BATHROOMS & KITCHENS A SPLASH


an indicator for emerging trends. Here, Tile of Spain provides key insight from the show and a n influences set to be big in the coming year.


The matt finish of Harmony’s Niza series shows how clay can look contemporary


◄ CLAY AND EARTH www.harmonyinspire.com


Terracotta is back in fashion, so much so that the porcelain and ceramic stoneware manufacturers so prevalent in the Spanish tile sector are making their own contemporary versions of this rustic-looking product. Ranges available are either making a virtue of the warmth of the surface and offering monocolour tiles that are impressively saturated in colour – some brown or beige, others leaning towards orange – or providing a mash- up of designs. A number of brands, for example, are reinventing other styles of tile such as 3D or hydraulic formats by combining earthy and clay tones into glazes and patterns. Some of the latest designs are picking up on the revival of Seventies craft and fashion.


MONOCHROME MIX ►


Although colour is having its moment, any trend always has its counterpoint and monochrome décor is enjoying something of a comeback. Black and white surfaces always work well in bathrooms and kitchens and most importantly give a hygienic look that has a timeless appeal. Spanish producers are finding fresh ways to make white and black tiles interesting and, whilst there have always been advocates of the all-white scheme, the popularity of the all-black feature wall is rising – and is particularly effective in small cloakrooms. Most notable, however, is the proliferation of dramatic mixes of black and white tiles that utilise geometric patterns and draw on any number of popular art movements.


The subtle marble-effect by Gayafores shows the timeless appeal of black and white


www.gayafores.es


◄ PAINT SPLASHES www.lifeceramica.com


Formats that look as if they’ve been splashed with paint have been a talking point amongst visitors to this year’s tile exhibition. These eye-catching designs have allowed the producer to show off the news inks for porcelain which don’t lose their vibrancy when heated, but they’re also illustrative of how playful ceramic tile manufacture can be. Look out for streaked effects with glitter and smudged designs that give the look of being worn by time. All of this ingenuity shows ceramics can be customised to evoke almost any concept and are incredibly faithful in reproducing a picture whether with sharp photo-realism or with impressionistic painterly brushstrokes.


www.tileofspain.com


Unfinished brushstrokes decorating these tiles by Life Ceramica are an intriguing touch.


twitter.com/TomorrowsTS — 21 —


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