One of our associates here at Geo Properties is currently traveling in Istanbul, Turkey, and has been raving about the brave usage of bright colors and patterns in everyday Turkish decor. Upon entering the restaurants, bazaars and hotels in the city, one is immediately awestruck by the intricate designs of mosaic-style tiles, as they become the most attention-grabbing focal points of the room. The best part of it all is that tiles are easily accessible in Turkey, especially at bazaars like the one shown below.

Turkish Bazaar

 When it comes to decorating a home, many people are afraid of using pops of color, or “loud” decorative pieces. It’s sad because these elements are what gives the home personality. Mosaic tiles, for instance, are one of the items most commonly avoided, especially by Westerners. Why? I guess the fear is that it’s more likely to look tacky, rather than elegant and tasteful.

That’s only if it’s done incorrectly.

The key to using mosaic tiles in your home is to use it sparingly (if you’d rather play it safe), choose the right size and color of tiles, for the space you are decorating. Think of using mosaic tiles in the same light of using Persian rugs–it’s purpose it to add an accent, some spice or flavor to your room. It can also be used to tie all the various color schemes you have going on in your decor, as it’s easy to do since mosaic tiles generally have more than 3 colors in the design.

If you’re still on the fence about it, here’s a short list of places in your home mosaic tiles best work in:

The Shower

The shower is literally one of the best places to experiment with mosaic tiles. It’s hard to go wrong with this. Although it must be said that it’s best to use more natural tones for your pattern, as showers tend to be a place for peace and rejuvenation.

Here are two examples:

The bathroom is really an ideal place for mosaic tiles. If you’ve been to Istanbul before, it’ll almost feel like you’re relaxing at a Turkish bath, or a Hamam (Turkish for bathhouse).

 The Kitchen

Another suggestion would be placing them in the kitchen. Not only are kitchens great for mosaic tiling because of its functionality, but it’ll allow you to play with brighter colors more. People generally tend to use mosaic tiles as a backsplash.

Flooring

Here’s an example of how a floor space can be used as a focal point in the room. Using mosaic tiling in your flooring may transform the space completely, almost as a work of art in itself. You may use mosaic tiling in your bathroom to add some texture as well.

And for the really adventurous…

Mosaic tiling on your walls, floors, and furniture. Yes, it can be done (and in good taste), however we don’t suggest committing to all three canvasses unless you have some input from a professional interior designer. One thing you’ll notice about the first image is that although each tiling has its own design, they all contain similar color schemes, allowing it to blend harmoniously.

Again, the above two suggestions are for mosaic lovers. But what can we say–if you’re up to the challenge then by all means, go for it. If used correctly, adding mosaic tiling to any part of your home will immediately make it more vibrant, creative, and will reflect a sense of adventure.