Tiles are a hugely important element of fireplace design and there’s a growing trend towards using them creatively to ensure your fireplace becomes a focal point in the room.

Whether you have a real fire, a wood-burning stove, or an electric or gas fire – or if you simply fill the grate with logs, fairy lights or candles – a fireplace adds an extra design dimension.  

When choosing tiles for a fireplace ensure those you have in mind are suitable for fireplaces and hearths since heat can cause cracks, melt adhesives, and damage glazes, while smoke can discolour tiles.

Even suitable tiles should be kept a minimum of 30cm away from direct contact with flames or the main heat source. You can check the suitability guide on our website or ask for advice in your local store if you’re unsure whether a tile is suitable.

Image Credit: @nospacelikehome.uk 

Our Furnace tiles are perfect if you’re looking to create an industrial feel. They’re super practical – as they’re made from porcelain designed to replicate time-worn metal – and they add a dramatic feel wherever they’re used. They look particularly stunning against flames and add an elemental feel to a fireplace. 

Creating a rug effect with tiles on the floor in front of a fireplace works particularly well if you use the same tiles in the surround as well or if you choose a colour that picks up on surrounding shades.

Our Patisserie Sucre tiles turn this fireplace into the perfect focal point of the room. They look perfect against the natural brick of the fireplace and the natural wood floor. Our Urban Velasco tiles look great with this Victorian-style fireplace as they echo the blues used on the walls and woodwork.

Image Credit:@livingat69

Even if you don’t plan to have a fire in your fireplace, you can still use the chimney breast to create drama in the room. The trend towards tiling from floor to ceiling means we are able to use colour and texture to transform a living space.

The stunning geometric pattern of our Azores Tavira tiles makes a huge design statement in this living room. Another great device is to use a more pared-back colourway in the tiles next to a bolder paint colour on the walls. The grey of our Urban Axel tiles is a great case in point as it works perfectly with the vivid mustard shade used on the walls.