Coverings, the premier trade show for the tile and stone industry for over 35 years, recently welcomed 25,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries, showcasing all the latest tile, stone and industry equipment trends at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. In addition to all the tile, stone and tools, there were informative presentations, educational opportunities and even a pet adoption exhibit where custom-designed dog houses clad in decorative tiles were raffled off to raise funds for the local animal shelter.
One of the show’s highlights was the Trends Report by award-winning interior designer and Coverings spokesperson Alena Capra, CMKBD, of Alena Capra Designs of South Florida. Capra identified the following top trends, which were easy to spot on the show floor:
- Colors of sand — evoking colors of nature in many sandy hues. This is a turn toward warmer finishes and away from the dominance of cool grays for over a decade.
- Discreet technology — the concept of incorporating technology to give materials a functionality (the ability to cook directly on a countertop Invisacook or charge a using cellphone FreePower) or an appearance that would lead one to believe that a porcelain slab is actually a backlit piece of quarried stone. With technology akin to three-dimensional printing but in a two-dimensional format, manufacturers are producing mind-blowing, realistic porcelain slab surfaces that look like exotic quarried stone and have the coveted characteristic of being backlit, with no lights or power required.
- Holistic experience — biophilic looks of wood, stone and botanicals bring the outside into an interior space.
- Lines, lines, lines — be they texture in the tile surface reminiscent of fluting (also popular in cabinetry), extruded concrete or mimicking natural travertine stone striations, lines give our hands and eyes something to grasp.
- Mineral drenching — a popular trend is to use a single tile or stone material not just on the floor or the walls but on both and even on cabinetry or ceiling. This look works best with a tile or stone that is not monochromatic and has a level of variation or gradation.