Last week at the International Builders Show and the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, our team saw the latest and greatest in home design and construction. New innovations, products, and technology exhibits spanned over 569,000 net square feet highlighting over 1,500 manufacturers and suppliers. This annual event brought together approximately 80,000 builders, remodelers, designer professionals, and specialty contractors from around the globe.
So what’s new in tile design this year?
Italy continues to influence tile design; they set the tone and thrill us with their amazing technology in tile.
Colors come in 3-4 year cycles. Trend of gray and white now changing by adding blues/aquas/taupes
Tiles with Patterns add interest and need to be mixed with the simple tiles to wake people up from the sleep we have been in the last four years with the plain 12 x 24 tiles. Tiles that look like plaid, burlap and linen textiles are showing up.
Different shaped tiles like hexagon, rhomboid, and three dimensional (raised shapes) are intriguing and an alternative to the square or rectangle shapes. Chevron pattern of setting tile is another way to break up the monotony of straight or brick set. Oversize 25 x 48 tiles are hot and minimize upkeep with fewer grout lines.
Wood inspired tiles are still very popular and work well in our Northwest environment. 60-70% of the wood interpretation comes in the long rectangle or plank style. Anything that looks like old barn wood and rustic is hot. Think outside the floor and shower walls when it comes to tile – an accent wall of wood tile or tiles that represent wine crates give a down-to-earth feel.
Starting to see Art Deco influences in tile design. Beautiful artistic shapes in metals push the bar in tile technology. These tiles are expensive so you don’t need many of these little pieces of art. They are the shining star to the unassuming tiles around them.
Metals in tile are here to stay for a while. More of the brushed bronzes, coppers in muted warm colors. Great addition to spice up a backsplash or feature wall. Mixing and matching with different textures shapes is exciting and unpredictable and elicits the “wow-factor” people are looking for.
