Decorating and Design - Choosing Tile

Hi,

In my home, the street level story has wood floors (oak -caramel color) - living room, hallways, and 1 bedroom. Then going down in the basement, the stairs are the same wood flooring. In the basement we currently have 9" X 9" tiles (creamy white color). We would like to change the flooring down there to either a laminate wood flooring or ceramic tile (13" X 13"). We saw a ceramic tile that looks like wood (3" X 12" pieces). They look very close to the color of the wood stairs leading down there in the basement. Is it good design practice to stay with a matching flooring as upstairs or should we just find something that complements the wood stairs??

Thanks,

sweetboy

There are many wonderful tile colors. The look of natural stone is very popular. A ceramic tile with a touch of the darker tones in the wood on the staircase would provide you the transition in color that you seek. Ceramic tile would also provide you a durable floor covering that would complement the wood flooring.

i wouldn't try to match the wood color in a ceramic tile. i agree with 12pole....find a tile in a mottled style that just has a little bit of the caramel color in it.

avoid the wood laminate altogether. since you've already got the REAL thing upstairs, fake wood in the basement will seem very fake & cheesy. especially with the wood stairs actually touching the stuff in the basement.

Thanks for the replys! One more thing, down there we have a 1/2 bathroom and I wanted to know should we keep the same flooring in the 1/2 bathroom as well as the rest of the area??

Personally I would find something that complements the wood stairs but I am no expert.

To be honest though I don't think you could go wrong wih either of your choices.

Cheers,
Liv

Thanks for the replys! One more thing, down there we have a 1/2 bathroom and I wanted to know should we keep the same flooring in the 1/2 bathroom as well as the rest of the area??

since you're tiling, yes, use the same tile.