You may remember growing up in a home with black and white checkerboard tile floors. Or maybe you remember when it was stylish for bathroom floors and walls to be covered in pastel pink or blue tiles. Nowadays, it seems that these retro tiles are the first to go when remodeling a new home. But that doesn’t mean tile isn’t in. In fact, it’s the opposite. Just as color has become more vibrant in homes and giant, floral patterns are a booming design trend, so has designer tiles been making their own comeback.
Why Designers Love Tile
Tile is not only beautiful, but it’s also functional and very durable. It’s a very adaptable material that is resistant to stains, water, heat, and scratches. This means that your tile won’t turn yellow from the sun rays and it also won’t degrade during cold winters. It also means that you can easily clean up spills without worry about stains or damage.
Bigger and Better
Fifteen years ago, when most people thought of tile, they would imagine small format tiles grouted together. In residential design, kitchens and bathrooms were the main rooms that used tile. But technology has played a huge role in the way designer tiles have adapted to suit even more design needs. And now, designers and builders are able to use tiles in so many ways.
Advancements in manufacturing technology has been key in tile breaking through and becoming more available in a variety of ways. Tile now comes in large format panels and countertop slabs, which reduce the need for and aesthetics of grout. After granite and quartz, tile countertops are another top choice, and the process to install them is very similar to its natural stone counterparts.
Digital Printing
Another huge breakthrough for tile technology is the ability to print high-resolution images and textures onto tile, regardless of size. Great strides in digital printing have dramatically helped tile evolve aesthetically. This has provided a lot of great possibilities in concept design for commercial spaces, particularly in restaurants, hotels, malls, and other public spaces. And in residential spaces, tile can be installed as countertops or flooring while looking like natural stone or wood rather than plain tile.
Endless Creativity
Lastly, the creativity shown in the tile world only continues to expand. You can find designer tiles in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and patterns. You can also find traditional tile pieces that are still being hand painted and are beautiful pieces of art to display in your home.
