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7 Herringbone Tile Usage Ideas

7 Herringbone Tile Usage Ideas

PRETEND IT IS LUXURIOUS PARQUET

herringbone tile pretend it is luxurious parquet

When it comes to herringbone tile pattern, the first thing that pops up is a picture of beautiful parquet planks, carefully laid down to create a dramatic focal point on the floor. Yes, herringbone pattern requires more timber compared to a simple vertical or horizontal scheme, but it is well worth it. On the other hand, natural wood flooring is a big ticket project anyway, so why not make it more budget-friendly?

herringbone tile pretend it is luxurious parquet 2

Wood-look herringbone tile pattern is a great alternative to timber flooring, especially when speaking about wet and high-load areas. Ceramics is moisture-resistant covering, which also tolerates grease spots and other heavy stains well, while natural wood is humidity-sensible and high-maintenance. That’s why it makes sense to employ ceramics instead of wood in kitchen or even bathroom projects – the more so that wood-look tile is on trend.

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So, take woody floor tile and create a herringbone tile pattern in your kitchen, living room, bedroom or any other premise to add it a high level of aesthetic appeal specific to gorgeous parquet flooring.

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DOUBLE IT

herringbone tile double it

Actually, imitating parquet flooring pattern is kids’ stuff, since wood plus a herringbone pattern is a predictable combination. But are there any more unexpected blends to make your herringbone tile floor look really outstanding? We can think of at least a couple of them! For example, who said you must stick to a traditional single herringbone scheme? Be bold and double stakes! Look at the picture below – doesn’t this familiar pattern look different and much fresher when tiles are paired?

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Some people even go beyond double herringbones and put a unique spin on the pattern:

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And what an effect you can get when contrast or complement colors are added to the double herringbone pattern!

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Sure, you can create a customized color combination, especially since we are going to discuss exactly color scheme ideas.

MAKE IT BLOOM IN COLORS

herringbone tile bloom in colors

When you want to bring a splash of color into your project, a tiled herringbone gives much space to your imagination. There is no need to limit yourself only to two contrasting or complementary shades – use more hues, while mixing neutral and bright tones. Blend some vivid spot colors into a quiet color scheme to gain a dramatic depth and to make a clear statement. If you are daring enough, you can take it a step further and use only strong colors for achieving a stunning effect similar to that illustrated below.

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Yes, this is an active color scheme for an all-or-nothing person and you might not be ready for it. Then what about this elegant herringbone tile backsplash, blending blues and greens to create a unique accent wall?

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As you can see, there is a colorful herringbone option for each person – you just need to find your own combination, choosing shades, which mix well. If you are not sure how to find the right color palette for your interior design, get some helpful tips from professional designers.

TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN

herringbone tile upside down

What is it there on the shower wall? At first glance it seems that this is just stacked white subway tile. But when having a close look at the top, we will discover our favorite herringbone pattern! This picture proves conclusively that even simple white herringbone tile can look intriguing and more dynamic when laid at the right angle. You can borrow a page from this lovely combination of vertical and herringbone design or get inspired by the pure 90 degree project below.

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The idea works fine for flooring, too. By taking it on board, you get a great chance to add some geometric charm and stylish clean lines to your space, while making your floors look unusual and eye-catching.

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Sure, nothing can prevent you from turning your herringbone scheme horizontal. This creates an active pattern, brining vibe even into a simple subway design like it is shown on the following image.

herringbone tile upside down 4

USE FOR NICHES AND ACCENT

herringbone tile niches and accent

Walls, floors, backsplashes – these are the obvious areas of tile application. But don’t forget about its minor usage like decorating niches and creating beautiful installations! This is where a herringbone tile pattern comes in handy, as its sophisticated look is just perfect for adding dynamics and building eye-catching focal points. When set against a background of plain subway tile, the pattern shows up with its continuous up-and-down flow, but this combination is not the only choice, though the most frequent one. Look, how you can mix tile sizes and schemes, blending a zigzag accent wall into a mosaic backsplash design.

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Experienced and bold DIY interior designers can take some risk and mix different textures, colors and patterns, for example adding a blue grey glass herringbone pattern to a grayish stone-textured tiles.

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CREATE FIREPLACE INSTALLATIONS

herringbone tile fireplace installations

Let’s be consistent – if the herringbone pattern is great for creating accents, then it is just the thing for decorating fireplaces. Fireplace is a natural focal point in any space, so let it really pop with carefully chosen herringbone subway tile. The most common design is top-to-bottom tiling, but you are free to combine different layouts, colors and textures in one project – everything goes when you need to create a unique interior design item. In particular, you can emphasize only the hearth of your fireplace, while keeping the mantel face neutral, or underline the mantel vibe, framing it with simple heart design.

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And sure, you can get a nice aesthetic feel by tiling a decorative firebox, while keeping the surround simple and clean.

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If you think about DIY tiling project, read this useful guide on fireplace tiling to understand the scope of work to be done.

PLAY WITH TRANSITION

herringbone tile transition

We adore tile for its ability to mix well with many other interior materials like natural wood and stone, glass, metal and even plastic. Take it as an exciting opportunity to make an amazing visual impact by combining tiles with other materials within a tailor-made herringbone pattern. Besides, you can use materials wisely for zoning, like it is shown on the photo above – tile is used near a vanity to save wood from moisture.

However, you are not limited to materials blends, as well as to flooring. The unique transition can be created with color and texture mixing in both floor and wall projects.

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