the age of the property. Splash back looks a bit naff to me, each to their own of course!

Oh dear - I am planning on having a fused glass splashback when I get my new kitchen next month!! Am planning on metro tiles in the utility though.

Re metro tiles we have just used white ones and the tiler said there is a spray you can buy to make the grout waterproof which should keep them cleaner longer

Thats handy to know, thanks clarice

I used these in my kitchen and I highly recommend this supplier

For a more rustic look, Nigellas, those are great.

We're getting metro's as well - I've loved that look for a long long time.

yes wowfudge they're a rustic metro tile i guess!
if anyone's interested, the "biscuit" is actually a nice cream colour...

We had the whole tile vs splashback dilemma when we redid our kitchen last year. Then it occurred to us that we didn't need either as our hob is in the penisular bit of the worktop. We had a 10cms upstand put round, and it looks fab. Is your hob in front of a wall? If not, then you wouldn't need tiles or a splashback.

Personally I prefer splashbacks to tiles as they look neater, but at the end of the day you should get what you like best. It's your home!

Murano Matrix glass tiles. Oddly, the colours don't look as jewel-like as they do in RL.

Arm and a leg, though.

www.montile.com.au/Assets/Documents/Catalogues/SC-Glass_Catalogu

I like those tiles Nigella, even if I'm not generally a fan of all the grey you seem to get in houses at the moment.

I've gone for cream metro tiles with gunmetal grey grouting - they're going in on Monday so hopefully they'll look good! Now all the cupboards/surfaces are in it made it easier to choose.

Thanks all