It’s a new year folks and that means it’s time for our annual insight into what tile trends will be making their way into the mainstream in 2021. There’s some eclectic choices from our guest contributors this year, which means that we should be looking forward to some very interesting tile schemes throughout 2021. Colour, pattern, and geometrics are here to stay, alongside softer pastels with a hand-made influence. For large scale projects, we’re predicting that marble-style porcelain slabs for walls and floors, indoors and out, will be very big news.
Lyndsay Blair, Editor, Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine and thesethreerooms.com. Check out Lindsay’s socials at @kbbmagazine and @lindsays_home. Lindsay also suggests a look at their new initiative, Close To Home, showcasing independent home design specialists up and down the country.
Mediterranean Inspiration
There’s a growing influx of Mediterranean-inspired designs making their way into interiors for 2021, but with a soft artisanal twist. Think classic patterns with hints of blue, green, yellow and soft pinks but with an almost ‘worn’ and handmade look – which has a certain homely feel about it. These styles are great for the floor in a bathroom as a way to bring colour and pattern and work well in a small kitchen as a focal point. Since travel has been limited, bright tiles like those inspired by Portuguese designs or a rustic creations reminiscent of the south of France are a way to bring some sunshine into a home.
Natural Options
A trend I particularly like is a more natural approach to wall and floor coverings. Terracotta tiles in a modern hexagonal shape or those made to look like bare tadelakt plaster are warm, have a natural appeal and create a great base for tactile fixtures and fittings including brass or copper taps and showers, sumptuous marble accents and curved shapes. Pink hues can be used as a neutral and work really well in a bathroom setting.
Go Large!
I predict large format tiles will be popular, particularly for those seeking a super-contemporary look. With great practicality benefits including fewer grout lines, they are easier to keep clean. Use the same style across the wall and floor in a bathroom as a way to create a wetroom style space with a seamless floor level. In a kitchen, take large-format porcelain floor tiles from inside to out for a seamless transition.
Bold Marbles
Finally, look out for the ever-popular marble tile designs, but with one key difference. We’re embracing the bold veining of natural stones, including marble, and tiles with heavily veined surfaces will add a striking feature to any space. Think beyond the kitchen and bathroom and these designs could be used to create a statement headboard in the bedroom. Of course, they make for a great focal point kitchen splash back or shower zone in a bathroom too.
Alison Davidson, interiors stylist, writer and blogger at Alison Adding Style. Take a peek at her creative and colourful Instagram @alisonaddingstyle
Shape & Pattern
Patterned tiles haven’t been massively fashionable for a while, but that has most definitely changed in recent times, with Instagram in particular full of pattern, colour, and inspiring tile ideas. It seems that everyone wants a bit more pizazz in their homes! Traditional encaustic tiles have been around for a long time, but that style is now having a resurgence evident in styles such as the Swing collection. Shapes are different and more interesting too, not just squares and rectangles. Scallops, chevrons, pencil, hexagon, and kite shapes are all trending. Take a look at Kromatika in green, looking good as floor tiles, combined with natural wood finishes and a splash of pink!
Ysanne Brooks, ceramicist and former Editor, Beautiful Kitchens thinks that many of our tile ranges fit well with future tile trends. See her work at Ysanne Brooks and check out her socials at @ysannebrooksceramics and @ysannebrooks
Marble-esque
Beautiful Italian marble is a staple in luxury hotels and country houses but it’s a difficult to look after in a family home, as it requires regular maintenance. I think we’ll see more people emulating this look by opting for large format marble effect alternatives such as delicately veined porcelain to achieve a glamourous wall-to-floor wet-room look without the cost or hassle.
Play with Scale
Fish-scale tiles will continue to be popular but I think we’ll move away from bold jewel colours and look for more subtle variations of one shade that are easy to accessorize, particularly in bathrooms where the space often needs to be calming rather than ‘out there’.
Piacenza Mix Rose | Tile Mountain
Revitalising the Metro
The metro (or underground!) tile has become a bit ubiquitous, particularly in a standard brick layout. For 2021 I believe more adventurous patterns such as herringbone formations will help to revitalise this tile favourite, especially in some of the newer colours such as pale rose pink.
Pick Parquet
We’ve hit ‘peak parquet’ in home designs, with originals of these floors much coveted. Most homes don’t have the benefit of original flooring so I think there will be a growth in wood-effect porcelains, used in traditional parquet laying patterns and formats.
Handmade Vibes
This year has all been about getting back to basics and enjoying the simple things in life, in particular celebrating traditional crafts. I think this will be reflected in tiles that appear to be ‘consciously handmade’ such as traditional encaustic patterns and tiles with rough-edged profiles.
Kitchen Counsellors
Sophie Devonald, Designer, Crown Imperial
We envisage neutral tones and textured furniture styles will remain the preferred palette of choice for many consumers in 2021. We also expect to see a stronger shift to zonal kitchen designs, as consumers seek to create clearly defined working and social spaces that meet the work-life balance for family life. Super sleek handleless cabinetry will remain a popular influence and the use of complementary materials to effortlessly connect separate kitchen and living spaces. Tiles such as Bayona, a very dark grey porcelain, or Travertine Silver; a lighter colour with a honed finish would work well within the neutral/textured cabinet trend.
Zeluso Rock Grey dual handleless islands take centre stage with a textured stone look paired with sleek grey silk wall units and Crown Frameworks open storage for the ultimate family kitchen space, all Crown Imperial
So there you have it! Those are the trends we’ll likely be party to in 2021 according to those in the know. It’s a very interesting and varied selection we think you’ll agree, but which is your favourite? Let us know in the comments or share your photos with us by tweeting us @TileMountainUK or tag us on Instagram!
You might also enjoy these posts on the Tile Mountain blog…
Tiles of the Unexpected: Unlikely Tile Trends That Gripped 2020
Linda has worked as a freelance interiors writer and blogger for many years; she has written for most of the major home and design magazines, including KBB Magazine, Grand Designs, Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Period Homes and Good Homes. She made the break and moved from London back to her home town of Shrewsbury three years ago and has just finished renovating her house. She also works in an interior design studio, produces copy for brochures and website, tries to tame her garden, aims to finish all the home furnishing projects she has on the go … and loves walking.