How to choose the right tiles for the living room

by Sara Costi

The living room is the area of the home where we spend most time enjoying each other’s company, so it has to be comfortable and relaxing. This requires precise, careful planning to meet the needs of the occupants.

When choosing the right flooring, a number of factors must be taken into account, including the style of the project, the size of the room and the amount of light, how the natural light interacts with the space throughout the day, and the surface effect you’re seeking to obtain.

Another aspect that shouldn’t be underestimated is the colour range, because colour has an extraordinary ability to transform the settings we live in and to completely change how a space is perceived. Colour can be relaxing and restful, cosy and comfortable; or it can be energising and invigorating. It can purify, revive, or bring a cheerful, welcoming allure to an environment. As well as being linked to emotions, the choice of colours and tones is also decisive for how we perceive the size and shape of a room, making it appear more or less spacious, wide or high. So when choosing flooring for the living room, it’s important to pay close attention to colour, which must not only complement the materials and furnishings in the room, but must also never contrast sharply with the colour of the walls.

Particularly spacious living areas can be given a sense of visual continuity by laying large-size ceramic tiles without cutting them, with minimal, barely perceptible joints, while for smaller living rooms, or rooms with more challenging geometries, it’s better to opt for small or medium tiles, such as the classic 30x30 cm or 30x60 cm sizes.

Porcelain stoneware is versatile, resistant and able to meet all kinds of project needs. However, when choosing the right wall coverings for the living area, the geographical setting must also be considered. The rules to follow are different depending on whether you’re designing a home by the sea, in the mountains, in the countryside or in the city.

Recommended for mountain areas are floor and wall tiles in wood-effect porcelain stoneware, with brick or stack bond laying patterns, while for a home by the sea, it’s preferable to opt for wood or stone-effect materials in bright, neutral shades. For a country home, which in the collective imagination conjures up a rustic, convivial atmosphere, stone or granite-effect coverings are recommended, while the best choices for metropolitan living rooms are cement, metal or stone-effect stoneware tiles.