You can do lots of work on a project, but it all still looks a bit of a mess until you add those finishing touches.
Whether choosing the colour scheme, wallpaper pattern, or soft furnishings, a carefully curated design can make all of the difference between a stunningly beautiful home and a simple blank canvas.
Statement tiling can be a powerful way to make your home stand out from the crowd.
For many years tiles were simply a functional part of a kitchen or bathroom. A way to keep wet areas waterproofed so that you don't end up with damp or leaks. This meant that the tiles were very plain and straightforward. They were there to do a job, not necessarily as a design feature.
But, as trends changed throughout the generations, tiles were used as a showpiece for these rooms. Think of the tiles from Victorian manor houses with floral patterns or country cottages with fruit bowl motifs through to the retro prints of the '70s. Very different and all making a statement.
It's relatively simple to change the paint colour in a room. If you choose something a little bolder than you are comfortable with, it is easy to paint over it for a slightly more muted tone. Tiles are a more permanent fixture, so it is crucial to make the right choice when changing them.
Kitchens are often considered the heart of the home and are key rooms of interest for property searchers. If you can make a statement with the kitchen, you will undoubtedly improve your chances of selling your home for a great price.
When upgrading a bathroom, most try to emulate hotels, creating an oasis of calm and relaxation. Marble and metallic tiles will bounce light from your scented candles around the room and create a cosy ambient glow, perfect for soaking away in a luxurious bubble bath.
So what are the trends for the coming year in tiles? Perhaps you are thinking of renewing yours, and you could take some inspiration from here to make your home stand out.
Bold patterns: Whether geometric patterns on the tiles themselves or using tiles of different shapes to create a design. The uniform shape of each tile lends itself to being used in different ways to create interesting patterns and effects which can have a dramatic effect.
Terrazzo: When constructing the marble Terrazzo in Italy, the builders would bring home scraps of marble and press them into clay to make their own unique designs, giving this style its name. The modern, high-quality porcelain tiles available now will add a touch of Italian style to any bathroom. They also look fantastic when paired with brushed effect fittings.
Wallpaper effect tiles: Large images to cover an entire wall, made from tiles to create a mural. These tiles look like wallpaper but have the benefits of being hard-wearing and waterproof to create a fabulous statement wall in a luxurious bathroom.
Metallics: Corten steel, copper, brass, silver or gold. Metallic-effect tiles add an elegant yet rustic feel to a bathroom or kitchen. Some kitchen designers include hints of metallics around units and handles so the tiles would carry that theme throughout the room and can also be replicated through light fittings.
Botanicals: Beautiful floral displays spanning multiple tiles give a botanical garden feel. You can create a tremendous effect, from jungle-inspired greenery to delicate wildflowers. The best bit is there is no maintenance required - you definitely couldn't kill off these houseplants!
Going green: The interior colour of the year is green, of all shades and tones, and tiles have followed suit. Contrasting shades of green are being seen together in a single room, so the green used in the tiles would not match flooring or soft furnishings. This is a nod to the multiple shades of green found in nature and is echoed in interiors to replicate the outside, inside.
Tiles will start to take centre stage in homes over the next year. It looks like inspiration is being taken from nature using floral and leafy patterns and images and the tiles themselves are being used as features in the same way wallpaper has been used in recent years.
If you are planning to update your interior with some eye-catching tiles, let us know, we would love to see your designs.
