Tile is a popular material used in homes. Many rooms contain tile floors or walls. Bathrooms and kitchens often use lots of tile.
Tiles are available in various shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. Over the years, trends come and go for what is popular. Exciting new tile styles and innovations continue to emerge.
Let’s explore some of the top tile collection trends gaining popularity:
Natural Stone Tiles
Stone like marble, travertine, and slate remain sought-after. These natural stone tiles create a timeless, high-end look. Interest grows in exotic and unique stone types. Think quartzite from Brazil or limestone from Israel. These tiles are distinguished by their distinct veining, patterns, and surface textures.
Metallic Tiles
Metallic glazes and finishes are hitting the tile market. Subtle shine and luster elevate ordinary tile. Stainless steel, copper, and brass textures are gaining popularity. New tech creates iridescent effects. Metallic mosaics and art tile draw the eye.
Moroccan-Inspired Tiles
Vibrant Moroccan patterns injected color into the tile. Tiles feature floral motifs, geometric shapes, and intricate designs. These lively statement tiles add warmth. They work in kitchens, baths, even fireplaces. Moroccan zellige remains popular. So do budget-friendly printed ceramic versions.
Oversized Tiles
Huge tiles exceeding 18 inches square or rectangular gain ground. These oversized tiles enlarge rooms visually. Fewer grout lines and a seamless look add appeal. Pop oversized tiles on walls, floors, or backsplashes.
Mixed Materials
Mixing materials becomes trendy. Blend stone with wood-look porcelain. Combine metal with natural stone. Unusual pairings like tile with grasscloth intrigue designers. Contrasting textures and visual depth entice.
3D Tiles
Three-dimensional tiles stand out literally. Wavy, curved, or beveled surfaces create interest.
3D tiles work solo as accents or cover entire walls. Dimensional tiles add flair in baths or kitchens.
Brick Shapes
The popularity of brick flooring crosses over to tile. Rectangular and square brick-shaped tile excites. Interesting bonding patterns form with offsets or patches. Brick tiles suit rustic, vintage, or modern rooms.
Half-Hexagon & Fishscale Tiles
Interlocking half-hex and fish-scale shapes make artistic patterns. These tiles invoke age-old mosaic styles. Repeated small shapes form rhythmic grids. Movement draws the eye across floors or walls.
Dark Moody Tiles
Deep hues like charcoal, black, and navy tile strike a dramatic pose. These darker tiles feel luxe and sophisticated. Moody tiles pair well with brass accents and natural wood. Light floors truly pop against them.
Tile Material Innovations
Beyond trends in shapes and styles, innovations in tile materials bear watching:
Cement Tiles
Cement tiles gain traction, valued for uncommon durability and artistry. Popular in Europe, these tiles are handcrafted by pressing colorfully layered cement into molds. Each tile has a distinct pattern.
Pros:
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Hard, non-porous surface resists scratches
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Can be used indoors and outdoors
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One-of-a-kind patterning
Cons:
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Higher cost than ceramic tile
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Vulnerable to fading in sunlight
Smart Tiles
Smart tiles represent the intersection of technology, functionality, and design. With built-in sensors, microchips, and connectivity, these tiles detect information about a room’s environment and occupants to enable home automation and energy efficiency benefits.
Motion-sensing smart tiles can turn lights on when someone enters a room and off when motion stops. Smart tiles with humidity sensors monitor moisture levels to prevent leaks and water damage. Temperature-sensing tiles can feed data to a home’s HVAC system for automated climate adjustments. Smart tiles also offer programmable RGB lighting, turning surfaces into customizable light displays.
Ceramic Printing Technology
Digital printing methods allow nearly any image or pattern to be transferred onto a ceramic tile. Photographic images, wood grains, textured patterns – anything imaginable can become a tile design. This printing technology opens new styling possibilities. Expect to see more unique visuals emerging on the tile.
Digital Printing Technology
Digital printing technology has revolutionized the capabilities of tile design, enabling the creation of hyper-realistic faux finishes, complex patterns, dimensional designs, and customized tiles not achievable through conventional production methods.
Inkjet printing uses advanced software and printheads to apply any image or pattern directly onto a tile surface with photographic accuracy. By controlling the deposition of ink droplets, digital printing can mimic the look of natural stone, concrete, fabric, metals, and other textures in remarkable detail. It allows endless customization options, including the ability to print photos, company logos, artistic designs, or any graphics onto tiles for a one-of-a-kind creation.
Digital printing also reduces tile waste by 45% during manufacturing compared to traditional methods like screen printing (Ceramic World Review). The technology’s precision eliminates imperfections and misprints.
Interior designers are leveraging these digital capabilities to offer clients unique, personalized tiles that increase property values by up to 30%, compared to using stock tiles (National Association of Realtors).
Homeowners can work with designers to develop custom tiles featuring family photos, kids’ artwork, inspirational quotes, or other cherished images for truly meaningful, bespoke designs. Accent walls, kitchen backsplashes, fireplace surrounds, and indoor/outdoor floors present beautiful canvases to showcase this personalized tile technology.
Slimmer Tile
Tile slims down for lightweight ease. Thick, heavy tile gets replaced by thin tile as slim as 3-4 mm. Thin tile works great on walls. It can also be walked on floors. Less mass improves shipping and installation.
More Sustainable Tiles
Eco-conscious tile gains momentum using recycled, renewable materials.
For example:
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Ceramic tile with 40% recycled glass
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Porcelain tile made with feldspar mining waste
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Cement tile is made with a lower carbon footprint than ceramic
As consumers care more about sustainability, greener tile choices will keep increasing.
The Future Looks Bright
Tile remains integral in home design. New shapes, patterns, materials, and tech offer exciting possibilities. Nature-inspired, artistic, sleek, sustainable – tile has it all.
The ambiance created by tiles and their durability ensure that tile collections will continue to innovate and trend. Keep an eye out for the newest looks and innovations coming soon to tile aisles!
Tiles are important for homes. They cover floors, walls, kitchens, and bathrooms. Tiles come in different shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. They protect surfaces from water and damage. Cleaning tiles is easy too. Pay attention when picking tiles. Make sure they are good quality and fit the space. Installing tiles well takes skill. Hire an experienced tiler for best results. Investing time in selecting and installing tiles can greatly enhance the look of a home.