I feel like I haven’t written in forever between my trip to KBIS with Modenus and Cevisama with Tile of Spain. I feel like I should be sipping on a glass of champagne or cava as I reminisce over my trips but that might prolong my efforts.
Cevisama is an amazing show. The vendors put exceptional effort into displaying their products. My three days at the show were packed with booth tours and press events and while it made my head spin at times, we hardly made a dent in the show.
So what did I see? I saw many of the same trends from previous years and it became clear that they aren’t going away. Instead, they are evolving at a rapidly increasing pace. This means consumers are likely to see a variety of ways in which these new styles will interplay with one another.
6 Significant Trends at Play
One of the more interesting things about the show was the cohesiveness of the booths. I saw so many trends and counter trends mixed together in the most creative ways and it all seemed to flow. Below are my top picks for trends that were in play.
Micro Textures – Macro Patterns
Once a look I thought I could only find on stone, micro textures on ceramics were showcased heavily at Cevisama. Art by Natucer and Carpet by Aparici
Antique Patina – Glitz
People always joke that designers are distracted by shiny objects but I completely fell in love with tiles that had antique and rustic patina glazes.
The shiny and mirror finishes of the Geo tile from Alea were impossible to photograph. Even this professional image doesn’t come close to capturing the luxurious beauty of this collection. Track by Keraben and Geom by Alea
Cross Medium – Realism
Tiles that look like a cross between two materials will be hot in 2016. Expect to see wood and concrete blends as well as cotto and concrete.
I couldn’t believe how much I learned about the advances in large format printing. One manufacturer has as many as 22 different images for 1 stone collection – which will yield a random look when installed. High gloss glazes have improved, too. Veining looks so real with the depth and translucency you’d expect from natural stone. Habana by Tau and Fanal
Micro Mosaics – Faux Waterjet
Using large format tile isn’t the only way to achieve a clean field. Using small mosaic tiles over a large field will also give the appearance of a single expanse of surface.
For many, using mosaic tiles, especially the pricey waterjet marble mosaics, over a large surface area just isn’t in the budget. Now, new large format tiles are printed to look like expensive stone mosaics. These tiles are ideal for so many projects because they are easier to install and maintain. Calm by Peronda Group, Dream floors by Ceracasa
Salvaged Materials – Precision Manufacturing
Tiles that looked like salvaged wood and stone were popular at Cevisama. Expect to see ceramics that look like honed and filled limestone make a comeback this year. Besides looking incredible, the velvety finishes on these wood-look ceramics were great to feel (and no splinters!)
3D tile manufacturing keeps getting better and better. I especially like the manufacturers showing metallic finishes on 3D tiles. Retro by Natucer Up! by Saloni
Hand Made – Mechanical Precision
I saw some gorgeous handmade tiles at the show but more interestingly, I saw printed tiles that looked hand painted tiles installed amongst clean, minimal fields. Manufacturers are also making large tiles that appear handmade such as subway tiles with deep bevels and wall tiles that look like cotto bricks. Antic by Cevica and Wall Brick by Keraben