There’s a saying “make your house a home”, and never has that slogan been more true. Over the past 18 months, consumers have taken the time to invest in their living spaces to accommodate more time spent at home.
For many, the living and dining room has adopted a dual purpose, somewhere they can work productively but switch off come the end of the day. Gardens are no longer just an outside area. Instead they’re an extra room to give families more space to unwind and enjoy some down time, away from the hustle and bustle of busy households. Tiles have played their part in all of these transformations, as homeowners look for the most practical solutions with ultimate creative freedom.
This year ceramic tile design has followed interior design trends more closely than ever, welcoming a whole host of new looks from playful patterns, to striking shapes and captivating colours, continuing to evolve tiles from a simple surface covering to a focal point for many living schemes.
Key colour trends
From cool, inky blues through to delicate pastel pink, colour still plays a hugely important part in interior styling and surfaces.
While we never see dramatic changes in colours when it comes to tiles, there are always key shades that will make an impact.
Blues
With blue hues spanning the full spectrum from tropical-inspired turquoise to pale aqua, steel grey-blue to cool sea shades, the sky’s the limit with this colour choice.
A colour that brings vibrancy to surfaces, its known for adding a sense of energy to a room, ideal for busy areas like the kitchen or entrance halls. Heritage patterns and geometric designs are also now featuring blue to add colour pops to monochrome designs, while gloss finishes will be popular to transform blue shades as the light changes.
Greens
With a subtle nod to nature, green tiles create spaces that evoke a sense of calm and tranquillity – qualities that have been needed over these past 18 months.
Residential and commercial design schemes will all feature green shades as they bring harmony to interior spaces to support wellbeing. Whether it’s soft sage green or a deep emerald tone, there will be a green shade for every space teamed with natural textures and wood to complete the look.
Greys
The modern classic, grey is here to stay in all its different guises. From soft warm greige tones through to dramatic cool charcoals, it’s a colour that dominates interior design schemes.
Grey tile designs span the full spectrum from contemporary geometrics and Victorian patterns, to stone and wood-effects, all designed for maximum visual impact. This neutral offers so many possibilities, it’s perfect for interiors of all styles.
Pinks
A modern, muted take on pastels, shell pink, soft rose and blush will feature in many design schemes, not just as accent colours but as full expanses.
These delicate shades soften the look in kitchens and bathrooms and can now be seen in classic formats with matt and lustrous pearlized finishes, as well as on-trend hexagonal tiles and shapes.
Perfect patterns
Pattern continues to take centre stage transforming a space from every-day to extraordinary. With so many patterns to choose from, the patterned trend offers something for everyone, from monochromes and muted pastels, through to cool, contemporary tones and warm, exotic shades.
Once favoured in more traditional interior styles, they are now widely used to transform otherwise plain spaces into eye-catching, characterful rooms.
Patterned designs that run seamlessly from one tile to the next create an illusion of space, even in the smallest of rooms, transforming a compact cloakroom or ensuite.
Adding a colourful pattern to a room gives more creative freedom to pick out a colour from the tile to tie into the décor.
Grey on the floor of an office paired with pale wood furniture will create an inspiring and calming environment, while a navy pattern is a stunning backdrop for warm metallics, like brass, copper and gold.
Sensational shapes
Shape is one area where there is the most innovation, with tiles now available in a variety of designs for a fresh take on a traditional square tile.
Hexagonal, scallop and oval shapes are making a huge impact as they can be used in a number of ways. Hexagonal designs that cascade down the wall and onto the floor make a striking impact, perfect for a bathroom or wet room. Or use sparingly as a splashback or border to give a room star quality.
Classic metro styling
With its classic styling and unrivalled versatility, the Metro tile has long been a go-to choice when it comes to updating walls, with this simple shape delivering a whole host of possibilities.
Whether it’s a contemporary family home, period property or industrial open plan apartment, Metro tiles are highly versatile and can be arranged in so many different ways to create a unique look. They make a fantastic splashback and can be used to cover large spaces, but they are also well suited to a smaller upstand above a bathroom sink.
With a chameleon-like ability to adapt to their surroundings, Metro tiles are very much of the moment – allowing the colour to make a statement. Where we will see the most experimentation is layouts, from stack bonds and herringbone patterns through to chequerboard designs, all of which make a space more personal and design-led.
Tactile textures
Textured tiles take interiors to the next level. Influenced by nature, textured tiles come in an ever-increasing variety of designs from wood-effects that add warmth and style through to stone-effects that deliver cool, contemporary vibes.
Many structured, three-dimensional designs are also tactile to the touch, giving spaces extra character and charm. The rugged texture of timber-effects, especially those with deep grains, knots and tonal variation, lend themselves to the distressed trend with their raw appearance. Perfect for shabby-chic styling. Textured concrete-effects in striking grey shades will once again feature in many industrial-inspired designs schemes and can hold their own in the style stakes, letting the walls and floors take centre stage.
Supersized surfaces
Supersized surfaces are now becoming much more mass market.
Once reserved for commercial projects and luxury developments, large format tiles are now available across most markets giving surfaces a whole new look which is high end and super stylish. Incredibly versatile, large format tiles masterfully open up living spaces as they deliver limited grout lines, bringing a sense of balance and proportion for an open plan design scheme that flows from one room to the next.
For a light and airy design opt for soft beige or silver shades to bounce the light up from the floor, or for places with heavy footfall, opt for a graphite concrete-effect to cover any imperfections from daily use. Supersized tiles can bring the same visual impact to walls as they do the floor, so long as internal walls are strong and structurally sound.
To achieve a striking designer style, run the tiles from floor to ceiling for a dramatic, continuous, seamless effect.
Garden scaping
Garden scaping has quickly become a trend with the nation spending more time in the garden than ever before.
Porcelain tiles have soared in popularity as they are ideal for creating walled gardens, patio extensions with bifold doors, and outdoor seating areas.
Not only do outdoor porcelain tiles offer an easy to maintain living space compared to natural stone and real timber, they are easy for anyone to install, and can be coordinated with indoor tiles, connecting outdoor and indoor spaces – who doesn’t want to design their own personal sanctuary to retreat from the everyday stress of normal life?
Thick porcelain tiles are purpose made for outdoor use withstanding all weather conditions, with designs offering something for everyone, with colours spanning cool silver tones to warm, sun-kissed neutrals. Drawing influence from real wood and stone, these tiles balance the rustic look of natural materials with all the benefits of a porcelain tile for a practical, stylish surface covering with maximum design possibilities. In the coming year expect to see patterned tiles make their mark outside, allowing for the patterned flooring trend to be extended outside.
About Verona
Verona has grown to become the UK’s largest distributor of tiles and mosaics in natural stone, porcelain, ceramic and glass.
The company is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, and supplies independent and multiple retailers nationwide, offering a broad portfolio of products influenced by the latest design, fashion and interiors trends to ensure a collection suited to all tastes.
Verona Group
Project House, Armley Road,
Leeds LS12 2DR
T: 0113 244 4984
E: sales@veronagroup.co.uk
W: www.veronagroup.co.uk
