Ideas for Corner Fireplace Tiles

• Tiles give a warm and earthy feeling to a room.Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
  
  A corner fireplace provides radiant heat to a room during chilly weather, acts as a friendly gathering place for friends and family, and provides a dynamic focal point to a living room. Surrounding a fireplace with attractive ceramic tiles beautifies it with materials that are not a fire hazard. Tiles are available in a wide range of colors, styles and shapes.
  
  

Hearth Tiles

• The hearth is the horizontal area in front of the fireplace that needs to be made of or covered with non-flammable materials. In the case of a corner fireplace, the hearth may be in a semi-circular shape, or may be three-sided with two 45-degree angles. Either of these configurations presents some challenges for laying tile. The easiest solution is to lay a conventional grid pattern of square tiles, and to cut them off at the edge to conform to the shape of the hearth. Some hearths are raised while others are flush with the floor; in the former case, you will need matching tiles to cover the front face of the hearth.
  
  

Tile Shapes

• Most fireplace tiles are square, because this is the easiest shape to work with. You can also get tiles that are hexagonal, creating an effect that looks like a honeycomb. More complex designs that involve two or more different shapes or sizes that interlock with each other can provide a more elaborate look for your corner fireplace. Before you buy or install the tiles, get some idea of what they will look like by making a scale drawing of your corner fireplace and drawing the tiles into it. You can also do this with some computer programs that help you to visualize the effect of your interior design ideas.
  
  

Tile Colors

• Terracotta is a very popular color for tiles. It is a traditional tile color because it is the natural color of clay tiles before people began adding colors to the clay for variety. Terracotta tiles can provide an earthy and Mediterranean feel to your corner fireplace. If you are looking for something more formal or different, you can get tiles in a wide variety of colors and sheens. High-gloss black tiles give a much more urban and formal feel than terracotta, while other colors may help a fireplace complement the color scheme of the room that it's in. Get some sample tiles and put them in your living room to gauge their suitability before taking the plunge and installing them.