The Top Fall and Winter Tile Trends

Hundreds of tile professionals gathered at the international ceramic tile show Cersaie to see the latest in ceramics, and these five tile trends stole the show. Keep an eye out, these trends, characterized by exuberant colors, artistic patterns, and tactile services, may pop up in your projects this season.

Cersaie co-organizer Ceramics of Italy identified five tile trends in its 2021 Fall/Winter Tile Trend Report, which were spotted at the tile show. Ceramics of Italy highlighted five themes that linked many of the tiles seen at Cersaie together. Ceramic experimentation seemed to be valued the most in this year’s Cersaie. Manufacturers focused on artistry and color, and that means remodelers should take these trends into consideration. 

Here are the top five trends in Italian tile design this season:

1. Pastel

According to the Ceramics of Italy report, pastels were found in almost every booth at Cersaie. A noticeably warm color palette included sage, mint, rose, and sky blue. These organic colors feed into larger industry trends of homeowners becoming increasingly interested in outdoor connections. Pastel takes on organic hues may be emerging as Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore highlighted the trend with their Colors of the Year, October Mist and Evergreen Fog.

2. Bas Relief

Because of the impact of high definition printing, surface design has become extremely popular in tile, according to the Ceramics of Italy. Effects such as stone-like round edges and three-dimensional finishes add a layer of depth that is possible because of the new technologies accessible to Italian manufacturers. This investment in new printing technologies has affected ceramic and porcelain tiles so much so that remodelers should only expect more in the coming years.

3. Baroque

The Baroque period in 17th-century Europe impacted both art and architecture, producing sculptural building furniture defined by a sense of movement. Now in 2021, that style is back in the form of ceramic tile. When produced on floor-to-ceiling porcelain slabs, baroque tiles exude a feeling of energy. Baroque styles are seen in striking marble looks, while others incorporate reflective services. 

4. Modern History

According to Ceramics of Italy, history repeats itself when it comes to Italian tile. That classic look of luxury may be what some homeowners are looking for, and some of the tile featured in Cersaie features the same detail as floors found in Dutch houses or Palladian villas centuries ago. If the look wasn’t exactly the same, Italian manufactures made sure to incorporate some tweaks to ceramic traditions to give the industry a balance of classic and modern.

5. Murals

These days, ceramic tile can be an attractive alternative to wallpaper because of how large and thin the tiles are. Porcelain is more durable, and manufacturers are using it as an opportunity to show their creativity with large florals and historical patterns. Remodelers should look forward to homeowners asking for tile with more lasting visual effects that murals give, or consider using a large format mural tile in replacement of wallpaper.