June’s hit and so have summer’s most sought-after tile trends that will give your decor the pick-me-up it’s been wishing for and wanting, after the grey days we’re leaving behind. So buckle up, take them all in, and see which tempts you most to take the plunge…
 
Our Head of Creative Grazzie Wilson delves into her favourite trends that are emerging this summer....
  1. Wainscoting and Dreamy Dadoes
Wainscoting or panelling – call it what you will, but this tile layout is leading the way this summer, showing how the same much-loved interiors look can be just as successfully achieved via creative tiling.
 
It could be that you want to go rich and glossy with our Lyme ceramic tiles in Olive Green (from our bestselling National Trust collection) on the lower part of your wall, rounded off with a matching tiled dado tile, and then throw in a statement wallpaper on top. Or maybe you want to keep things tonal and make your statement with marble by going one shape below the dado (like our just-launched square marble tile from our forever popular Long Island collection) with the scalloped marble version on top. And if you want to get extra creative, try mixing up the direction of your tiles as we did in this bathroom below, – a wainscoting masterclass that’s totally timeless.
2. Mega Mosaics  

We’re talking maximalist pattern, whether that’s through the shape your tiles are cutting – think hexagons on repeat – or the pattern they’re forming when pieced together. Now take that visual interest and go large, choosing tiles that can run from floor to wall so that pattern envelops your room and anybody who’s in it. Our new Belleville porcelain tiles give you a choice of pattern scale and tone – pick the smaller floral motif in Vendome Blue for a busier feel (also available in Green and Red) or pick Rennes Blue whose larger motif gives a slightly toned down effect. Or if you’d rather go pattern-free and want to let your tile mosaic shape do the talking, also new is our intricate Pavilion Porcelain tiles which are a tessellation of tiny tonal triangles, coming in warming Russet Red or earthy Marine Blue.
3. Centerpieces Statements

This trend’s great for several reasons. a) It can cause the right sort of stir in your space by introducing a loud and clear focal point, and b) It can be achieved without investing in a whole room renovation. Your tile statement might be covering your kitchen island base (the part where it’s cabinet free and recessed for bar stools). It could be a chimney breast or even to give the impression of an area rug on a bathroom floor.
 
Remember that statements don’t have to mean loud patterns or bold colours either. Our new Foundry Porcelain Bianco tile is a case in point, proving that a simple and classic white rectangle tile can create contrast and draw the eye in a flash. Or go to the dark side with the Smeraldo finish to give a dose of drama to your stove. In a bathroom, we love making a sculptural centerpiece by tiling a sink plinth as we did with our Pavilion tiles, meaning you could tick off two trends in one – mosaics and centerpieces done and done. It’s one we’re itching to do with our new Sardinia Dragonetti tiles.
4. Colouring-loving Chequerboards

Just like marble and just like black and white, chequerboard is a tile choice that will never date. But, it can be reinvented. Inspired heavily by the warming, earthy tones that are dominating in interior design at present, the new wave of chequerboard floors are much more subtle and often a lot more textured.
 
See the trend in action with our new Brit Stone tiles in Minster and Burford. Step into a room paved with these and you’ll swiftly be transported to a charming Tuscan manor house where rustic and regal dovetail to perfection.
5. Porcelain Tiles, But Make it Luxe

Porcelain  tiles, a forever trend, yes, but right now, tastemakers are swooning over the most luxurious versions they can get their paws on. We’re talking porcelain tiles that emulate the look of lesser-known marbles, punctuated with ribbons of bronze or coloured in vivid green. This trend is all about porcelain versions (of natural stone) that are such impressive replicas, you’d never know the difference.
 
Our new Komodo tiles are a response to this very trend with our designers creating the Ocean colourway to mimic the very best slate tiles, Green to echo Guatemala green marble (as do our two striking Rainforest tiles). Or look to our Marble Luxe Porcelain collection, which, as the name suggests, speaks to this trend through and through. And finally, for the most luxurious natural stone-style veins or modern luxe colour ways, all eyes on our polished Magnifique tiles and dreamy California collection.