10 Ultra Realistic Stone Effect Tile Ideas
There’s no doubt that natural stone tiles are one of the most beautiful and timeless additions to your home. With their neutral colours and a broad range of styles, stone tiles can be used to enhance all areas of the home, both inside and out.
If you love the look of real stone but don’t fancy the upkeep, keep reading to discover the many benefits of realistic stone-effect tiles.
Image credit: @originalstyleuk
Recommended Tile: Arcalis
Stone effect tile ideas
Wherever you choose to use them, stone effect tiles will add a classy touch to your home. Whether your home is a contemporary new build or a traditional period property, there are many stone effect tiles to suit your style. Check out our pick of the best ways to use stone-look tiles to the best effect.
Large format stone effect tiles
Small bathroom? Go large! Using supersized tiles is one of the best ways to enhance the feeling of space in a bijou bathroom and they’ll add a look of luxury too. Large tiles have few grout lines, creating an almost seamless effect across your bathroom walls and floors. You can always add a feature wall of smaller tiles to mix it up.
Image credit: @thetapend.design
Recommended Tile: Elements Titanium
Onyx effect tiles
For a slick, high-end, hotel-style bathroom, try highly polished onyx-effect tiles. Although polished porcelain tiles might seem like a high-maintenance option, they’re very quick and easy to clean.
Choosing the same tiles for the floors and ceiling is one of the best ways to get the luxe look in a bathroom. Large, polished tiles will help to maximise light and space, particularly if you opt for light-coloured tiles.
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Recommended Tile: Onyx Ivory
Marble effect bathroom tiles
Marble is one of the most elegant and versatile tile materials and we have an impressive range of marble effect tiles from polished large format to miniature mosaics.
Polished marble tiles are beautiful and can be a great option for bathroom floors but if you’re worried that they may be too slippery, you can opt for non-slip mosaic tiles on wet floor areas.
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Recommended Tile: Izmir Marble Satin
Marble effect splashback tiles
Marble effect tiles aren’t just for luxurious bathrooms, they’re versatile enough to be used all around the home and can create a stylish splashback surface. Marble goes with all colours of kitchen cabinets and will blend in with all interior styles.
Like real marble, marble effect tiles come in a wide range of designs with varying degrees of veining so you can be as minimalist or maximalist as you like.
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Recommended Tile: Elgin Gloss
Limestone effect floor tiles
Natural limestone is a beautiful stone ranging in colour from light cream to grey. It contains masses of tiny fossils and the best limestone effect tiles include fossil and shell details. You can opt for polished or honed (semi-polished) surfaces to get the right look for your floors.
Image credit: @originalstyleuk
Recommended Tile: Mink Limestone
Flagstone style tiles
Perfect for country-style homes, these rustic stone-effect floor tiles will add a warm and welcoming touch wherever they are placed. Stone effect tiles are super versatile and can be used throughout the entire house, creating a sense of spaciousness and balance.
Image credit: @originalstyleuk
Recommended Tile: Corfe Stone Beige
Terrazzo style tiles
Original terrazzo tiles were created from a mixture of cement and chips of marble, granite, quartz and even shell, giving them their characteristic speckled appearance. Although terrazzo effect tiles are made from porcelain, the flecks run right through the tile so you can leave the edges of the tiles exposed, ideal for splashbacks and upstands.
Image credit: @edward.martin
Recommended Tile: Monarch Terrazzo Pearl
Slate effect splitface tiles
With their uneven surface and unusual texture, stone effect splitface tiles look just like the real thing. Splitface tiles are designed to be laid as closely together as possible to emphasise the different thicknesses.
Splitface tiles can be used in bathrooms and kitchens, to create feature walls and to clad fireplaces and media walls. They can also be used externally.
Image credit: @atlasceramics
Matching Tile: Arun Dark
Stone effect patio tiles
If you’re looking for new patio slabs, it’s well worth considering stone-effect porcelain pavers. Unlike cement or real stone, porcelain won’t harbour mould and mildew and it’s much easier to keep clean.
Long-lasting and extremely durable, porcelain tiles won’t fade in the sun, making them an ideal solution for outdoor living spaces.
Image credit: @1930sarang
Recommended Tile: Piedra Stone Effect
Indoor/outdoor tiles
One of the big advantages of porcelain tiles is that they can be used inside and out. In many cases, you’ll be able to choose the same style of tile. Outdoor porcelain tiles usually need to be slightly thicker to withstand the elements.
housing the same stone effect tile for your living areas creates a coordinated, cohesive look and helps to blend the spaces, particularly if you have large sliding or bifold windows.
Image credit: @house_of_capes
Recommended Tile: Basalt Series Beige
Why choose stone effect tiles over natural stone tiles?
Although stone is attractive and durable, it’s no match for porcelain. Porcelain tiles are fired at extremely high temperatures, rendering them virtually indestructible. They are lower maintenance than stone tiles and you can use them in all areas of your home from wet room floors and bathroom walls to patios and pathways.
Are stone tiles more expensive than stone effect tiles?
The best quality stone-effect tiles can cost the same as real stone tiles but there are many ranges to suit all budgets.
The most expensive stone effect tiles are hard to distinguish from the real thing and will contain greater pattern variation and detail.
What are the advantages of stone-effect tiles?
Stone effect tiles are an excellent alternative to real stone and although they are not necessarily cheaper, they come with a host of benefits:
- Durable – Unlike natural stone, stone-effect porcelain tiles won’t chip, scratch or stain and are much easier to care for.
- Waterproof – Porcelain tiles are naturally water resistant and a glazed surface makes them suitable for use in wet areas without additional treatment.
- Easy to clean – As porcelain tiles aren’t permeable, surface dirt can be easily brushed or washed away.
- Versatile – Stone effect tiles are available in a vast range of designs, colours and sizes for use inside and outside the home.
- Lighter weight – Porcelain is generally lighter than stone so it can reduce installation costs and negate the need for floor reinforcements in upstairs rooms.
- Realistic – Stone effect tile manufacturers use cutting-edge technology to print real stone textures onto the tiles. Add in pits and dents and a wide range of patterns and you’ll find it hard to spot the difference between real and stone effect tiles.
Which type of tile can best imitate the look of natural stone?
Porcelain stone effect tiles can look incredibly realistic with moulded chips, surface imperfections and uneven edges. Some limestone effect tiles even contain images of fossils. We highly recommend ordering tile samples and if you’re purchasing large format tiles, viewing them in a showroom to see how they’ll look over a large area.
Because printing techniques are now so sophisticated, you’ll be able to find a realistic imitation of all natural stone types.
What are the advantages of stone effect porcelain paving in outdoor spaces?
Porcelain paving has many advantages over concrete or stone. Stone effect slabs aren’t permeable so you won’t need to worry about discolouration, mould or lichen and they’re extremely durable so won’t erode below the surface. Porcelain pavers will still get dirty, especially in our damp Great British winters, but they are quick and easy to clean compared with other paving types.
What are the disadvantages of porcelain stone tiles?
With its huge list of benefits, it’s hard to find many disadvantages of porcelain. Porcelain tiles can be more slippery than stone tiles when wet, especially highly polished tiles, so consider this when laying tiles in areas like shower rooms and bathrooms.
Because porcelain tiles are harder than natural stone, they require specialist cutting tools and installation costs may be a little higher.
Atlas Ceramics stocks a wide range of realistic stone effect tiles for all areas of your home, both inside and out. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our helpful experts for advice.