The all white kitchen is waning. Do you know how hard it is to keep those babies clean? And with our increasingly busy lifestyles, interior designers are listening to their clients who are looking for low maintenance with high style.
Just as retail fashion buyers look to the runways for the hot looks for spring 2018, tile buyers hit fall interior design shows, both national and international. Here are six trends that seem to be everywhere:
Blue is the New White
Over the last few years, blue has been weaving its way into home design. It started with grey-blue wall paint replacing the beige that dominated for decades. And then, a few years ago indigo came on the scene, followed by navy, and teal. Now a rainbow of blues can be seen in blogs, magazines, and on Pinterest. Blue is on everything from walls to cabinetry. This year blue tile is replacing lots of that white subway tile. The blue tile is taking the form of everything from a basic glazed porcelain tile, to glass tiles, to Moroccan patterned tiles
Darker Shades: Black and Gray
Perhaps that movie about all those shades of gray brought gray and black tile to the forefront, maybe it is jut that it looks wonderful with white and gray cabinets. White or gray cabinets are the new must have in the kitchen. The white cabinets are usually sleek and modern. The gray cabinets are often shaker style. No matter the cabinet style, pair them with black and/or gray tiles and the room pops!
Geometric Patterns
Hexagons, arabesque designs, and patterns inspired by Spanish and Moroccan tiles are being featured for backsplashes at the fall tile shows. All of these tiles are statement pieces, be they black and white or bright colors. LIA Tile and Stone’s Classico series has patterns called Ruggine and Nero that are through body porcelain tiles with more durability than granite. And if one of these tiles does chip, because the color runs all the way through, it doesn’t show. Patterns include curls, checks, squares, diamonds, and fleur de lis. Spanish and Moroccan tiles are created through a process called Majolica, a form of encaustic. They are bright and colorful, using blues, yellows, and reds. Ad a few for a splash of color, or do a whole kitchen wall for emphasis.
It’s All About Texture
Texture is one of the elements of interior design, along with space, line, shape, light, color, and pattern. Like geometric patterns, texture makes a definite statement. Wavy patterned tile, stacked stone tile, and carved woods are continuing to see a growing interest for kitchen backsplashes. Wavy white tiles work well in a sleek modern kitchen, stacked stone works well in a transitional home, and farmhouse styling with a wood backsplash and cement countertops will make any home unique.
Tech-Like Metallic
In some kitchens, stone and tile is being over taken by laser-cut matte steel. The steel is being cut into popular textured patterns, like arabesque or diamonds. Like many other types of tile, metal tile choices and quality has expanded with technological breakthroughs. Accent metallic tiles have been sliding into showrooms, like those at City Tile in Murfreesboro, for the last several years, but the new offerings are far beyond the cut tin look tiles of the past. These are every bit as beautiful as tile, but very easy clean.
Engraved Marble Adds a High End Touch
Marble is everywhere these days, to make a kitchen stand out, there are now marble tiles that are pure works of art that will make any kitchen a temple to the art of cooking. Each individual tile is a masterpiece on its own. The designs are reminiscent of classic Greek and Roman friezes.
Finishing Touches: Grout Colorful and Sparkly
Not only is plain white tile dead, so is plain white grout. Today, grout can be matched to any tile to give a monochromatic finish, it can be a contrasting color like black grout with white tile, or it can be sparkly to add a little glitz to the kitchen. One of the most unique looks for spring of 2018 is brightly colored grout. For example, one vendor showed teal glass tiles with sunflower yellow grout.
Your Home Reflects Your Lifestyle
Choosing a backsplash for your kitchen, like choosing all of the furnishings and décor in your home, reflects you and your way of living. For more information about styling your home, look for Design Diva’s Top Ten Interior Design Mistakes to Avoid.
