Breakthroughs in tiling technologies are providing incredible new styling opportunities, not just in the size of tiles (which are getting bigger and bigger) but in natural variations, colours and textures. The choice is now so great, people can easily personalise their space, and thanks to manufacturing processes being trimmed, they’re an increasingly affordable and durable material.

At Beaumont Tiles, our buyers are busy travelling the globe to track down the best tiles. So we’ve got a pretty good view of what’s at the fingertips of style fashionistas! Here are the trends we are seeing for 2015 and beyond.

Bigger is better: The popularity of seamless, open-plan and outdoor living has meant home owners are carefully considering their flooring choices to achieve an integrated, spacious feel.

One of the golden rules to create a free-flowing home is to minimise the number of grout lines in the space. So with clever positioning, less cut lines and the benefit of being easy to clean, big tiles are quite literally a growing trend in Australia.

We’re seeing 600 x 1200mm floor tiles and even large format wall tiles. Note to DIY novices: due to their size, they’re a little more intricate to lay requiring some additional surface prep.

Natural beauty: With such busy lifestyles, people are drawing design inspiration from nature for their homes. It’s a trend that’s taking off across the globe and tiling is presenting the most affordable option in achieving a tranquil and calming environment.

Advancements in printing technology have produced tiles able to imitate natural materials with wood, worn wood, cement, marble and stone being replicated. It’s almost impossible to tell them apart from the real deal unless you touch and feel the temperature variance – even a wooden texture, for example, can be mimicked.

The great thing about natural lookalike tiles is they provide a base for DIYers to insert their own personality and create a layered interior with flecks of colour, texture or pattern. At that same time, the low maintenance required makes them a highly desirable alternative.

Make a statement: Beige be gone! Over the past few years tiles have become a design feature in the home as much as a flooring solution. Think bright, bold, textured and shaped feature walls and floors. Statement trends range from edgy modernist with bold artistic designs, neo classical black and white, to creative shaped, textured and 3D tiles.

If you want to make a subtle statement, look out for variations in cement-based tiles. Cement-look tiles are evolving and are mixing with natural materials like wood and stone. The result is stunning, textured surfaces with a raw finish, perfect for a minimalist industrial interior.

–Rachel Gilding is the Beaumont Tiles strategic designer. With 100 outlets Australia wide, Beaumont Tiles is still strongly committed to bringing the world’s best and latest tiles and bathroomware to Australian consumers, builders and renovators.