Tile Trends 2023: The Latest Exciting Looks for Walls and Floors
Large format wall tiles: Onice Arancio. Floor tiles: Highland English Wood. Both Casalgrande Padana.
Sponsored Content: This post has been sponsored by Casalgrande Padana. As usual, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
With their hard-wearing durability, versatility and attractive appearance, good-quality tiles never go out of style as a decorative way to adorn multiple areas of the home. Wall and floor tiles are constantly being redesigned and reinvented to encapsulate the latest interior design looks and the exciting, upcoming tile trends for 2023 are an extension of other key trends within home design. So, what types of tiles can we expect to see adorning our kitchens, bathrooms, floors and outdoor areas this year? Keep reading to find out….
Blue Tiles
Textured Tiles
Vibrant Pattern Tiles
Natural Stone Tiles
Large-Format Tiles
Inside/Outside Tiles (Blending)
Dark Tiles
True Blue
Casalgrande Padana Indaco blue porcelain stoneware tiles. Main wall: Atelier Indaco 120x278 cm; shower enclosure: Atelier Mosaico Indaco 5x15 cm.
While green has dominated as one of the most popular tile colourways in the past two years, 2023 will see blue take over - especially within bathroom design. Green was popular as it connected us to lush green landscapes, trees and nature (which we craved after being locked down during the pandemic), but at a time when public stress and anxiety are at an all-time high, blue feels like a relaxing, deep, calming breath to take in as you look at a clear sky or an ocean view. The colour’s tranquil connection to water evokes a feeling of weightlessness - giving it the ability to create a soothing, de-stressing environment where you can pause and breathe. Casalgrande Padana’s Atelier collection of rich and refined, colourful porcelain stoneware tiles includes the most perfect sky blue hue - Indaco - which pairs well with other materials found in nature (such as wood and marble).
Atelier Indaco is available in a wide range of tile shapes and sizes. Featured: Atelier Indaco 120x278 cm (main wall); Atelier Mosaico Indaco 5x15 cm (shower enclosure); Newood Grey 20x120 cm (partition wall); Marmoker Statuario Grigio 60x60 cm (floor). All Casalgrande Padana.
Textured
Textured tiles are a fantastic way to add interest and tactility without having to rely on a strong colour or pattern to add striking character to a space. Uneven and irregular surfaces capture the light, while raised detailing provides a depth that you just do not get with smooth surfaces. The trend for textured tiles is a consequence of the popularity of texture in other areas of the home (such as the favoured boucle fabrics and the integration of natural, imperfect materials such as wood and stone).
The glossy and even surface of Casalgrande Padana’s Nuance tiles (part of the brand’s Brickworks collection) beautifully creates a dappled light reflection from nearby light sources. Wall: Nuances Petunia Nera Lux 8,2x25 cm; Floor: Tavolato Marrone Chiaro 20x120 cm. Both Casalgrande Padana.
Casalgrande Padana’s Brickworks collection of brick-effect porcelain stoneware tiles includes Nuances: a metro-shape collection encompassing eight striking colour choices and two surface finishes (matt or gloss), where the indented surface area provides a lot of shadow-play and colour contrast when the light hits the surface. Nuance tiles are constructed entirely from natural raw materials that are free of plastics and harmful substances, making them fully recyclable and environmentally friendly.
This textured kitchen backsplash adds colour and visual interest due to the irregular tile surface. The wall tiles are Nuances Blu Sherpa Lux 8,2x25 cm by Casalgrande Padana.
Vibrant Patterns
Being invited inside to view multiple homes via social media has made us more confident in experimenting with our own decor (as we see others ‘give it a go’ online with pleasing results); it has also made us want to stamp our own individuality and personality into our homes to make them stand out from the rest. In 2023, we will see an increase in the use of vibrant, colourful and uniquely patterned tiles used in a multitude of ways - from a statement backsplash to tiled hallways and front porches (a huge forthcoming trend, according to the ideas and inspiration search engine, Pinterest).
Barbaro - part of Casalgrande Padana’s Le Ville porcelain stoneware tile collection - is available in six patterns in a variety of colours, as well as five sizes, two thicknesses, and three finishes. The terrazzo-style colourful grit pieces offer a unique and vibrant alternative to single-colour or natural-look porcelain stoneware tiles.
Natural Stone
Every year, natural stone-effect tiles are included in trend round-ups due to their classic, timeless style. However, this year, they will be especially popular due to the key trend of ‘home spa bathrooms’: rather than taking extravagant weekend breaks, people are looking to create an elegant and calming, zen-like spa experience in their own home. Natural stone epitomises the refined luxury of a high-calibre spa and pairs well with the popular preference for warm-neutral paint colours.
The stone-effect floor tiles in this elegant and welcoming room pair perfectly with the exposed natural stone of the wall beams, while offering all the strength and durability of porcelain stoneware. Sabbia Silk, 90x90 cm, part of the Nature collection from Casalgrande Padana.
From the dramatic veins of real marble, to the soft and sandy elegance of real stone found in remote Provençal homes, stone-effect stoneware tiles offer a great alternative to the real thing. Authentic stone is porous, open to staining and requires a high level of upkeep. In contrast, stone-effect porcelain stoneware requires minimal maintenance and no regular sealing. Casalgrande Padana’s Nature, Petra, Onci and Marmoker collections of porcelain stoneware offer a representational alternative to real stone.
Casalgrande Padana’s marble-effect Onice Perla covers the walls and floor of this decadent bathroom space. Wear and tread resistant, they have all the beauty of natural stone without being high maintenance.
Large-Format
According to Pinterest, as well as home spa bathrooms, younger generations are replacing baths with walk-in, door-less showers to utilise square footage. Therefore, we will see a huge demand for large-format tiles which create a spacious feel due to the width and height of the slabs and the lack of disruption from multiple grout lines. Large format tiles have the ability to create the same seamless visual continuity as a fully plastered wall, with the added benefit of durability and water resistance. This makes them an appealing option to use on both the walls and the floor in smaller rooms for a streamlined look that creates the illusion of more space.
Casalgrande Padana’s Creta from the Nature collection in a 90x90 cm slab creates a flawless stone-effect floor surface, while large-format 120x278 cm Metropolis Bianco tiles on the wall provide a seamless, water-repellent protective layer to this luxury, sunken-floor bathing space.
Italian tilemakers Casalgrande Padana offer an extensive range of large-format tiles that can be applied both inside and outside of the home. Many of their modern porcelain stoneware tile collections are available in sizes ranging from 90x90cm, 120x120 cm, 120x240 cm, 120x278 cm, and 160x320 cm (with a 6.5 mm or 12 mm thickness).
The large-format 90x90 cm Nature Lava tiles laid on the floor of this outbuilding creates a seamless flow through this rectangular room. The durable and hard-wearing Nature Lava will not scuff or scratch, while the darker shade conceals any dirt or mud brought in from outside.
Blending Inside & Out
Our desire to merge our indoor spaces with the outside has not waned. In fact, this trend has gone from strength to strength: we now plan and build our homes as cohesive, connected spaces between the indoors and the outside. Casalgrande Padana offers a range of porcelain stoneware tiles with a non-slip, ‘Grip’ finish for a continuous flow, inside to out. The same tile can be used indoors with a natural or polished finish.
Casalgrande Padana’s Le Ville tiles can be used both inside and outside of the home thanks to the option of 3 top finishes: natural, polished and Grip. Tiles for exterior use should be finished in the anti-slip Grip option.
Casalgrande Padana’s Nature collection of stone-effect porcelain stoneware tiles looks particularly appealing when carried through from an interior to an exterior. These 20mm thick tiles can be securely glued to screed, or they can be dry-laid directly on sand, gravel or grass for instant use.
Casalgrande Padana’s 20 mm Sabbia tiles from the Nature collection have been laid directly onto the grass and finished in the anti-slip Grip option. The same Sabbia tiles have been laid indoors in a 60 x 120 cm format and in a matt finish. The end result is a connected design where the outside feels like an extension of the indoor living space.
Dark Bathrooms
Previous opinion was that a bathroom should feel fresh, crisp and clean, so white and soft grey bathrooms often prevailed in popularity. In 2023, we have become a lot more confident, with many people rebelling against the norm to install dark, black and moody bathrooms previously only located in boutique hotels or high-end restaurants. The rule for a dark bathroom is that everything should be black - from the shower enclosure to the walls and the floor. The whole bathroom should be colour-washed in deep hues, so dark tiles should be used throughout the entire space. A mixture of tile sizes and formats adds an extra layer to a moody bathroom, so consider combining large-format, mosaic and brick-sized tiles together. Casalgrande Padana offers an extensive range of tile formats in various shades, so there are no restrictions or limits on the creative design of a modern, dark bathroom.
A mix of Casalgrande Padana Petra Grigia tiles have been used to create this dark bathroom. The floor features Petra Grigia in a 60x60 cm format; the walls are Petra Grigia 30x60 cm, while the wall that hosts the sink has Petra Grigia Mosaico 5x5 cm applied.
All images featured in this post are owned by Casalgrande Padana.