Detached family home in village location, p3
Be a bonny tiler - Your Home,
Tiles have come a long way since the days of squares in neutral colours. In recent years the market has exploded with beautiful tiles, some packed with texture, others offering a 3D element and many incorporating increasingly bold colours and pattern. We’ve seen metallic tiles crafted especially for the residential market and grouts in
different shades to offer statement alternatives to standard off-whites. And as the wealth of tiles expands so too does our usage of them. Today, tiles are no longer relegated to the bathroom and kitchen. From entrance halls to bedrooms, living rooms to outdoor spaces, tiles are becoming the go-to for wallcoverings and floorings. The latest crop to hit the market continue to break the mould.
NIGHT FEVER
Interiors inspiration can come from anywhere; a favourite destination, a current trend or even your favourite pastime. From cycling – think retro Tour de France posters and bike wheels hung on walls – to walls adorned with your favourite film posters, a hobby or passion can play a huge part in how you decorate your pad. But what if your favourite pastime is clubbing? Some oversized posters advertising your favourite club night or even framed records from a DJ icon will give your home a club vibe, but if you want to go the whole hog, how about some 3D tiles with a neon edge? The vibrant wall tiles are perfect for those who want to inject some night life into their home, 24/7. A 3D tile means you can create a wealth of intricate patterns, especially when it is combined with a ‘standard’ flat tile, so you are able to create a bespoke wall covering styled perfectly for your home. I find tiles as bold as those with glow-in-the-dark elements work brilliantly as a feature wall.
SHAPE OF YOU
Tile manufacturers are getting braver in their designs introducing shapes not traditionally seen in the wallcoverings market. One of the hottest looks is created with equilateral triangular tiles. These three-sided dreams can be used to form a wealth of different patterns, from putting six together to form a hexagon to placing the ends next to each other along a baseline to create a long row and filling it in with ‘upside down’ tiles. What’s more, triangular tiles in scene-stealing colours and 3D elements are beginning to make their way into the market.
ANYTHING GOES
Today, we are seeing a more mix and match approach to tiles. Similar to fashion designers creating a capsule collection, tile designers are combining complementary colours and patterns, around a single central theme, across a number of tiles. The idea is one box of tiles will contain up to 10 different tile designs, which the homeowner can use to create a unique installation. This gives people the confidence to create their own covering, without having to pick each individual element for themselves.
Lesley Taylor is the author of 10 interior design books and has appeared on a range of TV shows giving inspirational advice on home styling. For more information on her work, head to lesleytaylor.co.uk