TILE COUNCIL
If you’re looking to add colour and individuality to your home, Topps Tiles’ Tile Of The Year, Syren, ticks all the right style boxes
Smart, versatile and hard-wearing, tiles are a decorative element that can be used to bring vibrancy and pattern to walls and surfaces anywhere in your home – not just in the bathroom and kitchen. With a huge variety of designs, colours and textures to choose from, there’s sure to be something to suit your personal style.
Wellness is high on many people’s agendas right now, and shapes and shades inspired by nature are a great way to bring a sense of calm and serenity to your interiors, with studies showing that surrounding yourself with natural materials, or textures and patterns that mimic those found in the great outdoors, helps to boost positive emotions. With this in mind, Topps Tiles has chosen Syren in Midnight Blue as its Tile Of The Year for 2020. The fish-scale design evokes memories of days spent by the ocean, while the deep indigo glaze creates a restful vibe and reflects the trend for darker, cocooning palettes that work well all around the home.
When laying tiles, it’s not just about form and colour – how you position them can make all the difference to the overall effect. An imaginative alternative to more standard square or rectangular designs, Syren’s scalloped shape can be configured in a multitude of layouts: used in uniform rows with the longest curve upwards, the elegant, fan-like pattern nods towards Art Deco; while inverting the tiles with the point upwards creates a distinctly Moroccan feel. For something out of the ordinary, interlocking the curvy shapes at right angles creates a looser design reminiscent of shimmering water and gives a striking, contemporary appearance.
Grout can also have an important bearing on the final look. For a smart, clean finish that defines the edges of the tiles, choose a crisp white. Alternatively, give the impression of a uniform and subtly textured plane by using a darker shade or a grout that matches the glaze. And if you fancy something a little more avant-garde, then a stronger colour such as the dusky pink shown here is an unexpected choice that will create an exciting, modern feel. Whichever layout or grout you opt for, the versatile design and on-trend colourway of the Syren tile will sit well in any interior – be it traditional or up-to-the-minute – and is sure to inject some sophistication and originality into your home.