Have you been looking for wall tile ideas? Have you been searching Pinterest, Houzz or Google images for creative ideas? While your searches may turn up the old, classic tile types you’re familiar with, the newest trends in wall tiles for 2020 are so new that you’re not even seeing them online yet. BUT - you can see them here at Village Carpet Shop right here in Mountain Home, Arkansas!
Texture, texture and even more texture. What we can tell you is that texture is all the rage right now, offering eye-popping visuals and a unique look. Most of these products didn’t even exist just last year. Let’s take a look at where people are using wall tiles, what’s trending in wall tile types for this next year.
So where exactly do you use wall tile? Everywhere from bathrooms and kitchen backsplash, to upscale tiled showers, fireplaces and accent walls. You name it! Basically, you can use wall tiles wherever your heart desires. Most people use it as a way to accent a wall since it can look a little too busy if overused around your house.
It seems like we are in the renaissance for wall tile. Just a few short years ago, the wall tile options were fairly limited compared to what is available nowadays. Think about how when you were a kid and you would go down the grocery store aisles and see three or four different kinds of mayonnaise. Now you walk down that aisle and there are 50-100 different kinds of mayonnaise with all sorts of fun flavors – olive oil versions, canola oil versions, etc. It’s a regular Mayo-palooza now. That is basically what is happening with wall tile.
Subway tiles were created in the early 1900s for subway stations. Today they’re used as a home wall design, available in a variety of rectangular sizes and colors - and almost always installed horizontally. A few recent trends for subway tiles include laying them in a herringbone pattern and alternating sizes or colors.
Glass tile was born somewhere back in the BC era where early Artisans used it for wall murals for the wealthy. In-home design, glass tile has grown in popularity recently due to advances in technology that have led to the invention of mosaic glass tile. Mosaic tile comes pre-assembled on sheets and can be easily cut to fit and installed by your average DIY warrior or tile installer. Of course if you want to guarantee it is installed right, we highly recommend using the professional install team at Village Carpet Shop!
Ceramic and porcelain were originally used as materials for pottery; however, at some point in time, wealthy Europeans started using them as building materials. Porcelain tile in particular was created to offer a more durable and less porous solution than ceramic tile. Since porcelain is less porous than ceramic, it is ideal for use in wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchen backsplashes.
Porcelain and ceramic are the same materials that are typically used for making floor tiles. At some point in time someone must have had the idea to try using them as wall tiles too. It is impossible to know the exact origin of that idea, but I imagine it was while someone was in the shower. You know how sometimes your best ideas often come to you in the shower? Someone in the bath or shower at some point realized that the tiles on the floor would be great to put on the walls too so that the walls would not get damaged by the water. Today, ceramic and porcelain wall tiles are available in endless shapes, colors and sizes.
Metallic-look tiles are another recent trend. Village Carpet Shop started to see these gain a foothold in the industry around 2005-2010. And while they never really took off and became hugely successful, they are still popular today in contemporary and modern spaces, and will continue to trend in 2020.
One of the hottest new trends in wall tile that you will see dominating the covers of designer magazines are patterned wall tiles. These decorative wall tiles come in many styles including retro, vintage, farmhouse chic, Moroccan wall tiles and more. Adding these to a room can take your decor from drab to fab in a hurry. These tiles are often made of ceramic, and are available in perfectly uniform machine-made designs - or can come in individually artistic hand-painted tiles.
Marble and natural stone tile is the classic look you will find most often used as shower wall tile. When combined with accent tiles, you can create eye-popping and luxurious-looking showers and bathroom spaces. Marble tile has been around since ancient times and is a classic look that will probably never go out of style. If you are looking for a wall tile trend that will add resale value to your home no matter when you decide to sell, this is probably your safest bet. Our general recommendation would be to stick with timeless colors such as grays and beiges.
Marble can also be used as a 4-inch backsplash that matches your countertops. This is a classic look that many countertop fabricators will offer you. Recent innovations in manufacturing have yielded many faux-look marble tile options. These tiles are typically ceramic or porcelain that has a natural stone appearance. Some other natural stone looks include travertine, onyx, granite, quartzite, limestone and more. There are also many name brand stone-look wall tile options including Ceaserstone, Geoluxe and Neolith.
Wood wall tiles are super popular these days and are most often used as an accent wall. The look can be achieved with porcelain wood-look wall tiles or with actual pieces of wood. Many times when real wood is used, the wood is reclaimed and recycled into smaller pieces that can also create a textured wall appearance. Depending on the species or varieties of woods used, wood wall tiles can work well with just about any decor including contemporary, traditional, minimalist, rustic, farmhouse and more.
Textured wall tile has also been around for years. You can probably remember classic wall designs such as stacked stone wall tile, brick and slate panel wall tile. These natural looks feature rectangular pieces of stone, brick or slate stacked on top of each other to create a textured wall tile appearance.
Recently there has been an explosion of innovation in the wall textured wall tile market with numerous 3-D man-made designs that are perfect for modern or contemporary spaces.
Another new and beautiful textured wall tile idea are glazed tiles that look timeless and classical. These products are perfect to add an upscale look as a kitchen or bathroom backsplash or as an accent wall.
Texture is no stranger to tile. BUT, what hasn’t been around all that long is textured wall tiles that appear manmade, geometrical, and/or with cool new stylish patterns that make you feel like they are straight out of Vogue magazine. These aren’t your average contemporary or modern design influences. These are works of art with visuals you might see on your latest Prada or Gucci purses or at the newest chic design studio. The patterns are lavish, luxurious and bold but also appear like they could have some staying power.
So should you consider adding some textured wall tiles? Here are some pros and cons:
Eye-catching – Let’s be honest, what is more likely to stop you in your tracks?
Unique – Using textured wall tile can help you separate the look and feel of your space from the masses. This is especially useful in commercial spaces such as restaurants and hotels.
Looks amazing up or down lit – The textured surface combined with a properly placed wall washing light creates dramatic shadow effects on your wall that are guaranteed to Wow.
Harder to clean – Adding texture to a wall adds ledges for dust and dirt to collect.
Could be a fad – Remember glass block in the 90s? There is always the chance textured wall tile could go out of style in a similar fashion.
Can be difficult or expensive to install – Installing wall tile in general can be a tough task for the average DIY-er. Installing some of the more complicated textured products is often even more difficult if you are looking for perfection. We would recommend using our professional installers if you want to ensure the job gets done right.
Whether it’s matte or honed finishes, shiny or glossy, Village Carpet Shop has these and other choices for you to look at in our newly-renovated and expanded showroom. We have been the “go-to” shop for years in Baxter County. If you’re a current customer, or if you’ve never darkened our doors, come see what the buzz is all about. We will definitely give you something to TILE about! (or carpet about, luxury vinyl about, hardwood floor about…)
Village Carpet Shop, located at 617 Highway 5 North, Mountain Home, Arkansas. (800) 951-6919 or (870) 425-6919.
