Designing with rustic tiles

Designing with rustic tiles is a brilliant way to add that cosy, comforting vibe to interiors and are perfect for everything from the smallest of rooms to kitchens, bathrooms, entrance hallways, the boot room and more. These are tiles that are all about gorgeous natural imperfections, rich, earthy saturated hues and an artisan look and feel. Rustic tiles are full of little details that add up to make a big impact on spaces.

What are rustic tiles?

Rustic tiles often echo the look and feel of worn materials such as natural stone, time aged ceramics, organic designs, wood and terracotta. A handcrafted appearance and worn finishes make rustic tiles feel individually designed. Add to this earthy colour palettes such as terracottas, olive greens, taupes, yellow ochres and warm tones and all this makes rustic tiles perfect for creating spaces that feel super cosy and welcoming. Whether you are looking for time worn elegance or more of a rugged vibe, rustic tiles are a great shout. So let’s explore some of the rustic tiles in our collections and find out more about them.

Patterned rustic tiles

Patterned rustic tiles like our Mode collection feature distinct patterns with a deliberate aged look. Bold, organic patterns, a distressed, worn look and feel and the saturated hues of a rich claret red and nurturing olive green combine to create two gorgeous ceramic tiles. These rustic tiles are great for walls and low traffic floors and will definitely add a little charm and character to rooms. Mode combines beautifully with our Vibe rustic wood effect floor tile too, especially Mode Olive. These tiles also work with many of our feature tiles or simply use Mode on its own!

Aged stone look and feel

The patina of aged, time worn stone is expertly recreated in our Bliss Flagstone collection. Traditional flagstones are 900 x 600mm in format and Bliss echoes not just this size but the distressed and tumbled edges of real flagstones. Tile edges are still rectified for super slim grout lines but the surface around the edges feature lovely soft indentations to the surface giving you the best of both worlds, that tumbled feel and minimal grout. The natural finish to these porcelain tiles brings a soft, silky sheen that gently diffuses light across the tile surface adding depth and warmth to rooms.

Rustic wood effect tiles

Reinterpreting the look and feel of distressed wood, Vibe is a beautiful example of a wood effect rustic tile. With notes of charcoal and lighter wood tones the variation of pattern across these wood effect tiles is beautifully rich. The format of these porcelain plank tiles is 1210 x 195mm – large but not too large.

Tangle is a traditional marquetry design. This ceramic 45 x 45cm tile is in a wonderfully warm wood tone and just the ticket for creating ultra inviting floors. Each tile features a small border for a stylish look and feel. Tangle features a co-ordinating small plank tile for creating feature borders.

Handmade wall tiles

The perfectly imperfect artisanal charm of Adore gives these tiles a handmade look and feel. Uneven surfacing and non-rectified (ie not perfectly square) tile edges add to the charm of these little feature tiles in 9 colourful pigments. Adore is perfect for colour drenching a wall, flooding a space with colour.

Mix it up

One of the great things about designing with rustic tiles is you can easily mix different styles together; think wood effect rustic tiles for the floor and a splash of artisanal feature tiles for the wall. Rustic tiles open up all kinds of design possibilities!

As any interiors expert will tell you, one of the key elements of interior design is texture – combining the rough with the smooth. Rustic tiles are awash with different textures from that handmade rustic feel, to gorgeous patinas and tiles with an aged, worn appearance – all of which means you can go to town on your rustic interior design.

Porcelain and ceramic rustic tiles

Porcelain and ceramic tiles are specifically designed to mimic other materials. The extent to which they do this well depends on the quality of the tiles in question. Leading manufacturers are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible with porcelain and ceramic tiles including design, surface finish, texture and format.

Porcelain tiles are more durable than ceramic tiles because they are made of a mix of fine clays and minerals and fired at higher temperatures than ceramic tiles. This makes porcelain highly scratch and stain resistant. Ceramic tiles are lighter than porcelain tiles and this makes them easier to cut and install. Both have their advantages.

Final thoughts

If you are looking to add character and charm to spaces, rustic tiles tick all the boxes and are a great place to start. Whether you are adding a simple splashback in the kitchen, looking for tiles to create a cosy bathroom vibe or want a warm and welcoming entrance hallway these tiles are an inspiration!

Rustic tiles - gallery

Adore wall ceramic Spanish tile

Vibe porcelain rustic wood effect tiles

Mode patterned ceramic tiles

Bliss flagstone effect porcelain tile – caramel

Bliss Flagstone effect porcelain tile – caramel

Mode patterned ceramic tile – olive

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Click the images with a description underneath to head straight to these tiles on our website.

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The TilePortfolio specialise in Italian and Spanish Porcelain and Ceramic tiles, in particular large format Porcelains and Porcelain tiles for inside and outside. Our carefully curated, stunning tile portfolios are beautifully presented online and supported by our fuss-free ‘go-the-extra-tile’ service. In addition, you can view our entire tile collection at our Northamptonshire Showroom. Visit our website for unmissable interiors inspiration. The TilePortfolio team are always available to chat, we’d be delighted to help with your project so please do get in touch.

Please note: We strongly recommend using a professional tiler for your project. Installation requirements may vary depending on the tiles you choose, the fixing products used and the specific conditions. Always check with your tiler regards the suitability of the tiles. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions.

Designing with rustic tiles