I think the pattern of the layout will add enough interest even with a the field and border in the same color.

I agree with ineffablepace.

Use the same tile for the border.

ditto

Is that an angled transition on the left? I would not do any of the 6 x 12 border. I think you have enough going on with the tile pattern and what looks to be 3 transition areas with hardwood.

My preference would be to do away with the border tiles altogether.

I have a black/white tile entry with the tile on the diagonal, and the black tiles were cut in half to make a border on the outside edges. That said, w/o the border, the floor would be 'typical'. I disagree, and think you should use some sort of border. The limestone might be interesting, and the black tiles do add more formality, which may not be to your liking.

You might consider running the tiles the other direction. It's a long tile and looks as if you will have a lot of cuts. The flow of the longer tiles is disrupted by running them the narrow width of the space, imo.

Black tiles for the border.

I like snookums suggestion of running the tile vertical rather than horizontal. All my wood flooring is laid that way and it seems right to lay the tile the same. Looking toward the entry from another room and seeing the longer tiles vertically will also lengthen the foyer.

Keep the border but in the same color.

I put a contrast border around my foyer floor, but my foyer is larger, and the border matched the flooring in the adjoining rooms so it was a linking device and the color was repeated in the medallion in the middle of the floor....but in your case it will add an additional surface that will just make an already busy space, due to the doorways, busier.

This post was edited by AnnieDeighnaugh on Fri, Jan 24, 14 at 8:07

okay, so you are shooting this from the door? Another good rule of thumb for laying out flooring is to run the boards of hardwoods vertically from the entrance (or from the main windows in a room) so it flows well. I would consider this the same with your style of tile.

It doesn't need to follow the grain of the hardwoods already in place. The contrast between the two can look better even.

Yes, the picture is taken from the front door.
This is the first time I've used gardenweb. This is so helpful! Thanks for all of your input. I'll stick with the same color. Still debating whether to lie the tile horizontally or vertically... :)