Home, Tile and Lifestyle

Home is an extension of one’s lifestyle. Similarly we at Johnson see a connection between tiles and lifestyle as well. When we say Johnson, Not just Tiles, Lifestyles, we mean our tile products are aligned to the essential elements of today’s lifestyle which is not just aesthetics but a way of living that is equally concerned about – Health & Hygiene, safety, concern for environment, freedom to choose from wide range of options and making informed decisions.

Ceramic tiles have evolved and modern day versatile ceramic tiles are among the best alternatives for wall and floor application. Even in relation to endurance and maintenance, tiles leads the way when compared to natural marbles, wood, wooden laminate and vinyl. India is among the top three tile manufacturing country in the world and we at Johnson make products that compete with the best known brands from the world over.

Before talking or suggesting from the aesthetics point of view, I would like to draw your attention to some facts and some myths that will help you in making informed decisions for tiling of your home.

Any tile that goes on your home wall or floor must qualify and perform equally on three essential parameters – durability, functionality and aesthetics. Disappointing fact is that most of the selections are based only on one single parameter – aesthetics. With the kind of sophisticated technology that is available in tile manufacturing, most of the popular designs or colour combinations can be created in all types of tiles. But remember, although all tiles are ceramic, they measure differently on some important criteria and one tile cannot perform equally well in all usage environment and may not be suitable for all usage environments. Changing tiles, unlike changing curtains is a big hassle, isn’t it? So, let us see what minimum understanding we must have while deciding about the tiles for home.

Chuck out a most popular narrative – choosing ‘vitrified tiles’ ensures high quality and durable tile. Wrong!
It is true that vitrified tiles have higher mechanical strength but is not sufficient for all practical purpose. Today the most popular category is GVT (Glazed Vitrified Tile) which is vitrified but remember, apart from the overall mechanical strength, how the top surface performs against the stresses, especially in commercial spaces or common passages, entrances, etc. Must be understood. As a thumb rule, glossy and super glossy finish glazed vitrified tiles should only be used in home interiors or walls, and not in exteriors or commercial spaces, even though these are vitrified as all glazed tiles measure differently in resistance to scratches.

When it comes to bathroom, care must be taken to choose high skid-resistance floor tiles. Soap, in presence of water, forms a thin film over the tile and that causes slipping. Do not hesitate to use larger size good skid-resistant tiles in bathrooms. You can use 60×60 cm Care series tiles from Johnson which have good skid resistance and also come in variety of aesthetics to match your selection of wall tiles. If elderly people are at home, I would suggest giving aesthetics second priority and choose Endura’s good-grip tiles which have skid-resistant texture on top for added safety.

Now coming to aesthetics part
Natural Italian marble designs have been quite popular in glossy (polished) finish. However, the trend is moving away from shining floors. Soft Matt finish and minimalist designs are now globally in trend. You can choose any size of tiles. Larger the size, lesser visible will be the grout (joint) lines. A minimum size of standard 60×60 cm (approx. 2’x2’) could still be a good size for bedrooms but go for large size like 120x120cm (4’x4’) or even 240×120 (8’x4’) for living room which is bigger and size will add to the aesthetics.

Talking about bathroom tiles, the most popular option in India was – using 2’x1’ wall tiles in a typical combination of – Light colour, dark colour and one highlighter however the trend has phased out. Creating monolithic, neat and clean look is the trend. Considering the suitability, range of options and lucrative cost bracket – you can explore 60×40 cm wall tiles which are available in colourful as well as natural earthy tones or go for 60×120 cm tiles in Italian marble or rustic themes.

For independent houses and bungalows, there are lot more areas to choose tiles for. While square and rectangular tiles are common, you can add another variant – geometry of tile shapes now! Choose from Endura Hex series. These vitrified designer, hexagonal tiles are a combination of strength and style. The only thing to remember is that you must use 4-6 mm spacers for installations in passages, exterior spaces, courtyard, etc.

What is there beyond strength and style in a tile? Health and hygiene! Yes, now you can bring additional hygiene on your floors and walls by using tiles with anti-microbial property which does not allow microbes to grow on your floor and wall. Johnson’s patented technology offers India’s only germ-free tiles. Johnson Porselano is the only brand offering germ free glazed vitrified tiles in India.

Johnson’s 60×40 and 60×60 CARE series are among the other germ free products.

How much does price matter – While comparing the price keep in mind that printed design is just one part of the package and you can get 1000s of tiles with all good brands; Johnson has over 3000 tiles in the range. As looks and character are two different things for humans, the same holds true for tiles too. Consider the total cost difference upside if you use a branded tile with added advantage like stain-free and germ-free, not just the “per square foot” price. Would you mind to invest `2000/- more in your 200 sq. ft. living room if you get aesthetically appealing and germ-free tiles which have very high stain-resistance?

To summarise – ceramic tiles come in huge variety and getting your choice of aesthetics is not a challenge. However, keep in mind other two important parameters – durability and functionality. The interesting fact is that when it comes to tiles, even aesthetics need to be durable and the functionality (say – skid resistance) should not deteriorate with time…you don’t have plans to change tiles so often, right? Happy Tiling.

Authored by:

Dinesh Vyas, Senior Vice President – Marketing,
H & R Johnson Division, Prism Johnson Limited

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