The Kitchen Designer

A couple of months ago I traveled to the Coverings show to see 2013 tile trends first hand. Coverings is an American showcase for all things tile. The design fair was held in Atlanta. I attended at the invitation of the Coverings show officials, a great opportunity.

While I have many, many images of tile from the trade show, some of which I will feature in the near future, I'd like to start my coverage (overdue!) with a few of the tile companies who are members of the Tile of Spain trade association. Here is a slideshow which features my images from the show floor!

Following are trends that I have identified at the show that are true for Tile of Spain as well as trends which were seen throughout the show.

As travel is on the rise, homeowners want to replicate a travel experience with tile textures and patterns that bring back their favorite place
Art Nouveau has surfaced as a trend many like due to its unique design elements, not quite traditional, not quite modern
Mid Century Modern continues to gain interest in the marketplace
Popular colors are mid range warm gray and neutrals (no surprise there!)
Warm tones - cream, beige, camel, brown and red are rising. Emerald and blue are important in North America this year.
Metallics with their warmth, patina, and age add personality
Vintage design helps homeowners connect with a meaningful period
Salvage such as brick, rustic wood and stone remains very popular
Inspiration from nature and accompanying natural textures seen in stone and wood, particularly with more pronounced texture and grain is increasing in popularity
Subculture motifs from graffiti, classic art forms, pop culture, industrial are a strong peripheral trend
Tiles are very thin and are produced in ever larger sizes

In addition to these trends, the refreshed traditional tiles such as Spanish and Moroccan looks continue their innovations, producing exciting new designs.

I have many more images which I will share with you in the days ahead!