An evolution in floor and wall coverings means more materials and more choices, and not merely in tile

Few décor elements are as versatile – or as coveted – as tile.

“Twenty-five years ago, tile was very basic. Selections have changed,” says Cliff Hirsch of Island Tile & Marble in Melbourne. “Years ago, everything was beige, then about five years ago, we saw an increase in golds, blues, reds and other brighter colors. Now we’re seeing a return to antique whites and other classic colors. People aren’t going with those deep, dark colors . . . . Possibly because of the economy, they’ve become more conservative again. They’re playing it safer.”

Still, a good theme is not out of the picture, and light colors do not add up to “vanilla.”

For those seeking something up north homey, warm woods and laminates are available in a large number of colors and designs, as are complimentary fixtures.

Although traditional looks are back, ultra-contemporary styles hold their own, with metal-finished tiles made to accompany stainless steel appliances in the kitchen and chrome fixtures in the bath.

The products in Hirsch’s showroom are remarkably diverse, aimed at people embarking on everything from a weekend project to large-scale remodeling.

“We have two distinct buyers. The first is doing a project that is not necessarily big, maybe re-tiling a bathroom, maybe adding a backsplash, for example,” Hirsch says. “This is a (customer) who knows what he wants and will pay the price. Then we have the ones who are looking for bargain prices . . . but who say. ‘Let’s just get it done.’ Either way, we can help.”