Dazzling ways to decorate with glass tile


Glass tile has been a hot trend for a while, and we generally see it in kitchen backsplashes and bathroom showers.

The medium has been around for years, but homeowners everywhere are starting to incorporate glass tile in fun, new ways in every room of the house.

Don't be afraid to get creative with color and placement, and remember that nothing is off limits if you really love the way it looks.

"From fireplace surrounds to entire media walls, customers are using either single pops of color or blends of glass tile to add glossy light to living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, bar areas, shelves, and swimming pools," says Rebecca Lonergan, founder and creative director of Modwalls. "We've even seen our glass tile framed and hung as artwork in a hallway and used to cover a soffit in a kitchen."

As it has become more popular, the medium has evolved. There are now unlimited options in glass tile designs, from rectangular subway tiles to round tiles in a variety of sizes.

In the living room

Besides the kitchen and bath, the living room might be the easiest place to incorporate glass tile.

Many homeowners use glass tile to dress up a fireplace; simply pick out your favorite color tile and apply to the surround. If the rest of your color palette is neutral, this is a great place to infuse some color.

If you don't have a fireplace but want to add glass tile in your living room, try using it on a feature wall. Hide a wall of glass tile behind your entertainment center for a more muted look, or go bold and use it as a backdrop to the artwork you have hanging in the room already.

In a bedroom

Glass tile isn't just for the master bath -- it can also be used in the bedroom to create a spa-like feel. If you have a simple headboard, create a wall of glass tile behind your bed. A soft, jewel-toned glass in a neutral color is perfect and will set off any mood lighting you may have in the room.

Not ready for a full wall of glass in the bedroom? Instead of a wallpaper border, use glass tile to frame the room. Simply cut the sheets in half and run them around the room as you would a traditional wallpaper border.

Or get creative and do a border of glass tile at chair rail height.

Up a staircase and in a hallway

If you're not ready to feature glass tile in a living room or bedroom, the staircase or hallway is a great alternative.

You can add colorful glass tile accents to highlight a hallway curio nook, for example.

Or add glass tile to the riser of each staircase step -- it's a subtle touch, but very visually appealing as you look up the staircase.

You can also add glass tile to the walls on either side of the stairs. Be sure to choose something light, as dark tile will make the small space feel even smaller.

As framed wall artwork

If you'd rather not cover the space in tile, take a hint from Lonergan and frame some of your favorite tile as artwork.

You can frame whole sections of tile in a single color and style or combine several sections of tiles in creative patterns of your choice.

"Glass tile has been around for centuries because it is a hard wearing clean surface, which also happens to be gorgeous," Lonergan notes. "It adds life to any place it is applied."

Tile is very durable and impervious to moisture and staining, and Lonergan recommends homeowners use grout sealer to keep the grout looking as good as the tile.

Ilyce Glink is an award-winning, nationally syndicated real estate columnist, blogger and radio talk show host, and managing editor of the Equifax Finance Blog. Follow her on Twitter @Glink.