Porcelain Tile Fireplace Ideas

Modern Design

• If your home is modern and your look contemporary, consider tiling the entire wall behind your fireplace with a large-format porcelain tile. Available in sizes such as 16-inch and 12-by-24-inch, with finishes that look like leather or metal, these porcelain tiles can complement leather furniture, metallic accents or stainless steel in a nearby kitchen. All without the multiple grout lines that can make tile seem so busy.

Elegant Design

• Look for high-gloss porcelain tiles with very subtle veining in their surface for an elegant appearance. Polished porcelain tiles are typically available in 12-inch squares and can be complemented with a border of natural stone mosaics, outlining the firebox. The light will bounce off the highly finished tiles when the firebox is in use.

Rustic Design

• Porcelain tiles with extremely heavy texture and variability from piece to piece can mimic the look of rustic slate tiles, without the difficulty of installation. Choose tiles that vary in color from piece to piece or within one piece to add a lot of color and movement to the room, or look for tiles with several shades of one color for a more subtle look.

  Textured porcelain tiles are available in 2-inch, 6-inch and 12-inch sizes, so try mixing sizes on the fireplace surround and on the hearth. Create a pattern of 2-inch and 6-inch squares around the firebox with 12-inch squares on the hearth, or use 2-inch squares on the hearth with 12-inch squares on the surround for a more modern look.