photo credit Susan Jablon Mosaic Tile

Any tile less than 2 inches wide is considered a Mosaic Tile. Although in the past, mosaics were laid, literally one tile at a time, in more recent times mosaic tile comes in a form that has a mesh backing on a sheet of tile.

Mosaic tiles come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, designs and materials. You can find mosaic tile in glass, porcelain, stone and the wildly popular metal. In a more traditional mosaic tile pattern, the tile pattern will not vary from sheet to sheet. In other instances, you will find mosaic tile patterns that are random, which creates interesting floor designs.

The main reason that I like to use mosaic tile in bathrooms is that it helps make a neutral pattern pop and come to life.  It does take some time and consideration in the overall design because mosaic tile can create havoc in the process, if the wrong colors or shades are chosen.

photo credit: Susan Jablon

Real life example, a client fell in love with a mosaic that did not blend well with the other tile that was selected. The mosaic tile was gorgeous, as was the main tile.  However, the tiles did not work well or  play well together in the bathroom.  Unfortunately the client thought they would work well under a different lighting in a tile showroom. After installing the mosaic tile and looking at it next to the main wall tiles, it did not work at all and had to be taken down. Valuable lesson learned, lighting is important and can make something look entirely different.

photo credit: Mod walls

When making a selection of using a mosaic tile in a bathroom or kitchen, it is important to see it all together. I suggest creating an imagination station in your home with the tile or an area in a tile showroom.  Looking at the tile with several pieces plotted out will help tremendously.  There are several software programs that allow you to upload various tile options  to see how they would look in your space.

When using mosaic tiles in a home remodel project, don’t forget to consider using lighting to bring out the beauty of mosaic tiles with color. If done properly, mosaic tile can turn a wall or floor into a masterpiece work of art. It is a great way to spice up a wall in a bathroom or kitchen.

Commonly used materials for Mosaic Tile include the following:

• Glass Mosaic Tile
• Porcelain Mosaic Tile
• Pebble Mosaic Tile
• Metal Mosaic Tile
• Ceramic Mosaic Tile
• Stone Mosaic Tile

 A few Mosaic Tile Manufacturers we like include:
Susan Jablon Mosaics – New York Company – Uniquely creative designs by inspired artists  - If you can dream it, they can create it and customize it for your needs. They are passionate about design and quality.
Modwalls - Modwalls’ aesthetic is modern and mid century inspired. I like the fact that they make beautiful quality tile that is fun and inspiring yet, so very affordable.
Mosaic House - Mosaic House is a New York based tile company specializing in Moroccan tiles. Exotic tiles that are rich in texture and color.