Tilecast - Trend Reports - who needs them?

[00:00:01] Speaker A: Tilecast news, features and analysis brought to you by Diary of a Tile Addict. Hello and welcome to Tilecast, your regular roundup of tile stuff from around the world. This week we're going to do something a bit different and look at a subject that's very close to Tilecast's heart. Tile trend reports. Now, why do we need them? Who's creating them? Are they important? In the studio this morning we have Joe Simpson, the founder of Die Over Tile Edit, and we're going to look at the role of these reports in today's tile market, a topic that has great currency following the recent Chair Sci exhibition in Bologna, Italy. So, hi, Joe. [00:00:52] Speaker B: Hello, everybody. [00:00:53] Speaker A: Can we just start by clarifying what we mean by tile trend reports? It all sounds terribly officious. [00:00:59] Speaker B: Yeah, no, it's a good question. You can open any interior professional design magazine or Google tile trends online and you'll find that expert and informed comment on ceramic tile design trends is largely drowned out by commercial feeds from tile retailers who obviously pay handsomely to appear at the top of web searches or by general discussions about interior fashion that really don't play to the specific strengths and subtleties of ceramic tile design. [00:01:29] Speaker A: Okay, so in this podcast, we're going to talk about industry specific reports written by tile experts for the industry. [00:01:36] Speaker B: Yes, that's right. And in my opinion, there are really only very few experts capable of putting into actionable words the fruits of the tile industry's incredible design teams. I'm talking about people like Ryan Fazan, who works for assa, the Spanish trade association, or Christina F, who works for Confid Industria Ceramica, the Italian tile trade association. And there are a small selection of marketeers from specific distributors, retailers, and a few trade associators, largely in the United States, who do a good job. But there aren't very many of us out there. [00:02:11] Speaker A: And what do you think these experts bring to the table? [00:02:14] Speaker B: Well, I think you have to understand the production process and what came before in order to spot what's hot. If you go to a show like Chei Tsai, where there may be anything between 20 and 30,000 new ranges on display in any year. It always used to amaze me when I sat down with one or two of these experts. After a show like Chersai, we had a little game we'd play. We'd Write down our 10 favorite tile designs on a piece of paper and then we'd all turn them over and reveal to each other. And I found it absolutely staggering that often six or seven of the same designs would feature on each of our lists. So we're basically, you're talking, you know, less than 10 out of 30,000 new tiles at the show we had all spotted and identified as being the things that were most significant, interesting, unusual, whatever it may be. And the reason this happened is because these people, like me, spend their entire working lives looking at what tiles are coming onto the marketplace, analyzing how they're going to be sold, how they're going to be used, and then identifying the minute points of difference that make one tile stand out from another in a very crowded marketplace. [00:03:27] Speaker A: So do you look at other areas of interior design and architecture when creating your top tile design themes? [00:03:34] Speaker B: Yes, I do. I'm a particular fan of color predictions from paint manufacturers like Dulux, Sherwin Williams and others, and also from the colour institutes like Pantone. They do a whole heap of research into all sorts of things. And I'm not just talking about construction here, but also things like fashion, film, global events like the World Cup. And they try and put all this together to analyze what's going to happen in the years and months ahead. But I do believe that the tile industry is unique. It's influenced by outside design forces, but it's also driven by production technology. And that's why tile design advances in leaps and bounds following the widespread adoption of digital printing technology, because this allowed photographic imagery to be translated onto tiles so you could make perfect facsimiles of natural materials like cement, marble or wood. And this was so much easier than it was before, but it also opened up the possibility of new surface creations that were simply unthinkable 10 or 20 years ago. [00:04:40] Speaker A: Right now, I gather the Italian Trade association has published its Post Chair Sci Trend Report, which is written by Christina Fendi. Is this still a useful tool for. [00:04:50] Speaker B: Tile retailers, distributors, specifiers, with some caveats? Yes, I think it's very useful, although I think Christine has identified certain trends that would question. But overall, it's a great roundup. And one of the reasons I like it is because she really is a time serve expert. She's been at this game almost as long as I have and she has incredible access to not only the Italian manufacturers, but the trade shows and the association's huge photographic library and research papers and all the statistical stuff that really the rest of us have to beg, borrow and steal. So, you know, she's very well placed to know what's happening. [00:05:33] Speaker A: And do you think Chairside is the benchmark show in the ceramic tile sector? [00:05:38] Speaker B: Yeah, I do. I think it still holds that place. You can Make a case for coverings in America. And I know that other American shows, particularly surfaces, have their fans, but Chairside is the place to go because the Italian industry, while it's obviously lost out to China, India, and now it turns out, six other countries in terms of volume sales over the last 25 years, when it comes to design and cutting edge manufacturing techniques, Italy and I have to say Spain still lead the way. And Bologna is the primary showcase where most of the top European producers, with a few exceptions, go to show their best wares. [00:06:18] Speaker A: Okay, so let's look at the trends Cristina identified at jfsi. Let's start with perfection. [00:06:24] Speaker B: Okay, yeah, perfection. That's a good starting point. What Christina is referring to here is the way that marble effects in particular have reached a new peak in terms of technical performance and aesthetic appeal. I think the key word, probably, and it is a word that keeps recurring in the tile industry at the moment, is authenticity. In short, using remarkable graphic definition, true to life material details, embossing in register, depth of color, etc. Etc. To create astonishingly realistic designs. [00:06:57] Speaker A: But that's nothing new, is it? [00:06:59] Speaker B: No, it's not anything new. And that's why you really do need an expert to identify and explain the best examples and guide you through it. Because you go to Cherside and you'll see any number of white and black marble designs and you really have to attend each year and visit all the major stands to recognize those tiny little improvements that are making all the difference these days. [00:07:23] Speaker A: And is that important? [00:07:25] Speaker B: I think so. Because in this crowded marketplace, every retailer needs to convince their clients to buy their tiles and they need a truly compelling narrative to justify this choice. And also, if you're selling to architects and interior designers, you've got to give them a USP that they can flag up to their clients. As I see it, it's the difference between saying this is a Carrara marble effect tile and saying something like, this exquisite tile is based on a carefully selected slab of marble quarried from the Epipurren Alps. It was carved using sinking inks to define the veins. It's got through buddy coloration so you can allow seamless edge detailing. The latest digital decoration techniques provide perfect book matching. The surf has been enhanced by subtle old gold detailing. If you put all that together, then frankly, price becomes less of an issue. People aspire to have that finish and they get what's special about it, which they maybe wouldn't get just by a glance or a picture on the website. [00:08:33] Speaker A: And did Christina say anything else about natural Stone. [00:08:37] Speaker B: Yes, she did. I mean, it was a big topic this year for reasons we'll explain later. But she showed how saturated veins, crystalline structures, subtle transparency, radiant reflections, harmonious tonal contrast are all being meticulously combined in stone effect ceramic tiles and slabs, which are all those providing great ammunition for those of us who are promoting tiles as the supreme solid surface. [00:09:07] Speaker A: Okay, let's move on to her next trend, Fluid as water. They're all quite lyrical kind of phrases, aren't they? These also cover some illegal ground, this one, doesn't it? [00:09:18] Speaker B: It does, I think. And this is where I'm getting onto the point I was making last time. Basically the poor state of the world economy and it's affecting most of the tile producers, major markets, so, you know, the states, Germany, France, the uk etcetera, Etc, etcetera. And I think that's kind of persuaded the big tile manufacturers to play quite safe this year. And tiles have always been closely associated with water. And this year certain of the new designs really referenced the sea with fluid, wavelike forms which were animated in 3D reliefs, traditional brush strokes, reactive glazes, all the kind of things that get over this idea of the sort of the movement, the coloration, the tonality of the sea. And of course, blue tones, from soft pastels to ethereal hues remain very popular. [00:10:13] Speaker A: I thought her handmade versus high tech trend was also quite an illuminating one. [00:10:19] Speaker B: I agree. There was a lot at the show that blended traditional craftsmanship with cutting edge technology. More and more manufacturers are rediscovering the allure of authentic handmade artistry through high tech industrial craftsmanship. Traditional designs are being reimagined in a contemporary context, preserving their roots but adding in modern touches. And I guess this reflects an industry that only engaged in true mass manufacturing in the 1980s and is now starting to look forward by looking back at this initial peak, referencing itself if you want. [00:10:55] Speaker A: And is this affecting other design choices? [00:10:58] Speaker B: Yes, we are. We're seeing more and more finishes that are natural, matte, soft and inviting to both sight and touch. Tactile surfaces are huge. And then we're seeing these enriched with chiaroscuro effects, pastel shades, warm earthy tones and natural colors. And we're also seeing tile surfaces that draw inspiration from materials like corrugated paper, torn fabric, other textiles that bridge the gap between modern industry and age old tradition that you've always found in ceramics. [00:11:34] Speaker A: And reinforcing that authenticity yet again, which has been, you know, it's in many design sectors at the moment, isn't it? [00:11:40] Speaker B: Yeah. And there's nothing more authentic than a really good copy. Basically the tone, which might seem a bit of an oxymoron, but that's. Yeah, it's where they're at at the moment. [00:11:50] Speaker A: Now, in one of our previous podcasts, you mentioned Japandi as one of the emerging themes of this year. I think that's your own phrase, isn't it? [00:11:59] Speaker B: I don't think I can claim that, but it's certainly one I will be using, I think, more frequently as we go forward, because I do detect the growing influence of Japandi style. And here I'm talking about a fusion of Scandinavian minimalism and Japanese elegance. And I think this chimes really well right now because it embodies harmony and tranquility, the kind of things you always see in sort of Zen philosophy. [00:12:25] Speaker A: We all need a bit of that right now. [00:12:27] Speaker B: Absolutely. And it's reflected in tiles that draw inspiration from handcrafted wooden textures, organic surfaces echoing the curves and terracotta tiles. It if you go and see the few Japanese manufacturers at Chairside, they are like exquisite in their little details. Everything is so well thought through, so precise, so mindful. I really like them. But you're now seeing some of the big European manufacturers adopting this look as well. [00:13:00] Speaker A: So anything else to look out for 2025? [00:13:05] Speaker B: Well, any of Tao Ladic's readers will know I'm a big fan of Brazilian kagobos, which for those of you who don't know or haven't read about them, are the perforated ceramic screens that allow free passage of air and light both inside and out. I mean, they're really probably more bricks than tiles or they're somewhere between the two. And they were very rare in Europe up until a few years ago. But this year's Cheerside featured quite a few of these three dimensional screens, and they're perfect for creating a harmonious flow between indoors and out, which obviously is the dominant housing design trend of the last three or four years. [00:13:47] Speaker A: Yeah, so. And 3D is generally quite big this year, isn't it? [00:13:51] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. As Christina noted with her striped ribbed and fluted trend, linear 3D surfaces were one of the defining features at Chersai and of contemporary interiors, full stop. These decorative details fit effortlessly into so many different design aesthetics, from Art Deco to minimalist, Scandinavian classic, industrial chic, vintage, eclectic, you name it, they work. And you can pair them with smooth surfaces to add depth, definition, character to almost any space. If there was a the dominant trend at Chess High, this would have been it. [00:14:30] Speaker A: Now there was one another category That I know you're not a big fan of. This was called Tennis Score. [00:14:35] Speaker B: Yes. [00:14:36] Speaker A: You might need some explanation, I think. [00:14:37] Speaker B: Okay, Well, I mean, obviously one of the things in trends is you can put anything and core at the end of it and you have a trend. So we've had clutter core, castle core, and all these other ones, which I kind of get. Tennis court, I have to say, I thought was a bit of a stretch. I get the idea that she's talking about a preppy aesthetic, the sort of thing that might reference American posh boys in the 1960s, 1970s. But I going around the show, I didn't detect a tile design trend that really alludes to tennis style and particularly evokes the 1980s and 1990s that she was talking about. But if that's what you want to name the strong trend towards soft, neutral tones, natural dusky textures, then, you know, call it tennis court if you want. I mean, I get what I get a trend. I just would call it something else, but that's me. [00:15:35] Speaker A: Okay, so any final thoughts? [00:15:39] Speaker B: Yes. Well, you know, my final takeaway from Chairside is that design is and always has been cyclical. And my impression is that this design cycle is steadily speeding up and that in today's market, several historical trends seem to be at play at one time. Whereas they used to be kind of one would cycle in and out over maybe sort of five or 10 years, now there are lots in play at one time. There's always a temptation to say that one backward looking influence, say art deco is waning, only for it to come back even stronger in 12 or 24 months. And at Chersea, I would have to say that this was the case once again with Terrazzo, which is still going strong and now spans everything from the classical pavements of Bologna and Torino to the kind of UK supermarket floors we all grew to love or hate in the 1970s. And there are now several new super colorful variants with different size inclusions. It's a very flexible thing. And the other one I'd pick out is timber effect tiles, which they continue to go to strength for strength. I mean, I can remember a lot of people in the UK tile industry were super skeptical about ceramic tiles when they first came out, not now. I mean, you know, they are huge sellers. And it's a tile segment that continues to confound the skeptics. We've seen this year. What were the hot things were probably fluted panels, ships, decking effects, and probably the one that's, that's coming up fastest is the sort of knotless scandi timber effects where in the past we've all, it's all been about grains and knotting and authenticity. Now they're actually taking these out so you get something that's a lot more smooth, pared back neutral. And I think this is the latest tweak in what is a really dynamic market sector. [00:17:35] Speaker A: So it looks like there's still plenty for the trend gurus to get their teeth into. [00:17:40] Speaker B: Indeed. Yeah. And Hannah and I will be sharing our top selections across Diary of a Tide Alex, in the weeks and months ahead. But yeah, I think there's a lot to do and also my guess is that once the American election is out of the way and, you know, hopefully we've solved some of the other global wars and stuff that are going on, next year we might see a fresh surge of new designs at Jesse and hopefully the designers will be feeling a bit braver. [00:18:12] Speaker A: Brilliant. Well, that's, that's great. Thanks, Jo. I think we need to remind everybody to do the usual like share. Follow us on on the podcast. Check out Diaper Tile Addict. Send Joe information at the usual email. [00:18:28] Speaker B: So that's yeah. Tile UK T I L E U. [00:18:31] Speaker A: KOM and also if you have any thoughts of particular topics you would like us to cover, then make sure you tell Jo those too, because we will look into them and we'll consider all comers. So that's great. Thanks, Joe. Till next week. [00:18:47] Speaker B: Okay, see you folks. [00:18:49] Speaker A: You've been listening to Tilecast, produced by Diary of a Tile Addiction. To ensure you don't miss any future episodes, don't forget to follow us. You can also find, show notes and receive updates on news feeds, articles, podcasts and videos direct to your inbox by subscribing to the diaryofatileaddict.com website. Get the inside track A Diary of a Tile Addict. [00:19:25] Speaker B: SA.