In an era of environmental awareness, ceramic and porcelain tile are standouts.

Made largely from natural and often renewable resources, they’re durable and long-lasting, more so than many other wall or floor coverings. The best part is they offer timeless beauty and limitless self-expression, especially when you explore the complete world which includes moldings, decorative accents and listellos.

Even though tiles are largely made of earthy substances like clay, sand and water, the end product is about as clean and cleanable as it gets.

One great way to start is to look for tiles you like, perhaps striking “decos” as they are called that add pizzazz to your floor. You can add the same decos to your wall as to your floor. Or how about a wall medallion or custom design to match? Consider that ceramic tile can be made into stunning art to add to your wall, too.

A word of caution. Not all tiles can be used in all applications. Your retailer can explain how performance ratings work and will tell you which tile is suitable for your application. Tiles rated for the floor are toughest and can be used on the wall or counter or backsplash. However, wall tiles aren’t rated to take foot traffic.

You might want to explore the unique world of porcelain tile. Porcelain is a form of ceramic tile fired at much higher temperatures, making it suitable for indoor or outdoor use. Porcelain tiles are typically homogeneous in terms of through-body color, which means a scratch or ding won’t be obvious. Porcelain can be made to resemble stone, and it can be less porous or prone to cracking than Mother Nature’s version. You also can find versions which have glazed colored surfaces.

Trim pieces are very important when designing your floor. Some of the names such as “bull nose” are more installer friendly than consumer, but are easily deciphered. Don’t forget to ask these questions; ceramic tile requires a little more technical information than some of your other flooring, but your comfort level will increase if you make yourself familiar with the terminology. A beautiful ceramic installation is a matter of the details.

Speaking of installation, ceramic and porcelain tile continue to be available in more sizes and materials then ever. Larger tiles make for fewer grout joints, thus eliminating the grid or “dirt gutter” effect as it is affectionately known to housekeepers. With lots of the new stain-resistant grouts on the market, the cleaning problem has all but disappeared. Compared to years ago when grout had to be sealed yearly, there are many grouts that do not require any type of sealing.

Congoleum’s DuraCeramic comes in oversized tiles that are easily installed. These are limestone-based composite with a tough surface glaze and therefore an “engineered ceramic.” These large-format tiles look like ceramic with grout lines and are installed with a non-water based adhesive. They’re available in stone, metal or clay palettes and can be installed with grout for a traditional look or without for a tailored, contemporary look. Either has a luxury feel.

More and more ceramic resembles natural stone without all the absorbency problems associated with the natural stone materials. The natural stone requires sealing to prevent the absorbency factor, keeping the surface clean and hygienic. Ceramic does not require the sealing because the man-made materials do not have as much absorbency.

Tile is about colors, colors and more colors to coordinate with the rest of your house.

Plan to design restful interiors with more muted colors or add a metal deco to make it pop. Or, just go with the bright colors and go with your imagination. Coziness has as much to do with the colorations that you choose as the type of flooring. The warmer colors, in the red family, will always create warmth, as will metals that are in the red, brown or copper colors.

We often ask ourselves, but suppose I get tired of it? Pick out what you like and go with it. You can enliven a ceramic tile you’ve grown tired of and infuse your personality by adding glass decos or trim pieces with added coloration or a metallic look to what you already have.

There’s a myth that ceramic tile is cold, but it can’t be any colder than the ambient temperature in the room. You can warm it up, though, with a radiant heating system that can be installed under your ceramic or porcelain floor. There are many of them on the market, different types of coil systems that can be flicked on with a switch similar to your light switch. If this doesn’t work for you, how about a wonderful area rug that will highlight your tiles and add that little comfy feeling that you want?

Not sure how to design your floor or what you need? Before you go shopping you may want to go online for ideas. Visit our website www.fabulousfloorsmagazine.com, and click on our advertisers for different types of tiles and different layouts.