On 2/11/2016 5:57 AM, dadiOH wrote:

Is there some rule of thumb that governs how folks pick the
point for the "first" tile (even if it is not laid first)?

Yes and lay it first. One tries to make the edge (cut) tiles as large as
possible. One first lays out horizontal and vertical centerlines (or, in

"vertical" and "horizontal" being "front to back" (of house) and
"side to side", etc.

your case, 90 degree diagonals), then dry lays to determine the starting
point (which should be center out) for both directions.

In my case, I can do all of that "thinking" on paper/CAD so I know how
the tiles will lay *throughout* the house, based on an "initial tile
placement".

The possibilities
for both directions are tile center on line or tile edge on line; it is
entirely possible that tiles along the horizontal line will be one choice
and the vertical the other.

That means that one treats each area as a separate entity which is not what
you want to do and which is IME and IMO a HUGE mistake. It is virtually
assured that you will wind up with untenable, unworkable situations. Much
better to treat each area as separate and lay the tiles to conform to that
area, using some sort of transition between areas.

I don't understand. You seem to be saying two different things:
"treats each area as a separate entity which is not what you want to
do and which is IME and IMO a HUGE mistake"
suggests I want to treat the *entire* floor as a single entity (that
just happens to have an odd shape)
"treat each area as separate and lay the tiles to conform to that
area, using some sort of transition between areas"
suggests that I'm NOT treating the entire floor as a single "area"/entity
but, rather, treating the kitchen as one, family room (which flows into
the kitchen) as another, dining room (which flows into kitchen from the
*other* side) as yet another, living room (which opens into dining room)
as still another, along with the hallways that border each of these
"areas".

[House is very "open". E.g., I can stand on the spot where I've proposed
locating this "key tile" and see into all of the rooms that will be
tiled -- with the exception of the guest bathroom (the front door
wouldn't be visible but the entry foyer would!). I.e., there are no
thresholds anywhere.]

In my case, the whole house is 12x12 Saltillo. I used two types of
transitions...one was square layed against diagonal but most were small
pieces (2" x 6") at the opening of one room to another, regardless of
whether there was a door at that opening or not..

frown I think that would chop up the spaces too much, visually.
E.g., as I stand in the dining room and look towards the kitchen,
my eye wants to keep traveling along that "virtual hallway"
*through* the kitchen, past the peninsula and into the family room.
Putting artificial "transitions" seems like it cuts everything into
rooms when the "space" doesn't really suggest it.