Ceramic has a handmade quality that is hard to manufacture on purpose. Made from a more malleable clay than porcelain, it takes colour, glaze, and slight surface irregularity in a way that often reads as artisanal rather than mass produced, closer to something a potter might have made by hand than a factory line. It is one of the reasons ceramic remains such a well loved material for anyone who wants a tile with real personality.
Because ceramic tends to be lighter and more decorative than porcelain, it comes into its own on walls, splashbacks, and feature designs rather than heavy duty flooring. Patterned ceramic works beautifully behind a hob or a basin, and a run of plain glazed ceramic can bring real warmth and colour to a whole room.
If you are drawn to a particular colour or pattern, we would always recommend ordering a sample first. Ceramic glazes can shift subtly under different light, and it is worth seeing a tile in your own room before committing to a full wall.