Although it's often thought of as cold and hard, when used well, tile has the ability to warm up a space like few other materials can.

Here are just a few inspiring ways tile can be used to create dramatic, engaging and delightful spaces:

First Row:
1. This hexagonal tile floor by designer Paola Navone acts as a dining area rug, fading to worn wooden planks at the edges. From vogesparis.
2. The irregular placement of pigmented herringbone tiles creates a "coloring book" effect in this bathroom from Studio Too Good Designs.
3. A patchwork of brightly colored tiles provides a quilted backsplash for saturated blue cabinets in designer Ana Teresa Bello's kitchen in Rio. Image by Andre Nazareth
, via casa.abril.
4. A wall of black subway tiles creates a dynamic focal point when used sparingly as in this long narrow powder room by architect Borja Pure. As seen on Ministry of Deco.
5. A hallway of honeycomb floor tiles mirrors a similar pattern on the ceiling at the The House Hotel Galatasaray, Istanbul, as seen on NOTCOT.

Second Row:
6. Bold glamour is created with tiles that completely cover the walls and floor in a continuous graphic pattern in this bathroom by Shaun Clarkson and Paul Brewster. World of Interiors via twelve chairs.
7. In an excellent use of space, a mosaic tile backsplash becomes the focal point of this home bar, and keeps this area from looking like an afterthought. Via Houzz.
8. Monochromatic print tiles make quite a statement when used to define an entryway, as seen on My Scandinavian Home.
9. These clustered hexagonal tiles from Claesson Koivisto Rune create a leafy effect when used en masse on a bathroom floor. From Covet Garden.
10. A wall of weathered blue and white tiles act as the perfect backdrop to warm brass fixtures in this kitchen at Villa Stenhuset. From The Essence of the Good Life.

Third Row:
11. A zigzag mosaic of turquoise-hued tiles acts as a dynamic counterpoint to simple white cabinets in this lively kitchen by Jute Home.
12. The original 1890 cement tile flooring in George Koukourakis' island residence is, in a word, spellbinding. As seen on Yatzer.
13. A maze of blue and yellow patterned tiles make the painting above the bathtub pop in this quirky, eclectic bathroom. From My First Little Place.
14. Ann Sacks reimagines subway tiles in antiqued mirror, as seen on the wall of this wet bar from Design Magnifique.
15. The black and white pattern of this tiled floor by Casa Dolce Casa is echoed by the square lines of two white sinks simply perched atop a black countertop in this bold bathroom.

(Images: as linked above)