Hi, I love the look of marbles as kitchen counter tops but am hesitant because of the problems with staining. There are lots of vitrifed glazed floor tiles which give beautiful marble look. Is it advisable to use them as kitchen counter tops? Since they come in 4x2 ft size, the number of joints will be less. Will they be chemically safe around food? Thanks in advance

Hi, A] Vitrified vs ceramic Ceramic tiles are porous and have a tendency to absorb water while vitrified tiles are impervious and water resistant. Ceramic tiles are usually used indoors and vitrified can be used indoors, outdoors as well as in heavy traffic commercial areas because of their resistance to wear and tear. Ceramic tiles are cheaper as compared to vitrified. Ceramic tiles are prone to cracking and breaking as they are essentially made of baked clay. Vitrified tiles have a very strong material strength and do not break that easily. B] Tiles with wooden patterns These are available both as vitrified and ceramic tiles. They come in actual plank sizes (165mm x 900mm) and also in tile sizes (2'x4') etc. Go for the actual plank size as they don't look fake (the pictures below illustrate). Here ceramic wins, since they provide better texture and feel as compared to vitrified. They require pigmented cement to fill the joints in order to give the seamless wooden look. Vitrified Tiles - regular tile size Ceramic Tiles - actual plank size Hope this answers your questions. All the best! Regards, RnD Atelier Nagpur

Hi Padmaja, im pooja talwar, for maximum utilization of space u need to break in balconies if u have one and get french windows right till ground level. so you can have a lovely dining area there or low ground sitting area where u can get outside view and spacious look too. doors which open inwards or outwards can be split into 2 so the door flaps become smaller . use mirrors huge ones carved ones on walls to reflect a larger room. also u will have to place furniture which is smaller in size . shoe racks , and cabinets can be made tall instead of having it on ground .... place on the wall hanging shelves , tall cabinets , and storage cabinets. tv can be placed on wall done up with wooden pannel. have storage up on ceiling edges rather than any where down. hope these lil suggestions help you

if you kitchen is seperate and isn't attached to the living area then you have the liberty to choose tiles according to you kitchen decor or your liking or if not then you may choose something similar to the texture of marble and tiles are nice and does not requires any polishing on it.have a nice day