The transformative effect of grout colour
There are a number of things people mull over when choosing what tiles to use for their floors – what shape should they be, should they be plain or patterned, textured or smooth. But there is one small detail that can make all the difference in the overall look of your home which often gets overlooked – the colour of the grout.
While the paste filling the spaces between your tiles of choice might not seem like a key design element to consider, the truth of the matter is the colour of grout you choose can be completely transformative to how your rooms look. In order to achieve optimal results when tiling your floors, walls and backsplashes, consider the selection of grout colour as an equally important design element.
Which grout colour to choose?
There are three main types of approaches to grout colour depending on the effect you are looking to achieve: you could either match the tile colour, contrast with it or pick a natural grout colour. Each of these options will also vary in effect depending on the tile pattern you are creating and the overall design of the room. Let’s examine the benefits of each choice.
Matching Grout Colour
The most traditional approach to grout colour is giving it a supporting role, and allowing the tile itself to make the statement in the room – matching the colour of your grout to your tile colour is a sure-fire way to seamless design. White grout combined with white tiles, for instance, could do wonders to brighten up a room and create a spacious feel, while also looking clean and tidy.
This option is ideal if your tiles are in one colour, as having the same colour grout will help create a seamless look. If you are using more high-end material tiles, such as granite or marble, it’s also advisable to use a matching colour grout.
*If you really want a seamless look, and your room allows for larger size tiles, choose rectified tiles. Thanks to their straighter edges and larger size, the grout lines will be fewer and considerably smaller – perfect for an industrial look in open plan areas.
Contrasting Grout Colour
White metro tiles with black grout are a quite dramatic, art deco trend that is really on-trend right now. Using dark grout with light tiles is not only industrial and bold, but it’s also easier to maintain than white grout – an especially effective choice for high stain risk areas like showers and stove backsplashes.
If you choose to use a graphic effect grout with your tiles, it will make your tile design feel busier and more energetic – especially if you choose to combine it with mosaics, which have more grout lines. Overall, opting for a contrasting grout colour will draw attention to your tiles by framing each one – a particularly apt choice for more decorative tile patterns.
Just a handy tip to mention – if you’re using a dark grout with light coloured tiles take care to remove all residue grout as they can stain the tiles!
Alba Turquoise Tiles
Complementary Grout Colour
A key trend at the moment is back to nature – using wider grout lines in contrasting colour to the tile. Different colour grout in light cement type colour, for example, really captures the back to nature trend of a natural brick wall.
Overall, coloured grout is a great approach if you are creating a decorative tile project, with mosaics or even with white tiles if you are really looking to make a statement. Choose an accent colour grout if you want to compliment the tile design.
A final Grout Colour tip:
In addition to considering grout colour from a design point of view, you should also think about functionality – lighter grout, for instance, isn’t very suitable for the more high traffic areas in your home, as it stains easier. On the other hand, you can expect darker colours grout to fade quicker.
Understanding the types of grout available is crucial to choosing the right one for your requirements – get in touch with the Direct Tile Warehouse team if you need assistance choosing the right grout, or for tiling advice. You can also view our Grout 3000 coloured grout range and find the option most suitable for your design vision.