Are you looking to create a streamlined indoor-to-outdoor style in your space? With transitional flooring options, you can bring the beauty of the outdoors into the comfort of your home.
Uniform flooring designs are sure to open up your home and create the illusion of an elongated floor plan. Your eye will follow your floors from inside to outside creating the image of depth and length. Double the square footage of your home without the price tag? Yes, please!
A trick of the interior design trade is to use the same flooring inside your home as you do for your outdoor patio. Too many different flooring options can make your home feel disjointed and small. A great flooring option with the versatility to be used both inside and outside is tile.
With so many tile flooring options, how do you know which tile is best for both your indoor and outdoor flooring needs? That is a great question because many factors go into choosing a tile that can transition between your home and your patio. Ask yourself, will this tile: fade in the sun, crack over time, is it waterproof? When shopping for transitional flooring tiles, look for durability, non-slip, porosity, and hardiness.
Porcelain
Porcelain tiles are human-made and fired at super high temperatures, which makes them a tough alternative for your transitional flooring needs. Each tile is durable and non-porous. Engineered to be virtually weatherproof, you can use porcelain in any location, and it will outlast the hardest of nature’s elements. Porcelain comes in a variety of colors and textures. You can find porcelain tiles that look like wood planks, natural stone, concrete, or even textiles.
Granite
Also a popular countertop option, granite is a stone flooring option that can be used both inside and outside. It is super strong and can withstand any weather forecast. When properly sealed, your granite floors will resist stains and mildew. Granite coloring options range from dark to light and come in a variety of colors, which will surely complement any space.
Marble
Marble is also a durable, natural stone flooring option. It is more porous than granite, so you should seal your marble tiles to prevent any staining from spills. Avoid polished marble slabs for your outdoor space. Instead, choose rough-surfaced pieces to avoid slippage. Add variety to your home and choose among marble’s many unique color options.
Slate
Slate is a durable stone that is great for indoor and outdoor living spaces. It is softer than granite and marble and may crack easily, so choose thicker gradient pieces. You do not have to seal your slate tiles as they should stand up against the elements. Pro-tip: install your slate tiles on top of a solid surface, such as concrete. Slate tiles bring visual interest to your home with colors ranging from neutral to vibrant.
More indoor-to-outdoor style tips
Transitional indoor-to-outdoor tiled spaces have the appeal of elongating a room and creating a more open floor plan with less interruption. Choose larger, abrasive textured tiles rather than smaller tiles for your transitional space to decrease grout lines and prevent slippage. Larger tiles will also help cut labor time in half, but keep in mind that installing larger formats is trickier. Always leave tile and stone installation to the professionals!
Now that you have some transitional flooring options in mind, visualize your seamless floors running from the interior of your home out to your patio. This is one trend that we can get behind, and we know it is here to stay.