It depends on the scale of the rest of the architectural elements of your home. If you have multi-paned windows, modest size moulding, trim, banisters, etc, then my sense is that extra large tiles feel out of place.

My instincts were similar to yours when I was picking floor tiles for my kitchen. I kept hauling large tiles home and plopping them down and wondering why they didn't feel right. Finally, someone with a lot more design sense than I pointed out that all the architecture in my home is modest scale (windows have panes, cabinets have raised panels, ceilings aren't high, the patio and walkways are brick). Thus, the 18 inch tiles just jarred with the rest of the energy in the house. She recommended that I pick tiles that were "no larger than a dinner plate." I wish I met this woman before we did our master bath. Years earlier, I chose 12 inch tiles for my bath floor. While I like the floor, I always think it doesn't quite fit my house. In contrast, people always think my kids' bath (done at the same time, but in 4 inch tiles) is orginal.

Those are some interesting thoughts Deltabreeze. My house does have paned windows, but the four-season room will have 7 ft. casement windows in order to help maintain the outdoor feeling the patio had. My primary concern was what size tile best creates the Old World (Italian/Mediterranean) feel. Even though the stardard recommendation seems to be large space, large tiles, I am concerned the large tiles will not give the feel we are wanting. Hopefully others will weigh in too. Maybe I should go with my gut feeling. Thanks.

Can you purchase four to six of the tiles and try them out on your floor to get a better idea? In the meantime, I found this article you may find interesting. I found it in a tile help group. This is the expert speaking:
" I guess the problem that always seems to arise when considering new flooring is, everyone you talk to will have an opinion. Especially those who won't have to live with their opinion...If you get my drift. Along with all the others that have probably already shared with you their's I will now add mine.
Two things I like that you are proposing, one is I always lean to the largest format (size) tile possible, two is floors installed on a 45* always look different and break up the visual monotony....The bigger the tile the more interest you generate visually as there is more tile to see and less grout joints, and it's the tile that costs the most money so there should be more of it. A byproduct of large tile is that it is also easier to have smaller grout joints which any wife will love, by increasing the size of the tile from an 8x8 to a 16x16 you have deleted the amount of grout to maintain by 4 times, by going to 18x18 take away another 25%. Ahhhh, less time spent messing with grout maintenence means more time either on the links or in the Mall. When tile is installed diagonally everything visually changes for the better as it also keeps irregular grout lines from staring at you as soon as you open the front door or walk into your kitchen...all you see is diamonds so to speak. Also when you turn an 18x18 on it's point to point dimension it grows much longer, over 25" long so it will make everything look larger more expansive, even in a small bathroom, keep everything the same as far as size and the same tile so there is uniformity throughout the home. As for the Laundry room straight joint is fine. Keep the joints small 3/16" at most 1/8th is better as the goal is to not only improve the look of everything but lesson the burden of maintaining the grout. I hope this helps you."

I worked for many years as a designer in a wholesale tile and stone showroom. I helped many people design Old World rooms. Why don't you consider doing your tile in a random pattern? These patterns incorporate different size tiles (3 or more sizes is most successful). Many tile outlets have preset "random" patterns you can use to determine amount of each size tile needed. A pattern incorporating a 12 x 18, a 12 x 12 and 6 x 6 tiles is attractive and can look very "old world" .

Yayagal - The article made some interesting points, especially with diagonal tiles and expansiveness. Thanks.

Celebration - I have been looking through design magazines and have noticed the random tile size/patterns used, but just wasn't sure how Old World they looked. With the sizes you recommend, there would be a nice mix of mid to larger size tiles. I will definitely go back and relook at them as it is a certain feel I am trying to capture in this room.

To me small, rather rustic looking tile would be the best choice. Something that doesn't have too smooth a surface would be most reminiscent of a Mediterraneal feel. I have the larger tile in about half of my So. California home (it was there when we bought the house) and have many large, colorful rugs to soften that look. Fortunately that helps a lot.

Thanks for your input Ingrid. After Celebration's comments, I went out on Google and searched for "Old World" floor tiles. I found sites where you could purchase reclaimed tiles or new imported Italian/Spanish tiles. I noticed quickly their tiles are not the large 18+ inches tiles, but smaller, uniform tiles as you suggested or are random mixed sizes as Celebration suggested. I guess I need to rethink my direction and not get caught up in size recommendations that seem to be popular in this country.

Brenda md - one more thought. When you choose your grout, go with a deeper "cement" color. Tec Grouts made a color called natural grey which has a grey/green look to it when you see it in the sample tray. When it's on the floor, it gives the feeling of grouting which has been there for years (Old World) with the added benefit of being very easy to keep clean.

I just installed travertine in a versailles pattern in my powder room. This pattern uses both small and large pieces of stone and looks very "Old World" to me.

Here is a link that might be useful: versailles pattern

I agree with the random pattern idea, especially the versailles pattern. However, we found that not all tile brands offer all the sizes necessary to do a versailles pattern. We did not want a lot of grout so we decided not to use 6" tiles, so we just went with 12's and 18's. Sorry, not pics bc the tiles are not installed yet...still on back order... :-(

Here is a link that might be useful: Tile floor patterns

I'm thinking of the sun porches of old homes I have loved. My favorite one had a floor consisting of big slabs of polished concrete. It didn't have the rhythm of repeating tile at all - it felt more like a solid surface. This room had a very outdoor feeling.

Here is a pic of a rather random pattern. Of course you can pick colors that you like.

Everyone thanks for the pictures and site references for the tile design. I will keep them for my tile installer. Celebration, I will check out the grout color you suggested. Now I just have to find the tile I want, something in a terracotta style. We will be starting this room in April and it should not take too long to complete.

Here are a couple of photos of the tiles we have chosen. The kitchen is laid traditionally, when you reach the sunroom there is a small step down where we changed to a diagonal pattern to differentiate the two areas.

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The last 3 picture are of a patio in Italy, my DH's home town. The last photo is a floor in Italy "Authentic Old World" lol

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Judiegal, your tiles look really nice. What size are they? By the way, your Italy picures are great--brings back memories of our trip to Italy a few years ago. I have promised myself that when we go back to Italy, it will have to be for a least month, two weeks was totally insufficient!! Thanks for sharing.

brenda,
The tiles are 20" x 20" porcelain. We used radiant heat underneath the sunroom not the kitchen. Our trip to Italy was for a wedding and my first time going to Europe. My husbands family goes back almost every summer and spends 2 months there.