Kim Cook
The Curious Room<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tile may be rooted in ancient craft, but designers today are pushing the medium in some surprising \u2014 and often delightful \u2014 directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From Milan to Mexico City, Brooklyn to Barcelona, both indie studios and major manufacturers are experimenting with bold textures, new shapes and playful patterning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For centuries, tile mostly played the quiet supporting role in architecture \u2014 a practical backdrop for kitchens, baths and floors. Lately, though, it\u2019s stepping forward a bit. Whether it\u2019s a small-batch studio turning out painterly handmade pieces or a big manufacturer scaling up graphic murals, tile is increasingly becoming one of the most expressive surfaces in contemporary design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pattern play<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At this year\u2019s Cersaie<\/a> tile fair in Bologna<\/strong>, creativity and color were everywhere, with designers treating tile less like background and more like an art form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elle D\u00e9cor market director Benjamin Reynaert<\/a> said the halls were full of herringbones, knits and woven effects. \u201cThe textile-inspired designs stole the spotlight, transforming hard surfaces into something that felt soft, tailored and fashion-forward,\u201d he said. \u201cPattern wasn\u2019t just a detail this year \u2014 it was the headlining act.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n New Ravenna\u2019s<\/a> Tiss\u00e9<\/strong> collection features mosaic patterns inspired by woven materials like wicker, jute and rattan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two others \u2014 Cardigan and Cable Knit \u2014 look uncannily like oversized sweaters \u2013 the kind that almost make you want to curl up with a book nearby. Tiles with tweed or twill motifs add a tailored, almost sartorial feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The British design house Morris & Co<\/a>.<\/strong> has also been dipping into its archive, translating some of William Morris\u2019 iconic wallpaper patterns into ceramic wall and floor tile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And those beloved heritage patterns \u2014 French country, Spanish, Moroccan and Victorian \u2014 are still going strong. Cement tiles and colorful glazed versions continue to pop up in entryways, backsplashes and sunrooms, adding old-world charm with a graphic punch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tiles that pop<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Texture is another direction designers are exploring. Three-dimensional tiles can introduce sculptural or architectural interest even in a small space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Italian maker Marca Corona<\/a><\/strong> recently unveiled chunky breeze-block tiles that could form a striking partition or feature wall, casting graphic shadows as light moves through the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Cersaie, designer Patricia Urquiola\u2019s<\/strong> booth for Cemento<\/a> \u2014 featuring her new Boton and Riva tiles \u2014 won an award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boton tiles resemble glossy, oversized candies. Riva, by contrast, has a muscular, Brutalist vibe. At the show, the tiles were used not just on walls but to form credenzas, stools, cabinets and trays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Designer Melanie Roy<\/strong> recently used Artistic Tile\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> orchid-shaped 3D Thassos tiles in a bathroom at the Kips Bay Showhouse in New York, creating a surface that felt tactile, ornamental and quietly dramatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond full 3D forms, designers are also playing with refined shapes \u2014 diamonds, fish scales and fluted tiles \u2014 that add a touch of Art Deco flair to backsplashes and bath walls, especially when paired with interesting colors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The revival of \u201960s and \u201970s d\u00e9cor is also making its way into ceramics. Zia Tile,<\/a><\/strong> for instance, has a Palm Springs-inspired collection with names like \u201cBossa Nova\u201d and \u201cHighball,\u201d featuring terrazzo swoops and playful circles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Art, atmosphere and animalia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some tiles are leaning even further into artistic territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Glazes that capture the swoosh of a brushstroke or the pooling of wet paint are showing up in stylish bars and restaurants, as well as contemporary homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Japanese design studio Nendo<\/a><\/strong> drew inspiration from wind movement for a recent tile design. And companies like Zazzle<\/a><\/strong> even offer tiles printed with photographic imagery of waves or sun-dappled water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Yucca Valley, California, designers Andrea Keller and Mikayla Mitchell of Star Tile<\/a><\/strong> create handmade pieces inspired by fractured rock, crystalline formations and eroded landscapes, finished with earthy glazes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then there\u2019s illustrated tile \u2014 always a conversation starter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a collaboration with the Dutch design studio Moooi<\/strong>, Italy\u2019s ABK Ceramics<\/a><\/strong> created a collection called Nesting Room<\/em>, featuring owls, rheas and doves. The birds were chosen for their calm demeanor, meant to help create restorative spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n