It pains me to say this, but the most popular tile color of the last decade is beige. There is nothing wrong with beige. It’s safe. It’s an easy choice.

But you know what? There’s nothing right with beige either. It’s the default choice when you’re overwhelmed with selection. Beige is what builders install in spec homes.

If you’re an interior designer working with tile, you should get thirty lashes every time you select beige tile for a client. What did they hire you for? If they wanted beige, they could have gone to Home Depot and had one of the guys in orange aprons help them pick out their tile. They hired an interior designer because they wanted someone to help them make the tough color and design choices.

Selecting beige tile for an interior design project is like recommending a Dan Brown novel or the Olive Garden for dinner. Your clients want you to steer them toward William Faulkner and that great new Italian place downtown. Sure, it pushes them out of their comfort zone a bit, but the end result is so much better–a new kitchen or bath that they’ll show off at their next dinner party.

For a few ideas, check out these stunners: