Glazed, spaced and laid

DIY warriors might last a night on the tiles, says Kya deLongchamps.

Widely available, beautiful and well-priced, tiles remain a serious commitment. A hard, durable material they are cemented into semi-permanence and likely to endure for decades.

A well considered choice whether it’s stunning travertine or a nononsense ceramic, tiles require intelligent planning. Let’s look at some design points before you get started hard landscaping the house.