You already know how perfect it is for kitchen and bathroom floors, but you may not know just how versatile it is.

From a functional point of view, it’s completely waterproof, durable, easy to care for and a terrific heat transfer material; it can even make you feel chilly.

From an aesthetic standpoint, it’s beautiful in any room, from the living room the entrance foyer.

Ceramics come in a large assortment of colors, patterns, shapes, and sizes. Even subway tiles, those formerly all-white 3 X 6 bricks, now come in a variety of colors, including blue and green, and in a variety of shapes such as triangle, circle, square and diamond.

Before you start googling “where are ceramic tile stores near me?” browse through our inspiration gallery to see some of our ideas.

Create a stunning ceramic tile backsplash

Remember when they were purely functional, with the installation being a couple of feet behind the range or sink? They were used to catch splatters and splashes and the idea was that it would make cleaning easier.

People are now installing tile backsplashes as a design tool, often placing them from floor to ceiling and wrapping them around open storage shelves, counters and work peninsulas.

Often, a few glass ceramics, those reflective, translucent tiles, are inserted into the backsplash to dazzle and highlight.

They create the focal point of a kitchen.

By the way, backsplashes aren’t just for the kitchen. They can be used to create shower walls, tub surrounds, fireplace borders or accent walls for the living or other rooms.

Art?

Some design a small arrangement of tiles, or even one single one with a painted pattern. Mosaics are often used, as are larger, pre-decorated tiles such as porcelain with other kinds of tile-based art such as stained glass.

What about the floor?

The floor is a large expression of personal style, say many designers, so use decorative floor tile to create anything from wood-looks to natural stone mimics such as marble and mosaics that look like Roman villas.

Want more inspiration? Come into the Floor Gallery showroom in Sunnyvale, CA.