Floor to Ceiling: How Do I Choose the Right Tile?
Ceramic or porcelain? Large format or mosaic? Karen Ensrud of Floor to Ceiling Carpet One answers the tile questions Fargo homeowners ask most.
Fargo homeowners ask. We answer. This month, Karen Ensrud, Sales & Design at Floor to Ceiling Carpet One Floor & Home, walks through three questions that help Fargo homeowners choose the right tile for every room.
What Is the Difference Between Ceramic and Porcelain Tile?
Choosing the right tile starts with understanding where it will be installed and how the space will be used. Ceramic and porcelain tile offer versatile options for everything from kitchen backsplashes to bathroom floors and showers. Porcelain is known for its durability and low water absorption, making it popular for high-traffic and wet areas, while ceramic offers a wide variety of colors, designs, and finishes for many interior finishes.
The right tile selection ties every element of a space together, creating a cohesive, finished look.
What Style of Tile Will Best Complement Your Space?
Tile helps establish a room’s look and feel, from timeless, traditional designs to clean, contemporary styles. Stone-look and marble-inspired tiles add natural character, while concrete looks and neutral tones create a modern aesthetic. Color, texture, finish, and pattern influence the design. Consider how tile coordinates with cabinetry, countertops, flooring, and fixtures. Contrasting colors, decorative patterns, and accent tiles add visual interest. Comparing samples with other finishes helps ensure a cohesive look.
What Tile Size and Format Should I Choose?
Tile size and format affect both the appearance and functionality of a space. Large-format tiles create a clean look with fewer grout joints, while smaller mosaics work well for detailed patterns and shower floors. Subway and rectangular tiles add character to backsplashes and shower walls. The size and shape of the tile can also influence how spacious a room feels and how patterns flow across surfaces. Consider the room's layout and installation requirements when choosing the right tile.
Good to Know: Tile at a Glance
Porcelain: durable with low water absorption, a popular pick for high-traffic and wet areas.
Ceramic: a wide variety of colors, designs and finishes for many interior spaces.
Large-format tile: a clean look with fewer grout joints.
Small mosaics: detailed patterns and shower floors.
Subway and rectangular tile: character for backsplashes and shower walls.
Before You Visit the Showroom
A little prep makes the first visit go faster. Bring these with you:
Room photos. Snap the floor, walls and any finishes you plan to keep.
Rough measurements. Length and width of the floor or wall you want to tile.
How the room gets used. Kids, pets, steam showers and mudroom boots all point to different tile.
Finish samples. A cabinet door, countertop chip or paint swatch helps you compare tile in person.
Your timeline. Let the team know when you hope to start so they can plan ordering and installation.
Choose the Right Tile With Floor to Ceiling
Flooring • Cabinets • Countertops • Tile • Window Coverings • Design • Installation
One vision. One team. One place to start. The easiest next step is the showroom, where you can hold tile samples up against cabinet, countertop and flooring finishes before anything is ordered.
Floor to Ceiling Carpet One Floor & Home
360 36th St S, Fargo, ND
(701) 237-6601
floortoceilingcarpetone.com • Instagram: @ftcc1_ds360
Planning more than a tile refresh? Floor to Ceiling also covered how to choose the right window coverings.
See It in the November Issue
Published November 13, 2026
