The kitchen is the perfect place to showcase some your artistry and design through tile. Lunada Bay Tile celebrates the talents of interior designers and remodeling pros by showcasing fun ideas and “tile tips” designed to energize the heart of the home: the kitchen. 

According to Feras Irikat, director of design and marketing for Lunada Bay Tile, the expanded range of colors, textures, and patterns available in today’s tile collections create an opportunity for creative applications and artistry in the home. 

“Trends may come and go, but tile has staying power,”  Irikat said. “Interesting formats, colors and materials allow for true customization, with tile designs that reflect today’s most popular styles, and also project emerging trends.”

1. Backsplash as Blank Canvas

Not every piece of art is hung on the wall. Backsplashes are becoming a focal point. In the past we've seen that sort of minimalism where the backsplash is the same as the counter or blends in. Now the backsplash is being used as a canvas to really put in a lot more personality--not just the personality of the design, but the personality of the homeowner.

"The backsplash is a blank canvas where you could just load up your personality and your own style in that space,” Irikat said .

See: Kitchen by Marcia Moore Design @marciamooredesign

2. Mix & Match – Don’t Be Boring

Soft maximalism, which is about saturating a space with inspired design ideas from patterns, colors, and textures, and even contrasting materials, contrasting colors, contrasting textures.

"The more you mix, the more unique and personalized your space will be,” Irikat said. “And there is no better area to add texture than the kitchen backsplash. Here, you can use glass, mirror, ceramic, granite, or any surface with ease. Even if you want to go all out and try a tile mosaic, the backsplash is the perfect place to do it.”

The Design Story: When the clients wanted to renovate a dated 80's kitchen, there was a tight deadline to complete everything before their second child arrived, so designer Michelle Lee Parenteau (@MichelleLeeParenteau) hit the ground running staying on schedule to transform their kitchen. The clients did not want a sterile, all white kitchen, so color was brought in with two-toned cabinets: soft aqua for the uppers and harbor blue for the bottom ones. To coordinate with the color palette, the designer created a statement piece  with the tile behind the hood –Tommy Bahama glass mosaic tile in the Zig & Zag pattern and Skyros colorway. This tile is reminiscent of the colors of the ocean.

3. Invite in more color

Using color in the kitchen creates high-energy spaces which are sometimes needed in environments that are more task oriented.

"Consider nature inspired colors—these are more than greens, blues, or calming neutrals,” Irikat said. “They are colors that reignite our passion to nature….what is surprising, and unique and wow out there, including vibrant reds. We also have a lot of choices when it comes to patterns for flooring, for walls, from wallpaper to pattern tile, to pattern floors, to patterned wood, to patterned carpets—it’s about pushing us to include more color, more joy, more energy, more art, into our worlds.”