By Alena Capra
When it comes to selecting hard surfaces for residential, hospitality, or commercial projects, the longevity of the selections, when it comes to current trends, is a big part of the equation. For quite some time in the past few years, the industry had seen many cooler neutrals for surfaces and cladding of walls and floors—in primarily gray and white tones. Flash forward to current times, and now there is a shift—to some warmer neutrals being favored, and even the cooler gray tones with a hint of “greige” or taupe undertones.
From porcelain tile to natural stone, and engineered quartz surfaces, there is this great mix of many new warm options, as well as a few key colors that are finding their way into the top choices for more hard surfaces.
Green: Top current color trend
Green has been one of the main colors in all facets of design materials for the last year or so. Not just for surfacing and cladding, but also for coordinating textiles, wall coverings, furnishings, and accessories. From deeper emerald to sage, and jade to mint green—it is clear this color has emerged as a top choice. There is a theory that perhaps, the influence of biophilic design propelled green to the forefront. Prior to current times, designers had only seen green widely used in textiles. It has been many years since it was specified it in hard surfaces until now.
When it comes to natural stone, there is a multitude of green marble and quartzite options available in the market. Some with striking veining, others more subtle and calm. As an interior designer, the author has been specifying many of these stones. From their experience, green, much like blue, is a surfacing color with staying power, as it represents colors from the earth (water and greenery).
Even in engineered quartz slabs, some beautiful soft and dark green options for countertops have been introduced. For tile, it is the same as well. In the past, most of the green tile options were in the form of glass tile, mosaic, or a specific marble. However, now, they are in everything from porcelain panels and slabs to smaller brick tile, larger format, and beyond.
Emerging color trends
Beyond green, there are several others making a great impact in surfacing trends. In natural stone, there has been an emergence of deep merlot-toned stone, as well as rust and soft corals, and even violet and deeper aubergine slabs. Whether the color is hinted at in the veining, or the body of the slab, these tones are truly making a statement. It is an exciting time for bolder colors in surfacing options as there are so many great hues to choose from. In porcelain tile, some of these colors are also being used in solids, patterns, and stone looks.
Neutrals warm up
Warm neutrals are by far the biggest trend with the most longevity. Designers and architects are seeing a huge return to ivory travertine—in its natural form, and even in porcelain tile. Vein cut travertine tends to be popular, not only in the ivory, but also the silver travertine— which brings in that warm gray tonality and mixes it with the ivory and beige. Taj Mahal quartzite is another warm beige stone that is being widely specified. It is perhaps one of the most popular stones in design/build since it is universally beloved. Cristallo quartzite, with its soft white tonality and warmer golden subtle veining, also has mass appeal due to its neutral tonality and durability, as well as its ability to be backlit.
There are many porcelain tiles in soft beige tones, from warm concrete and plaster looks, to those mimicking natural stone such as travertine and beyond. These are being specified for both indoors, and even outdoors in porcelain pavers.
Dark and moody tones
On the flip side of the warm, light-toned surfacing options, darker stone looks have been another big trend. Black, dark brown, and even bronze tones are also heavily specified in natural stone. Mixing these dark tones, with warmer neutrals has been a winning combination. In engineered stone and porcelain tile, dark options are widely used, and there are many options to choose from.
What is next?
With a lot of exciting trending colors, and some beautiful neutral options in hard surfacing materials, one can only wonder what colors will emerge next. When it comes to bolder hues, green will continue to be a top choice, followed by perhaps the merlot and warm coral/rust-toned options; as well as warm beige, ivory, soft taupes, and greige as well. Each year brings exciting new colors and trends in all facets of design. When it comes to surfacing and cladding materials, this for sure has been such a colorful era.
Author
Alena Capra is the owner and principal of Alena Capra Designs, an award-winning, residential interior design firm based in Fort Lauderdale. With more than two decades of residential design experience, she also is a Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer (CMKBD). Capra is a graduate of the University of Miami, as well as the Metropolitan Institute of Design. With a passion for design education and keeping up to date on the latest industry trends, she shares her design expertise as the host of SoFlo Home Project, a weekly home design television show on (WPLG) Local 10, and authors a monthly design column for Aventura Magazine. She is the spokesperson for Armina Stone (Miami location), serves as the industry ambassador for Coverings, and is a brand ambassador for Robern.
Key Takeaways
The selection of hard surfaces is shifting from cooler neutrals to warmer tones, with green emerging as a top design trend influenced by biophilic design. Designers are incorporating a range of green options in materials such has porcelain and natural stone. Bold colors such as merlot and rust are also gaining popularity, while warm neutrals like ivory travertine, Cristallo, and Taj Mahal quartzite remain favored. Darker tones are increasingly mixed with these warm shades. As trends evolve, green and warm neutrals are expected to continue leading in surfacing materials.
