Breathe New Life Into Your Fireplace
With daily temperatures in the nineties, sitting in front of a fire is likely the farthest thing from your mind. But there’s never been a more perfect time to move up a project on your to-do list—a fireplace surround update with new fireplace tile ideas.
If you’re a DIYer, you know that summer is prime project time. Drop the kids off at grandma’s and you have time to work on creating brand-new, showstopping fireplace surround. Even if you aren’t the DIY type, summer’s the right time to start shopping for contractors.
Best of all, your fireplace isn’t in use now, and it’s so much cooler indoors. By simply adding some sensational tile, a fireplace remodel can transform the look and feel of your living space. And come winter your fireplace will be a favorite spot in the house.
Fireplace Tile Ideas
To help get you started on fireplace tile ideas, focus on four key points:
- What is the overall style of your home? Is it casual, elegant?
- The size, color, and tile print set the right feeling or mood.
- Tiles come in a variety of pattern possibilities—herringbone, hexagon, mosaics, classic elongated subway, square.
- Choose the best tiles for heat-resistance—real stone, stacked stone and ledger panels, porcelain, terracotta, glass tiles.
To see all the tile options, there’s nothing like visiting your local tile shop. The options are truly endless, especially at St. Louis Tile.
St. Louis Tile Tip: If you don’t know which tile works well for a fireplace surround, consult with the experts. Better quality tile = greater longevity.
Fireplace Surround Tile
Fortunately, renovators have many tile styles to choose from when it comes for fireplace surround tile options. There are tiles for every home style and the new sizes, patterns, and colors add more complexity to the mix. While options are good, all these choices can present a design dilemma if you’re unable to make up your mind about what would work best for your home.
To help with decision making, we’ve created four design categories and describe the fireplace tiles that work best with each. Which one are you most drawn too?
Rustic Elegance
You love a home with a warm, cozy feeling. Friends and friends of friends come to your house to hang out and enjoy your space. You encourage people to put their feet up on the coffee table. You don’t worry about coasters (too much).
If rustic elegance is your cup of tea, you’re not alone. This design style can be found in everything from transitional to traditional decor. Consider assorted shades of cream or dark charcoal in the newer stacked stone or ledger panels. Slate and travertine are also good options. Think cool grays to warm caramels—and terracotta tiles with a nice, warm palate—to make your home cozy. Just don’t blame us if you never leave your living room.
Boho-Chic
You love color and patterns and have a knack for putting things together that don’t match but come off look designer-ish. Your friends envy your ability to create interesting looking spaces that they never want to leave.
If boho-chic is your vibe, you might enjoy the look of a pebbled stone fireplace surround or colorful French or Italian mosaics. Check out the many options of vintage tile with faux aged or distressed edges to up the interest level. With so many patterns and styles to choose from, we know you’ll probably want more than one and, somehow, we know you’ll pull it off.
Classic Cool
You enjoy entertaining and think of it almost as an art form. Whether it’s a small gathering with a few friends or a larger one with a few dozen friends, you linger over every detail.
If you like a classic cool style, look for polished marble tile in rich-looking shades of pale to deeper grays. Or select alternating in patterns of light and dark gray for stunning contrast. You may also enjoy stone mosaics in always-classic herringbone patterns. For you, it’s the details that matter. The fireplace surround options for a classic cool style will let you create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that you and your guests will enjoy for decades to come.
Budget-Friendly and Beautiful
You watch your pennies and you love a bargain, but your home is one of a kind and lovely down to the last detail. You have kids of all kinds in your home (whether they’re yours or the neighbors’ or your grandkids) so things that can be touched—and not easily broken—is high on your list of must-have’s. You still like nice things, but on a budget.
If budget-friendly and beautiful is what you want, check out one of the many porcelain tile styles. Porcelain is reasonably-priced and comes in numerous colors, some that even mimic actual stone. With porcelain you can save your pennies but do so with plenty of style. Then let the kids run free. Because porcelain tiles are fired at higher temperatures than ceramic, they aren’t easily broken and are durable.
Ask the St. Louis Tile Experts
If your still unsure about what kind of tile to choose for your fireplace surround, visit our incredible showroom in Ellisville. We’re here 7 days a week, with extended evening hours, and offer exemplary customer service.
We have tile samples in stock for any sized budget and are ready to answer all your design questions. After all, your fireplace surround should reflect your style!
Contact us today to schedule an appointment, 636-220-3550. We look forward to meeting you!
