Q: We have white ceramic tile w/antique white grout in kitchen and hall that is about 16 years old. We were thinking of extending it into attached family room that is 12 x 15. Do you think the difference in color would be too glaring?
A: Matching new tile to existing tile is similar to trying to match hardwoods, but not quite as difficult. Typically the big problem with matching tile is that the gloss level of the glaze will be different in the older tile compared to the new tile.
The other difficulty with tile is that old grout will not match up to new grout very well. Subtle differences in grout coloring occur over time and grout which has been in a home over time will change color slightly from when it was originally installed.
This being said, this task can be difficult, but not impossible. With careful shopping you should be able to find a tile with coloring and gloss level very similar to your current tile and so long as you find a similar grout the new tile versus the old tile should not have a difference which is too glaring. Keep in mind patience and careful shopping is critical to getting colors which are as close as possible.
