Tiles That Divide One Room From Another

Choosing the Tile Tones

• Tiles come in many materials, sizes, colors, patterns and prices. Deciding on the right tile to divide one room from another really depends on personal preference as well as budget. One way to divide the rooms while still creating a smooth transition from one space to the next is by picking out one standout hue in the existing flooring, whether it's wood or other tile, and incorporating it in the new tile. Tone-on-tone is a great way to blend the floor tile and room transition in together. For example, dark espresso stone tiles pair well with dark espresso wood.

Tile Floor Options

• Floor tile options include ceramic, stone, granite, glass and marble. Dividing the rooms can be accomplished with all of these types of tile; the question is which one will best fit the budget and complement the adjacent floor. One way to accomplish room division is by using a smaller tile size of the same existing tile to create a clean border at the dividing point.

"Indian Blanket"

• The "Indian blanket" is a popular tile design application used to divide one room from another. This can be accomplished by simply cutting the corners off the floor tile and then placing the diamond shapes side by side, defining and dividing one room from another. Another way to accomplish the "Indian blanket" effect is by using a few strips of mosaic or deco tiles to create other tile patterns that will divide and define one room from another.

Floor Transitions

• One thing all homeowners need to consider when installing a new tile floor is the transition. This is almost always necessary with newly-installed tile floors, as they tend to be higher than the adjacent flooring in the other room. There is the surface tile transition option, which is typically made of lightweight aluminum. This is found in full-saddle transitions for bridging two similar levels, or half-saddle transitions, which are best for transitioning a lower level to a higher level. Flush tile transitions are another option; two popular choices include hardwood transition strips or marble and hardwood trip strips.