Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JUNE 2018 20 TILE OF SPAIN PRESENTS 2018 TREND REPORT FOR CERAMIC TILE Tile of Spain, the association of over 100 Spanish tile manufacturers, is forecasting macro trends for 2018 which include: monochromatic colors, planks for wood & beyond, well- loved vintage looks, non rectified edges, encaustic mashups, gauged porcelain (large format thin tile) and thick pavers in porcelain. When looking at the coming year's innovations as a whole, there is a reverence for clean, honest materials. Collections are being designed with broad expanses of installations in mind. Tile is not just an accent, it's literally everywhere indoors and out. The intentional hyper-distressed look of neglect is beginning to give way to a more refined and stately vintage look with a well-loved and maintained feel. 2018's ceramics are all about the balance we are all struggling so hard to find in our daily 21st century lives. • MONOCHROMATIC Grey, White, Black remain the top 3 colors in that order for both floor and walls with Greige (gray-beige) following as a close 4th depending on the collection's design inspiration. The only departure from this is in the wood planks collections - where classic wood tones still reign supreme. The complimentary colors of choice have shifted from the oceanic blues, teals and turquoise that were solidly in place for the past 2 years. Accent tones of choice for 2018 are denim blues (ranging from steely grey-blue to deep and saturated over-dyed indigos) and deep wine bottle or British racing greens. • FAVORING PLANKS Almost without exception, manufacturers are reporting their top sellers to be planks. This seems to be a truism in most global marketplaces but certainly is the case in North America where design and architecture features so much of the native timber. The interesting thing is that stone, metal and even cotto are finding great success in the planks formats. North America tends to favor planks in the 8x36" size with upscale markets favoring the longer 48" planks. In contrast, small formats continue to be a strong choice for wall tile, aided by the ongoing popularity of subway tile. The winning sizes being 8x8" (no surprise given the strength of traditional encaustic tiles), 6x12" and 4x30". • RECTIFIED EDGES DRIVEN BY COST In recent years, North America has been trending away from rectified edges in all looks, with the exception being traditional marble and flowing textured wall tiles in the 12x36" or upwards sizes. The luxury market, on the other hand, tends to prefer the seamless look a rectified edge provides and don't mind the premium installation costs. Installation costs seem to be the key component to the shift towards a traditional calibrated (non-rectified) tile. This has also opened the door for the rusticated edge look that was so strong in the 90's to make a come back. I N D U S T R Y [ N E W S ] Vives Doney (floor) and Vives Mosaico Necci Blanco (wall) Natucer Vintage

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