13 Innovative Tile to Laminate Floor Transition Ideas
Good-looking and practical, tiles serve many purposes, not least being one of the most durable and attractive options for lining the floors and walls in our homes.
Although tiles are our favourite flooring option, there are many other choices; laminate, wood and carpet being the main rivals.
Having the same tiles or laminate throughout your home can create a flowing, cohesive look but sometimes you might want to vary the flooring or create different zones within one large open-plan space. If you’re thinking about adding a twist to the hard flooring areas in your home, keep reading to discover our inspirational tile-to-laminate floor transition ideas.
Image credit: @bowerconstruction
Recommended tile: Izmir Marble Satin
What is a floor transition?
A floor transition is a way of combining two or more different flooring surfaces, in this case, tile and laminate. The transition from one material to another can be marked by a straight threshold strip of wood, laminate or tile, or you can gradually blend the surfaces using clever tiling techniques.
A floor transition might be used between different rooms or in the same room, for example, using tiles around a bath or a kitchen island to create an attractive and functional floor surface.
What tiles are good for floor transitions?
As long as you are careful to ensure the floor surfaces are level, you can use all types of tile to create a beautiful floor transition.
Hexagonal and rectangular tiles are among the most popular tiles for floor transitions. Their shape allows them to be integrated into existing floors in innovative and attractive patterns.
Image credit: @wecreatecoolthings
Recommended tile: Ava Blanco Plain
Tile to laminate floor transition ideas
Ready to take your floor to the next level? We’ve curated some of the most innovative and beautiful tile to laminate floor transition ideas to inspire you:
Dining area floor transition
Varying the floor surface in a multifunctional room can be a game-changer. A clever design trick, different floor materials help to break the space up into different zones.
Use tiles to differentiate cooking and eating areas; laying tiles around areas where spills are likely is practical and helps to protect surrounding flooring which could be damaged by water.
Hexagonal tiles make the perfect partner for laminate, they are simple to lay, look incredible and can easily be cut into an existing floor to create a striking contrast.
Image credit: @smashed_life
Recommended tile: Ava Nero Plain
Mosaic tile bathroom floor transition
The bathroom is the perfect place to lay a transitional floor. Use tiles in the shower area or under a bath for a practical and attractive solution. Pick shaped or mosaic tiles so that you can create an interesting transition into the surrounding laminate and turn your bathroom floor into a work of art.
Image credit: @torlys_flooring
Recommended tile: Waxman Ritz Hexagon
Creative floor transition
A floor transition can be as simple as a straight-line divide, but you can be so much more creative! Try inserting a few tiles into the adjoining floor surface for a beautiful shift from tile to laminate.
Image credit: @tripleainteriordesign
Recommended tile: Elgin Matt White Marble
Hexagonal tile transition
Search for tile-to-laminate floor transitions and hexagonal tiles crop up again and again. Hex tiles are an ideal solution for awkward spaces and they are the natural choice for floor transitions where you don’t want a straight edge. We love the simplicity of white hexagon tiles next to wood-effect laminate, it’s a timeless and elegant flooring solution.
Image credit: @regencyhomes
Recommended tile: Ava Blanco Plain
Kitchen counter tile transition
Tiling the kitchen counter is an innovative way to bring character and interest into a kitchen and continuing the tiles onto the floor provides a practical and durable surface.
Porcelain is one of the hardest flooring substances, it doesn’t scratch or chip and it’s really easy to keep clean so it’s perfect for use around busy kitchen work areas.
Image credit: @bawa.designstudio
Recommended tile: Damask Decor 3
Open plan tile transition
Whether it’s a downstairs cloakroom to a hallway or a large, open-plan space, you can make a tile transition work in any area of the home.
Tile transitions aren’t just practical, they’re an effective way to break up a space and they can be especially effective in kitchen/family rooms. It also means you can opt for a ‘busier’ tile style than you might have chosen for the full floor area.
Image credit: @transformationbytcs
Recommended tile: Ava Gris Plain
Sleek and simple floor transition
If you prefer your tile-to-laminate floor transitions to be slick, you can keep it simple with large-format tiles. Use laminate to create a border around the tiles to keep it neat and make a focal point of the tiles.
Image credit: @blackhavenhomes
Recommended tile: Canaletto Gold Marble
Multifunctional room floor transition
Many apartments and modern homes have large, open-plan areas, creating the perfect opportunity to get creative with your flooring.
Look for tiles in interesting shapes and colours to create a beautiful and interesting floor space.
Image credit: @jd_flooringandmore
Recommended tile: Buckfastleigh
Diagonal tile floor transition
Whether your home is large or small, there will be many opportunities to introduce creative floor transitions. The hallway is the perfect place for easy-to-clean, tough tiles, but you might prefer the warmth that laminate offers in other areas of your home. Create an attractive transition with shaped tiles and make a feature of your floor.
Image credit: @nilafar.pulatova.design
Recommended tile: Hopi Decor
Curved tile floor transition
The ultimate in skilled tile-to-laminate floor transition, curved lines are a fabulous addition to a floor and can be used to delineate areas of a room or just for a spectacular effect.
Image credit: @warmyourfloor
Recommended tile: Eco Stone Bianco
Laundry room floor transition
Liven up a laundry room with an attractive transition from laminate to tiles. Perfect for those inevitable leaks and spills, porcelain tiles are impervious so can be soaked without worry of warping or damage to the floor beneath.
Image credit: @kandqinteriors
Recommended tile: Ava Gris Plain
Wall-to-floor tile transition
Create a seamless flow from wall to floor tiles with clever cuts and well-thought-out tile placement. Not only doable with hexagonal tiles, you could continue many types of wall tile onto the floor including mosaics, fish scale tiles, penny tiles and rectangular tiles.
Image credit: @femia.contracting
Recommended tile: Elgin Matt White Marble Decor
Entryway tile transition
Solve the problem of the grotty hallway doormat by installing beautifully patterned tiles instead. Practical and durable, tiles will withstand scratches, scrapes and water much better than laminate and can easily be transitioned into an existing floor.
Image credit: @myfloro
Recommended tile: Ava Nero Plain
Floor tile transition tips
If you’re bored with your existing laminate floor or want to install more practical flooring in certain areas of your home, transitioning between tile and laminate can be an excellent idea. Here are our top tips for achieving a flawless tile-to-laminate floor transition:
- Think differently – Instead of a standard threshold strip between tile and laminate, choose shaped tiles to blend the transition. From hexagons to rectangles and mosaics, there are many interesting shapes to choose from.
- Level up! Make sure that the height of the floors is the same if you’re blending your tiles and laminate together, these types of transitions are easier to install if you’re laying an entirely new floor.
- Use tiles to create zones – Changing the flooring type in different areas of your house can be extremely practical, think tiled entryways, tiled shower or bath areas and tiles around the kitchen sink and laundry areas.
For more inspiration, have a look at our tile to wood floor transition ideas article.
If you’re ready to transition from laminate to tile, Atlas Ceramics has an excellent selection of tiles to choose from. Browse our selection or call one of our experts for advice.