The International Surfaces Event in Las Vegas is the one place to be for all stone, tile and floor covering professionals. We were delighted to be a part of the design and curation of The Design + Installation Showcase Hub AKA The DISH; with hands-on live demonstrations, inspiring trends and educational talks. In case you missed the show… here is a preview of ‘The DISH’ and the theme behind our design.

The space was designed to focus on one particular trend called Roots; this trend incorporates a palette of nature-inspired hues including deep forest greens, muted moss tones and urban gray shades. There is a clear link to biophillic design as we aim to blend our natural landscapes with our populated city environment to design a new harmonious and super-sustainable lifestyle. This style aims to be natural and organic with an urban edge, it is unique, authentic and most importantly… honest.

Our floor was supplied by Daltile, we chose their Woodbridge tile product in Ash Oak; a very natural matte look tile in a herringbone layout, the tones worked perfect with the theme of our design space; raw, imperfect yet comforting and inviting; the slight gray tone gave it an urban quality.

At TISE, we showcased 4 different design trends for this coming year; we also worked alongside innovative tech-design company House Tipster who provide virtual design tools for professionals. Our material trend table included informative trend direction and color palettes. We also displayed a selection of innovative material samples collected from numerous designers all around the world. The samples were carefully selected to enhance each trend and inspire visitors; the most popular included mushroom leather (MuSkin), plant-fibre laminates (Organoid Technologies) and wood terrazzo (Foresso).

For consumers the biggest trend dominating many industries within the design sector is Sustainability; this is something we focused on in detail at ‘The DISH’ and it is a topic that will undoubtedly continue to strengthen. Our world is seemingly becoming smaller due to population rise and globalization; it means we are starting to share our homes, our work spaces and we are living closer as a community. As a result this means we begin to adopt a more global view of our place in the world, where our values shift towards shared moral standards.

Consumers are becoming more conscious and more aware of the detrimental impact that we are having on the planet, therefore we see a move towards a more considered approach in the design, manufacture and retail of products. Consumers are in search of products that have a positive impact on the environment and on society without compromising aesthetics, from the materials they use to the methods of manufacturing, we ultimately want to build a super-sustainable lifestyle.

Re-purposed waste and recycled materials are being considered more within design. A number of products at the show included reclaimed woods or had the aesthetics of this. I particularly liked Emser Tile’s Lake House glazed porcelain product which had the look of peeling paint; with a worn, distressed appearance. They describe the product as an “ode to the beautiful biodiversity of the sweeping Amazon rainforest”. With three distinct wooden tones it breathes life into any contemporary interior.

Nature continues to inspire designers, we want to incorporate natural materials, colors and textures into our homes. Biophillic design is intrinsic to creating a sense of wellbeing and mindfulness within our interior environment; we need a deeper and more focused connection to nature. I particularly liked Crossville‘s End-grain Wood Glass Tile. I love how they have embraced the patterns of natural wood grains but updated it with a graphic twist and contemporary color palette.

Trend Tips for 2018

From a color perspective; we see a move towards warmer tones. There is a focus on soft, gentle neutrals that represent emotional feelings of nourishment and reassurance with a firm link to wellbeing. After a dominance of gray toned woods over the past few years we now see a resurgence of warm wood shades within interiors; we appreciate natural textures and imperfect finishes. The outcome is to create a comforting, inviting and balanced space where the beauty is found in the simple charm of rawness, honesty and authenticity. This overall style is in response to a continued desire to slow the pace of life down, we want to live more simply yet allow ourselves guilt-free luxuries associated with precious materials, artisan products and rare experiences.

Although mixed metallic are a very desirable look for 2018 we are also predicting an eventual return to favor Silvered Metallics. We move on from the famous rose-gold and copper tones to lighter, paler golds moving into silvers to create a sense of minimalistic luxury.

Finally from a material point of view; on our travels we have seen lots of designers  experimenting with Terrazzo and Jesmonite. Terrazzo, for example, is a composite material made up of marble, quartz, wood, metal or glass chippings set in resin or cement; often reusing offcuts of multiple materials; making it a more sustainable option. Both these materials are very flexible in terms of the different looks you can create with them; its color versatility means you can have almost any combination you wish. Modern terrazzo can be sophisticated and of really high quality, not only does it make fantastic flooring options but also furniture & interior product design. Expect to see this material used more throughout 2018.