Tile Fireplace SurroundOur tile installer, as I've told you before, was fabulous to work with. We used lots of tile in the house, even though we have all cement flooring. We used tile for showers, tub surrounds, and back splashes. I've told you how much I love the glass tile in our kitchen. I found variegated subway tiles on clearance and scooped up every sheet at three different Home Depot locations.

After a year of living in the house, my favorite tile accent is the square, brown, glass tile with a metallic sheen that we used on both fireplace surrounds. It's a finishing touch that positively glows.

One thing you may not know is that you can get all sorts of mosaic wall tile with metal finishes. I wouldn't want this in enormous quantities — particularly in a kitchen that had all stainless steel appliances and/or counters or other large amounts of shiny metal finishes. It could bring a very cold, sterile look. But as an accent, these tiles are just gorgeous!

Think about an antique copper, pebble finished tile or tile with mixed metal and glass. There are some gorgeous combinations available that could add a real designer feel without breaking the budget.

If you're considering an unusual tile, make sure you see it in personal and pair it up with surrounding materials. Some companies will send you mosaic tile samples for a minimal charge. Make sure you get the exact look your want.