Looking to give your home a late-spring refresh? We might be a little biased, but when it comes to altering the look of a room, you really can’t beat tiles. Long gone are the times when beige and boring reigned supreme - these days, there’s plenty of new designs that cater to just about every taste and trend you can think of. So in the spirit of good design we’ve put together this list of 2017’s hottest tile trends. Whether you’re planning a kitchen overhaul or simply dreaming about that forever home, take some inspiration from what’s red hot below.
Laid Back Luxe
Does the though of bold colours in your home make you feel a little dizzy? Seems like you overdosed on the bling last year. We’ve got just the tonic you need - laid back luxury, Scandinavian style. And before you mention hygge, put away the candles; that’s so 2016. Instead, this is all about pared-back living spaces - so it’s back to basics, but with a focus on timeless materials.
This uncluttered look is all about maximising the sense of space, so when it comes to floors you can’t beat pale woods such as
Orchard Warm Oak. Keep the rest of your room simple to enhance the focus on the essentials. A mid-century sofa, your favourite prints on the walls and a daybed make for a room you’ll want to spend quality time in. Although it has echoes of minimalism, this style is anything but a blank canvas. So forget about going all-white and instead, up the glamour stakes by introducing light marbles effect tiles into your room. After all, is there anything as elegantly impressive or that speaks of sophistication as much as white marble?
We’re not surprised it’s so popular - the clean, natural style pairs so well with the rose gold and burnished brass accessories that are all the rage. But unless you’re an oligarch, real Bianco Carrara is probably a no-no, so why not fake it with
our Bistrot Calacatta replicas as shown above? And it’s only fair that bathrooms get a slice of the simple style too. Clean, neutral wall tiles such as
Bon Ton Sugar are a perfect fit for these busy, hardworking rooms. Not only do they look great, they’re also waterproof and really easy to wipe clean. Up the luxe ante with some stylish oak furniture, a classy deck-mounted basin and some indulgent lotions and potions.
Going Geometric
If you keep your eyes firmly focused on the latest trends, then you probably know this already but geometrics have arrived. And in a big way. To put it simply, they’re popping up everywhere from clothes and accessories to tiles and tea-towels. And of course,
hexagon tiles are right at the forefront of this trend. Their popularity has literally exploded over the last few months. Not that we’re complaining, it’s pure hex appeal for us.
Nature’s favourite shape is just perfect if you’re looking to add visual interest without going overboard. Even plain designs are like eye-popping candy - there’s just something about that honeycomb pattern that makes us want to reach for our swoon buttons. And it’s not all about the hex. You guys love your triangles and circles too - the repeating patterns of our Endless Circles and
Medina Blue Triangle tiles are like catnip for any graphic gurus out there. We can see why; their designs are playful yet sophisticated. Add in a few Ferm Living cushions to complete the mid-century vibe.
It may be a recent addition to our collection, but Diamond Twist is flying off the shelves. In the choice words of a happy customer, it’s dynamic and bold, not dull and boring. Like the rest of our geometric tiles, it has a gentle, organic finish that’s perfect for making a statement floor without distracting from the rest of the room.
Rustic Twist
Rough-hewn beams, creaky floorboards, stacks of logs and a crackling fire - what else but the classic rustic look? Proving the old saying that everything comes full circle, rustic style is back on trend and this time round, you don’t need to be a country dweller to get the style at home. In fact, it seems that the city folk out there are as keen as anyone for a bit of ruggedness. Our Alpine wood tiles are overwhelmingly delivered to large towns and cities and we’re pretty sure we know why. In an increasingly digital world, their organic texture and natural warmth is a familiar reminder of the past - get a quick update by finishing your kitchen floor in
Alpine Hazel.
Even the swankiest boutique hotels have cottoned onto the fact that when it comes to weekend getaways, it’s farmhouse chic that we want. Case in point, the
Soho Farmhouse. A haven for celebs since opening its doors last year, we can’t get enough of the snug cabin-in-the-woods feel. You can give your home a similar slice of earthy elegance with our Rustic Wood Beige tiles.
But it’s not all about chunky timbers and cosy cottages. As a nation, we’ve got a soft spot for the rugged charms of natural slate, the type you’d find in your favourite pub in the Lake District. Slate effect tiles lend themselves really well to contemporary spaces so treat your floors to
Ardesia Natural and they’ll own the modern rustic look.
Green Is The New Grey
Well, that’s not strictly true. Grey might still reign supreme when it comes to overall sales but one thing’s for sure - we’re seeing green shoots of tile everywhere we look. Since Pantone declared ‘Greenery’ to be their shade of 2017, our green-tinted tiles have been flying off the shelves with way more spring in their step than before. According to their colour experts, this particular tint evokes ‘the first days of spring’ and ‘feelings of newness’. And who are we to argue with that? In any case our closest match,
Crackle Spring Green, sits atop our green-fingered sales chart, so there’s certainly lots of revitalised kitchen walls up and down the country.
Stressed out with the concrete jungle around you? Then take a cue from Japan and go for a long walk in a forest to chill out. Or, why not bring green into your home environment so you can take a ‘forest bathe’ every day? One of the great joys of Nature’s neutral is the way it can be used in both large and small doses. And you don’t have to stick with Pantone 15-0343, to give its full moniker - we think darker shades such as
Opal Emerald and
Crackle Bottle Green are ideal for creating dark, rich and confident walls and splash backs. It’s almost as if they’re a gentle reminder to take a deep, invigorating breath when the world around gets a little too chaotic.
Floors getting a little green with envy? They needn’t. Sure, green tiles aren’t going to set the world’s floors alight any time soon but that won’t stop us all drooling over Seville Green Mix. These patterned hexagons could hardly be more on-trend if they tried, combining three of our top styles in a gorgeous geometric shape. That's green, patterned and hexagon if you're asking.
They’re a great choice if you’re looking for a fresh look but not yet ready to go-all out green, so use this harmonious hue to provide a subtle backdrop for the rest of your room.
Crafty Crush
After an aged look that’s bang up to date? We’ll point you in the direction of our latest crush - tiles that honour handmade heritage. And if you’re obsessed with Etsy or pining for Pinterest, then you’ll probably love this trend too. Let's start with crackled glaze tiles. They might be nothing new, but they’ve exploded in popularity over the past few months. Perhaps, in these uncertain times, they reconnect us to easier, more care-free days? Darker, Victorian-esque shades are the hues du jour at the moment - we think tones such as
Albert's Racing Green have the staying power to look great forever.
It’s unofficial but…. the prize for the UK’s best selling decorative tile must go to
Heritage Star. This modern take on traditional encaustic tiles is pretty irresistible, don’t you think? The blend of olde-worlde charm and on-trend pattern is ideal for giving your floors a vintage touch - they’ll look as if they’ve a fair few stories to tell.
Move over, hygge. These days, the new buzzword on the block is wabi-sabi - it’s a Japanese term for taking pleasure in the imperfect. So in other words, to celebrate the crazing and cracks of
humble handmade tiles, for example.
And in our minds, when it comes to easy-going elegance you really can’t beat our new Atelier collection. Inspired by artisan tiles, they’re the opposite of sterile and will make your walls stand out from the crowd. Best of all, they can be dressed up with rose-quartz brassware for a decadent bathroom, or dressed down with a Belfast sink and chunky worktop in a traditional country kitchen.