Fibre optic lighting in Kitchen Tiles
If you're planning a kitchen or bathroom re-tiling job, why not consider this simple but striking effect? Installation is straightforward enough: first you need to identify a suitable location for your halogen lightsource - a kitchen cupboard perhaps, or in the attic above the bathroom. Next you run an optical fibre (probably 0.75mm or 1mm diameter) from the lightsource along the wall to the position where the most distant tile will go. The end of the fibre is then bent through 90 degrees so that it will point straight out - either between adjoining tiles or in a hole which you've previously drilled in the tile. Tile back towards the lightsource, covering the fibres with the tiles as you go.
In retrospect, we might have had a higher density of fibres in this installation, but it illustrates the principle clearly enough. Placing your cursor over the photo shows the colour change - with a standard colour wheel the lights will cycle through half a dozen colours, or you can remove the wheel for steady white light.
Naturally, if you have access behind the tiled area simply drill holes straight through the wall and introduce your fibres this way.
For more examples of fibre optic lighting in tiled walls or floors have a look at http://www.starscape.co.uk/Bathroom_projects.html.