What are the most popular trends and tiles predicted for 2024
By Clay Imports
It’s a new year! 2024 is here and we are excited for everything this year will bring in design and tile projects. Like every year, we are going to take a moment to discuss what we believe will be the most popular interior design trends for 2024 and the products that will be making an impact, with the insight of our experts.
Timeless look with New Neutrals
One of the most important trends we’ll be seeing this year is the pursuit of a timeless look. More and more people are looking for a combination of style and endurance and they are trying to reflect this in their interiors. Leah Brant, our Clay Imports expert in customer experience, describes this interior style perfectly: Brass fixtures, the use of concrete walls or floors, minimalist furniture to keep the tile standing out while also harmonizing the space. Aiming for a timeless style is the best way to enhance your tile work and keep the functionality of your spaces.
Breeze Block Petalo | Design by Colossus MFG
The interesting thing about this year’s trends is that we expect to see a departure from hard shapes and contrasting neutrals such as white and black, in favor of an enthusiasm for nature-inspired tile styles with an emphasis on textured tiles and organic colors. This is something that our product developer Devon Smith likes to call “New Neutrals”: tiles in warm deep brown tones, rich burgundies, pale peaches and orange terracottas with high color variation that are becoming a new neutral color pallet for interior design that would have seemed pretty out of the box a a few years ago.
Ribbed Terracotta Matte 8.5" x 11.5"
Designing a Homemade Style
For our head of growth and sales, Anna Lood: in the last few years, people are becoming more drawn to warmth and "lived in" spaces that feel welcoming, rather than clean or some may say "sterile". This is going to reach a peak of interest in this year’s trends focusing on handmade products and looks, like the ones our content manager Dan Martínez highlights: original pattern tiles will be trendy too, so I hope we can see more Relief Series or unconventional pattern tiles being used.
Relief Fresh Alma Dandelion 6" x 6" | Design Daniel Gutierrez | Photo by Max Maloney
Now you might be asking “How can I achieve this lived-in, warm neutral and handcrafted look?" First, handmade tiles. Handmade tiles are becoming more and more popular and they can add the final touch you were looking for. Fortunately, we have an extensive selection of tiles and homegoods that are handmade. Please consider that handmade tiles exhibit natural variations, which are inherent traits of natural materials like Terracotta. These variations in color, texture and sheen are not defects but rather a natural part of the product. We highly recommend ordering samples before making a final purchase to confirm and appreciate these natural variations in each tile.
Next, organic geometric designs: two words that don't quite fit together but hear us out, geometric has taken a back seat to more whimsical and organic designs and we're seeing a combination of natural symmetries and organic shapes.
We can see this being true on two fronts: the use of natural materials on indoor designs and the rise of different tile layouts. While we were talking with our team, the word eclectic came up a lot and they agreed that the best way to accomplish this look is with natural terracotta tiles. Our organic terracotta tiles check all the boxes for the next year’s trends; they are completely handmade, they come in heavy orange and earthy shades and they are flexible design-wise so they can be used for an organic desert modern indoor aesthetic or a Mid Century Modern Inspired aesthetic, and even the modern California outdoor style.
I anticipate seeing a wide range of creative and unconventional uses of terracotta in various spaces, showcasing unique design styles - Anna
The typical tile layouts, such as half offset or running bond on the other hand, will see less use in favor of more modern stacked layouts or intricate distributions, such as herringbone patterns or by combining different shapes and sizes together, for example rectangular and square shapes as Leah says. This could sound complicated, especially if you are working on your own, but we have a tile layout guide available so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Barro 2.75” x 8” | Design by Bonnet Ventures | Photo by Will Strawser
Glazed Smooth Bubble Gum 2" X 6" | Design by Be Unica Interiors | Photo by Jane Ko
The Colors of the Year
As we mentioned before, the colors we will be seeing this year will lean into more earthy tones and the shades that are warm and natural. This prediction is in harmony with Pantone color of the year for 2024; Peach fuzz, a light- toned sweet terracotta peach hue that consolidates the idea that warm, earthy tones are going to be used by designers in the next twelve months.
Horizon Glazed Pale Terracotta 2" x 6" | Design by Leah Ashley | Photo by Madeline Harper
This means that interior designers will be trying to blend these colors with similar shades; our team's favorite corresponding Sherwin William paint shades are Summer White (SW 7557), French Roast (SW 6069) and Baked Clay (SW 6340). But fortune favors the bold and Leah anticipates that we will be seeing more vibrant color choices to complement these new neutrals: I would like to see the return of color through hand crafted tiles next year! While I love the minimalistic and clean look, it's impressive to make bold tiles stand out and work in a space!
Lighting is the key to seeing the true colors. That’s why I think pendant lights are gonna be pretty popular too - Dan
Tile trending in 2024
So, which tiles are going to take the spotlight this year? Dan confirms that textural glazed tiles had a lot of engagement in our social media, so he sees glazed tiles making a splash this year. His favorites also include relief tiles like Pio Pio and Palmas.
Leah also chooses glazed tiles like Meadow, but she and Anna both highlight the use of three dimensional tiles, like Oval and Knotch. Knotch is a 3-dimensional natural terracotta tile suitable for indoor and outdoor use that brings new dimension to the classic terracotta offerings. Meanwhile, oval is a tile that features an oval-shaped intention that adds depth and character to any installation. Both tiles are the perfect choice if you want to transform any space into a modern, timeless design.
Knotch Antique Satin 10" x 14"
Meanwhile, Devon highlights two collections that sway into this wave of sustainability and lightness. Desert fields is a collection of tiles that not only use all the characteristics we mention but also feature non conventional tiles sizes, so the layouts will also be interesting. She mentions Yucca ( I love the 4” x 5” size!) but pretty much any tile in Desert fields will be a fantastic choice for your handmade, natural vibe.
Yucca 4” x 5” | Mirage 4” x 5”
Finally, she and all the team agrees that any tile in our recycled clay collection is going to be the perfect choice for interior designers in 2024. As we saw, this year’s theme is about timeless, durable, sustainable and affordable design choices in order to combine modern trends with responsibly-sourced views. Recycled clay is a collection that, as the name suggests, is made with recycled clay from other clay tiles and combines the sustainability goals that more and more people are aiming for and the looks that leave a remarkable impression.
Recycled clay is not the only effort we pull in order to achieve sustainability in our process and products. Clay Care products are maintenance items that have been carefully tested with our products, and they are designed to preserve your tiles' beauty, ensuring their longevity and durability. From sealers to cleaners, purchasing these maintenance items together with your tiles not only simplifies your order but also prepares you to enjoy your tiles for a long time.
Conclusion
2024 is going to be an amazing year in terms of interior design: from non conventional tiles and layouts to more welcoming and earthy color tones, we are sure the results we will be expecting from our collaborators (and you!) will be astonishing. Here at Clay Imports are working tirelessly on new products that follow what this year’s trends will bring and we can’t wait to show you the results. And remember, if you have any questions or require more information, don't hesitate to reach out to us at contact@clayimports.com.