Sooo many choices! It can a bit chaotic picking out tile for your project. While the choices are endless, here are some of my tips for breaking it down.

• Decide your look first. Are you going for a sleek modern look? More of a classic transitional style? Beachy or boho? It’s important to choose the tile that works with your overall esthetic.

• Whole house renovation or just a bathroom? If you are doing your whole house, it’s important to choose tile with a design esthetic and color scheme that creates harmony throughout your home. It will make your home feel larger and is a better investment for the long term. Just doing one room? It’s still important to consider the rooms that connect. Bathrooms are sometimes the easiest rooms to renovate one at a time but the look should still work with your overall design esthetic or where you want it to be over time. Powder rooms are the one exception. It’s fun sometimes to have a powder room that is interesting or a quirky surprise from the rest of the house. For example, l love patterned floor tiles in small spaces like bathrooms.

• Think about trends. Sometimes it is important to be “on-trend”. Your rental property may have a higher occupancy rate if it looks more on-trend than other units. However, most people making a big investment in a renovation want make sure the changes do not feel dated after a couple of years. So do a little research and consult your designer or tile vendor. Some things like white subway tile never go out of style but those colorful glass mosaics that have been popular for about 10 years are starting to look dated. There are a few current trends that I think will stick around for many years to come.

Of course, there are other factors to consider - cost, availability, ease of installation, and ease of maintenance. But the type of tile is probably the biggest influencer of all those factors. Here is a round-up of types of tile.

PORCELAIN TILE

Porcelain tile is by far my favorite tile for flooring. It’s so durable and requires no maintenance where natural stone requires constant cleaning and sealing especially in the tropics. Porcelain tile comes in a wide variety of looks and textures which mimic natural stone. Right now - large format flooring is very popular. Less grout lines and a less busy look. Wood look tile had a big moment over the past few years. I still think it works well in beachy homes especially in the lighter colors. I typically stick with porcelain that mimics limestone, marble or traverine. Lots of cement look options too. Some of my go to selections:

NATURAL STONE

Natural stone is beautiful - marble, travertine, slate, limestone, etc. However, that classic beauty comes with required maintenance, especially in Hawaii. Professional cleaning and sealing are required. I usually recommend once a year, especially in high-traffic bathrooms and outdoor spaces. Cleaning products are very important with natural stone as many harsh products can mar the surface.

CERAMIC TILE

Ceramic tile is classic and diverse. However, I steer clear of it for flooring as it can chip easily, can be slippery and is not as durable as other materials. It’s perfect however for backsplashes and bathroom walls.

OTHER OPTIONS

There are lots of other tile options that look great on walls. Here are a few I love: