Tile trends are like everything else in interior design: there is a new one practically every year.
Like paint and wallpaper, tile is a wonderful way to update the look of your home without major renovation. The possibilities are endless and there is something for every style and budget.
The Trends
Tile trends for 2024
Color is important for tile in 2024. Colors are saturated. Nature-inspired blues and greens and desert-inspired neutrals are trending palettes. Here is an opportunity for your imagination to take flight. Tile comes in every color of the rainbow, including metallics.
Nature-inspired colors. This palette can be serene and soothing – think of the blues and greens of water and sky, grassy fields and summer trees – or more dramatic in sunset or sunrise hues.
Color drenching, or surface drenching, takes color to new levels. All levels, actually – floors, walls, and counters. This look is well-suited to the bathroom. A monochromatic look in the extreme – except that done well, it is anything but extreme. The uninterrupted color becomes the perfect backdrop to whatever style suits your aesthetic.
Patterns and geometrics. Patterns and geometrics are synergistic. The tiles themselves may have some type of pattern, including geometric, such as Moroccan tile. Or the tiles can be installed in an interesting way to create a pattern or geometric design. This application lends itself well to high drama: for example, in a powder room with bold and intricate pattern and color – even metallic. It can also be charming as a backsplash or an accent behind a stove, for instance.
Terrazzo is enjoying a renaissance. It is part of an everything-old-is-new-again moment. The idea may be traditional, but the colors – and how the color is distributed within the tile – are not.
Natural materials are not just a tile trend; natural materials, sustainability, and hand-crafted and artisan products are trending across interior design. Marble and stone are always a popular choice. Do you know how many colors marble comes in? Beyond the white/gray/black color waves we tend to think of, there are more choices than ever and they’re being used in exciting ways. For example, using a single piece as a backsplash that continues to the ceiling when possible is uniquely traditional and modern.
Along that same line, large format tiles are trending. They visually extend the space because of fewer grout lines, which also makes them a good choice for cleaning ease.
Texture adds interest to even the most neutral of colors. Texture can be added in a variety of ways to create visual interest. Porcelain tiles that are textured to resemble wood are very popular for use in places, such as bathrooms, where wood floors aren’t practical. Available in a variety of sizes and colors, they can also be used very effectively on the wall.
Tiles can be embossed with an individual design or in a way that installation creates a pattern.
Sustainability can mean many things in the context of tile trends. This applies to material, processes and/or distribution. Sustainability can be quite exciting when it comes to materials. Recycled materials, such as glass, can be used in several ways to create unique pieces.
Tips and Tricks in Tile Trends
Installation is the Key
With patterned tile trending, a clever trick is to install it on the floor or the wall in such a way as to visually expand a room. Is the room long and narrow? Choose a tile and pattern that when installed creates better balance. Used with other design illusion tools, what was once an awkward space is now more symmetrical. The possibilities beyond traditional checkerboard can be quite exciting: install in stripes, on an angle, or use tile to create the illusion of a rug or to define an area. Herringbone and chevron are classic, and can be used creatively on the floor or the wall. And yes, classic can be trending, especially in combination with patterned tiles and fresh use of color and grout choices!
Speaking of classics, take one for a new spin: subway tile comes in a plethora of colors, materials, sizes, and with texture! Instead of the traditional brick bond layout, new tile trends for installation are designs like stacking – vertical or horizontal – or herringbone, and variations of these.
Grout color and width of grout lines. Traditionally, grout color was often matched to the color of the tile or a very neutral coordinating color. The rule for the width of grout lines was a pretty standard formula based on the tile size and material.
As the saying goes, these aren’t your grandmother’s grout rules! In fact, there aren’t any rules. Well, except that while no grout is trending in some corners of the interior design world, it is not recommended by the industry. Having said that, a quick Google search on the topic reveals interesting and inventive uses of grout. High contrast grout color in relationship to the tile color – think white subway tile with orange or teal grout – or varying the width of the grout line to create a pattern, or both high contrast and varied widths. The design possibilities are limited only by the imagination. This is a great way to take inexpensive white subway tile, for example, and create a unique look.
We can’t leave the topic of tile trends without at least a mention of peel and stick tile. It comes in a vast array of designs, quality and price ranges. It is perfect for renters, commitment phobes, and those who just like to change things up more frequently than installed tile would be practical.
Tile is a commitment. As with many remodeling/updating projects, it’s wise to engage an experienced interior design firm. Their designers are on top of the trends, and their experience with successful application of trends will guide you to an outcome that brings your vision to life without taking it over the top.
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