Foyer Flooring Ideas to Mix Wood & Tile

Tile Shoe Area

• Place a handful of large stone tiles along the entry door and foyer wall, creating a durable, easy-to-clean area to place muddy shoes. Cover the rest of the foyer in wood. This is a particularly savvy foyer flooring setup if the rest of the house is floored with wood because the tile area will help protect the wood from moisture damage. Install coat hooks above the tiled area so that any drippy rain jackets or snow-covered parkas drop their moisture onto the tile.

Wood Border

• Cover the foyer floor with tile except for a border of wood around the outer edge of the floor if you want to incorporate wood into the area but desire the longevity and low maintenance of tile. Foyers tend to get a lot of foot traffic plus wetness and temperature changes, so using predominantly tile is a smart home-maintenance strategy. A wood border contrasted against a mostly tile floor can draw attention to attractive molding.

Mosaic

• Accent the foyer floor with a mosaic of wood and stone tile if you are -- or can afford to hire -- an artisan and like the look of mixed-media mosaics. Putting a striking piece of furniture or artwork in a foyer can transform it from bland to mind-blowing, which is particularly helpful if you plan to try to sell your home one day. An ornate inlaid floor mosaic of natural materials will convey a mood of rustic luxury.

Wooden Walkway

• Make a sort of visual thread connecting the foyer to the rest of the house by installing a narrow inlaid wood "walkway" leading from the foyer to the next room. Furnish the surrounding foyer floor with sturdy tile. This method of mixing wood and tile in the foyer floor is well-suited to homes where the foyer is far from or awkwardly situated in relation to the main living areas. The walkway will help lead new visitors to the main areas and make the house feel more cohesive.