LATEST SURFACE TRENDS

Jess Piddock, in-house interior designer at Domus, on how to stay ahead of the style crowd

* Geometric pattern. Sharp geometric shapes have dominated pattern design for the past few years, but a more organic approach, which embraces irregularity and curves, is beginning to become more prominent. With contrasting colours, these can create a bold, poppy style, or, in subtler tones, can give a softer look and feel to a space.

* Coloured grouting. We’re seeing coloured grout used as a key element of tiling schemes. This can be a cost-effective way to create a design statement, tying in with the wider trends for colour and customisation.

* Rustic finishes. The rustic style is aligned with the trend for a ‘handmade aesthetic’ Embracing the look of raw materials and their imperfections, this trend is all about creating a tactile environment.

* Blue palettes. Rich blues and teals have become familiar in paints and soft furnishings and these will become more prevalent in hard finishes too. This ‘Blue

Period’ is evolving to welcome bolder hues – ultramarine, in particular. Ultramarine is an excellent accent colour, whereas deeper Prussian blue works well as a background – both combine beautifully with soft greys and marbles.

* Mixing glazed and matt finishes. The trend for glossy accents was first seen in a collection designed by

Konstantin Grcic for Italian brand Mutina last year called Numi, where gloss and matt finishes are combined on a single

tile. Glossy accents can offer a subtle alternative to pattern making – if kept to single palette, it allows reflected light to create the drama.