Design 101: Tile Trends

Looking to cement some style into your space? We’ve got the lowdown on the dollars and sense of using ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, and more.

Clockwise from top left: Raffia Mother of Pearl Terrazzo (lilitile.com); Moroccan Mosaic Terra Cotta Spanish (wayfair.com); Reverie 12 (arizonatile.com); Terrazzo Renata (annsacks.com); Savoy Prints Ishno Lines (annsacks.com); Portmore Green Glazed Ceramic Bullnose (tilebar.com); Gem by Kelly Wearstler (annsacks.com); MSI Domino Fish Scale Mosaic (wayfair.com); Rise (lilitile.com); Nemo Tile (nemotile.com for similar); Eden and Flora (lilitile.com); Paradise Firma 1” Circles (tilebar.com)

“Tiles are quite literally mosaic works of art! The possibilities are endless. This is where you can really play and have fun with design.”

—Drew

Big Finish

“Zellige everywhere—walls, floors, ceilings!” declares designer Barbie Palomino from Los Angeles. “The iridescence and the organic texture of this handmade tile are absolutely dreamy.”

Cool Contrast

Look up for the coolest tile trend, says Los Angeles–based designer and TV personality Breegan Jane. “I would love to install tile on a ceiling,” she tells us. “It kind of takes me back to my days of creating mosaics. A tiled powder room ceiling could be a lovely, artistic feature.”

Mix & Match

“I think after living in white spaces over the past few years, people are looking to infuse color back into their homes,” says Gabrielle Aker of Aker Interiors, who created this statement tricolored backsplash in a client’s mid-century kitchen. “One color felt too flat, so we mixed three complementary colors to create a sunrise effect.”

Country with a Twist

Nashville-based designer Kathryn Berschback is swooning over colorful, printed tiles these days. “I just discovered Sister Parish tile that comes in a lot of their well-known prints and patterns,” she says. “I would love to use it in a backsplash in a butler’s pantry.”

By Laura Kostelny | Prop styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky | Tile opener photograph by Heami Lee | “Big Finish” photograph by Taryn Kent; design by Design 4 Corners; tiles by clé tile | “Cool Contrast” photograph by Ryann Ford; design by BANDD Design; tiles by Ann Sacks | “Mix & Match” photograph by Jess Isaac; design by Aker Interiors; tiles by Fireclay Tile | “Country with a Twist” photograph courtesy of Country Floors; tiles by the Sister Parish Design collection for Country Floors