7 trending looks
There have never been more options when it comes to tile for the home. To help sift through the fads and identify choices with staying power, we spoke with Katie Michael-Battaglia, CID, IIDA, LEED AP, design director at New York City-based Nemo Tile + Stone. She explains that, while trends in home décor are often influenced by clothing styles, home-design elements can take a little longer to catch on. “With harder surfaces, there’s a longevity to it,” she says. “People tend to stay a little bit safer.” Now, after a year of pandemic-imposed isolation, people are ready to step out of their comfort zone and incorporate fresh looks into their homes. Here’s Michael-Battaglia’s take on the most buzzed-about trends in the world of tile.
Images courtesy of Nemo Tile + Stone
1. A Handmade Look
“Tiles that have a lot of variation in them, with features such as uneven edges and irregular surfaces, offer a more artisanal look, even though they’re machine made.” Pictured: Ara Collection.
2. Color
“Since people have spent more time at home this past year, we’re hearing ‘I hate looking at this white.’ They’ve embraced having more color in tile. Greens have become especially popular, particularly deeper greens like jade, malachite and emerald. In that same vein, monochromatic combinations are on the rise. If someone’s using blue tile, they’re doing multiple shades of blue, not just one.” Pictured: left, Bond Collection; right, Dash Collection.
3. Warmth and texture
“The new colors added to the tile repertoire are notable for their warmth. Pink has long been a popular tile color, but now the tide is turning toward terra cotta shades. Textured tile is another new trend that enhances the look of a room, providing depth and creating a focal point. It’s good to see people not just doing the same-old same-old.” Pictured: left, Medley Collection; right, Super White Collection.
4. Pattern
“There’s a sense of wanting to bring personalization into the home — having one special element that makes a statement.” Pictured: Dash Collection.
5. Easy-clean materials
“With health and well-being top of mind for the past year, products like porcelain tile are in high demand. It’s inert to liquid, and bacteria and mildew won’t seep in. It’s easy to clean; it’s got a luxe look and it doesn’t have a durability problem.” Pictured: Cotto Cemento collection cement-look porcelain.
6. Larger format
“Slabs in larger pieces for countertops or backsplashes has been a big look lately. For backsplashes, some people like the large-format style because there is less grout and it’s easier to clean, especially near the range. Depending on the size of the kitchen, using larger format tiles for the floors is more popular.” Pictured: Onyx Collection.
7. Blending shapes
“The trend toward square tile has picked up in the past two years. While people are always going to use rectangles, now we find our clients are mixing them to create an interesting play of squares and rectangles.” Pictured: Baroque Collection.
This is the first installment in a series of conversations with tile experts.
