Arlington, Va. -- Coverings hosted exhibitors from over 40 countries at its 2018 show, showcasing the best of tile and stone from more than 1,100 exhibitors. In addition to on-trend products, Coverings highlighted best-in-class installations with experiences like the Installation Design Showcase and the new Tile Installation Experience.

“Coverings continues to offer inspiration for designers, architects, builders, contractors and homeowners alike, with unique products and stunning applications,” said Alena Capra, Coverings’ industry ambassador. “Coverings 2018 brought to life the trends that we’ll see grow within the market this year, with exciting new offerings for both residential and commercial applications.”

Across the many 2018 introductions, the following key trends emerged from the 2018 show floor.

Patterns, Patterns, Patterns
Manufacturers continue to embrace patterns in 2018, brought to life through visually stunning mosaics, statement walls or entire floors featuring unique designs. Ranging from subtle herringbone to bold geometric patterns, the variety of tile available offers something for everyone, whether homeowners are seeking added detail or a design statement for their space. Ceramica Bardelli showcased its new Palladiana collection, which is focused on soft, elongated geometric shapes and available in six different designs and four color tones. New Ravenna offers an incredible range of patterns across its collections, including its Cassiopeia flooring, while Natucer’s D’Anticatto series incorporates patterns as well as a variety of different shapes and shades.

Go For The Gold
Gold played a significant role at Coverings 2018, with applications ranging from veining within classic, stone-inspired looks to eye-catching, statement pieces. Whether looking to add a touch of glamor or implement a modern metallic element, gold has become a versatile design element. Iris Ceramic’s Marmi 3.0 collection in Oro offers a bold, modern twist with a diamond-shaped wall tile enhanced by a polished finish. Florim’s I Classici incorporates gold within its collection, which marries 50s-style environments with marble essences and wood nuances to create a contemporary design. Apavisa’s Alchemy collection is based on the tradition of the metallurgical sector with natural and hammered finishes.

Back to Nature
As printing technology continually evolves, increasingly realistic wood and stone looks remain popular, marrying nature-inspired aesthetics with tile’s durability. Fanal’s Fusta series brings a raw look to walls and flooring with a polished glazed porcelain tile that mimics the look of pressed woodchips, while Mediterranea’s Forge offers a weathered wood look-alike. Dado Ceramica introduced its new Smot tile collection, which offers a romantic design with a smooth stone-effect and sophisticated dark tones.

Opposites Attract
Exhibitors across the show floor highlighted contrast within their displays to emphasize pops of color or to give depth to a more subtle neutral, whether through color play within patterns, veining, or grout. Florida Tile’s NY2LA collection is available in shade variations across six core colors to provide designers with opportunities to explore color contrasts with the unique hexagon shape. Ava Ceramica’s Pietre e Graniti Copacabana ceramic line offers a striking juxtaposition of dark and light, inspired by the stone found on the Copacabana seafront. With rich variations of natural wood-inspired hues, Pamesa Ceramica’s Sonoma offers arresting contrasts throughout its floorboards.

Taking a Deep Dive on Colors
While blues and pinks were on-trend at last year’s show, colors have become increasingly rich and deep within 2018 product portfolios, including bright reds and pinks, peacock blues and greens and vibrant gold. Crossville’s Convergence features bold colors and a unique pattern, catering to mosaics and statement walls. Naxos Fincibec Group’s Living Rock collection mimics the contrasts present in the volcanic islands of the Mediterranean with a range of colors, including deep blues and greens, while Oset’s Cordoba features warm gold and brown variations.

Bigger is Better
Large format tiles continue to grow in both size and popularity, while becoming increasingly thiner. Ceramiche Caesar highlighted their new Project Evolution tiles at Coverings, which are large-format, marble and stone inspired tiles available in up to 36 colors and sizes such as 48x48 in. and 48x94 in. to create a seamless effect and maximize aesthetics, performance, and ease of installation. Cotto d’Este’s Cement Project recreates cement aesthetics on large, thin ceramic slabs with three colors and sizes of up to nearly 40x118 in. Tau’s Ascale collection features large format tiles with options up to 126x63 in.

What’s Old is New Again
Retro-inspired designs have gained further momentum, with modern takes on terrazzo and patchwork leading the way. Del Conca Ceramic Tiles’ Paris collection offers a range of deco patterns in shades of black, white and blue while Vives’ Dolce Vita Borgo Multicolor provides a different take on retro, with a colorful geometric pattern reminiscent of the 60s and 70s.

The Rise of 3-D
Manufacturers continue to explore three dimensional and textured tiles, adding depth and visual interest to spaces through unique products. Lunada Bay Tile’s Origami Field expresses the power of Japanese origami as a geometric art form with a collection of glass tiles, playing with dimension, light and shadow. Atlas Concorde’s 3D Wall Design collection offers a variety of sculpted ceramic tile designs, ranging from clear-cut shapes to multi-faceted patterns and waves. The Colorker ZYX Evoke Collection features triangular and small diamond shapes whose varying sizes and textures create unique personalities and play on light.

The New Beige is Back
Gray isn’t going anywhere, but beige has been making a comeback and pairs beautifully with the warm, rich colors that are trending this year. LAMOSA’s Monaco tile offers a warm beige hue for wall and flooring applications, while Kale Italia’s Edilcuoghi Mapierre stone-effect ceramic and Rocersa’s Chrono line are available in beige and other neutrals. A mix of contemporary, natural limestones inspires Landmark Ceramic’s Infinity collection, with its six available colors ranging from warm shades of beige to cooler grays.

For more information, visit www.coverings.com.