We’ve spent the past few years cooking at home, learning to make homemade bread and birthday cakes - perhaps it’s not that surprising that kitchens have become the absolute heart of the home, more than ever before. There is no better time to consider a refresh, and these kitchen design trends celebrate the heart of the home. No other space has been more overworked than the kitchen – whether you cooked three meals a day, entertained the kids, or used the space as a background for your Zoom calls. It goes without saying that we’re all entering the new year with a different perspective, and possibly a deeper appreciation of the role kitchen plays in our daily lives!

Our 2021 Kitchen Tile Trends include rich cabinet paint and contrasting tile, like this antiqued teal with Carrara marble hexagon backsplash tile!

Kitchen design choices, therefore, are evolving to make sure this ‘everything space’ is neat, yet stylish and comforting. If you’ve already started to feel bored of your surroundings or just want to say a ‘thank you’ to your kitchen, now is the perfect time! Whether you choose to go with a complete remodel or just a quick backsplash makeover, there’s no better time than now for that well-deserved kitchen upgrade. 

Let’s say goodbye to this tumultuous year and look to the future with these 9 top kitchen tile trends – we promise that these trends offer exciting opportunities to help your kitchen become the most comfortable and stylish place in your home. And who knows – you may end up wanting to spend even more time in your kitchen!

Color Trends for Kitchen Design

Pantone announced their Colors of the Year for 2021 are Ultimate Gray and Illuminating - the gray and yellow colors have a lot of potential when it comes to dressing up a gorgeous new kitchen!

You can never go wrong with gray cabinets, countertops, or tile in your kitchen! We see this as a slight update on the popular white kitchen trend - adding a little depth and detail without going for color overload. Check out some of our favorite ways to interpret the gray kitchen trend in your own space!

 If you’re not ready to tackle a full kitchen makeover but you love the idea of infusing some soothing gray into your space, a new backsplash tile is a great way to freshen up your kitchen! Give your white kitchen cabinets a contrasting touch with a glass subway tile backsplash in Glacier Aura Gray. The deeper color is offset by the shine of polished glass to amplify natural light even under cabinets.

 If you prefer gray kitchen cabinets and countertops to create the perfect soothing space, we’ve got you covered there, too! Pick up the tones in your favorite gray cabinet paint with a Carrara marble backsplash - cool white and gray natural veins are a stunning complement to cloud gray cabinetry! You can never go wrong with a classic marble basket weave tile backsplash for your backsplash, and this large format Carrara marble with Eastern black dots adds depth and dimension to a modern kitchen design.

 If you’re more of a minimalist kitchen design fan, the cool gray of this gray stone look backsplash is a gorgeous pairing with bold green paint! The large format look of our Varana Gris porcelain tile combines a natural stone design with minimal grout lines - perfect for a clean look that embraces effortless style!

Trending Kitchen Paint Colors

If the yellow and gray trend isn’t your favorite, we looked to paint companies for their takes on Colors of the Year as well! They’re trending towards warm, welcoming, inviting colors that add a sense of ease and relaxation to your home and especially to your kitchen.

Benjamin Moore chose Aegean Teal as their Color of the Year, and this rich shade has a stunning effect on walls and cabinets, especially when paired with warm tones of copper, natural wood, or sunny yellow. 

Emily Henderson had the same look in mind for her Portland Kitchen remodel. She chose Sherwin Williams’ Pewter Green satin enamel for a calming silvered green cabinet paint color. It paired perfectly with beveled marble subway tiles, minimalist brass hardware from Rejuvenation, and Sherwin Williams’ Oyster White wall paint to balance out the space!

Our tile picks to pair with this trending cabinet paint color to create the perfect kitchen?

If you like the beveled marble subway tile look, our Calacatta Gold 3” x 6” tiles add dimension and gorgeous natural stone detailing to amp up the organic feel of a green kitchen. A classic Carrara marble hexagon tile backsplash is another gorgeous way to accent your kitchen design!

 

Closer to Nature with Sustainable Kitchen Ideas

When you want a kitchen that feels warm and rustic, Recycled Glass Subway Mosaic Tile in Blue Wood Color for a wood-look backsplash tile is an easy way to amp up your kitchen’s country style! All this beauty with a non-porous and easy-to-clean glass surface– what more can you ask for? 

One of the most important things we all learned while in isolation was how to appreciate nature. In fact, the growing awareness of environmentally friendly lifestyle choices and the appreciation of nature in today’s chaotic world has sparked increased interest in recycled building materials. Eco-friendly tiles will continue to be an important trend for the kitchen renovations – expect to see the rise of recycled glass tiles used on the walls, floors or accents in combination with other sustainable materials for ‘greener’ kitchens.

The idea that ‘going green’ comes at the sacrifice of style is a myth! Our recycled glass tiles include options that satisfy both your aesthetic taste - capturing the look and feel of naturally occurring materials such as wood and stone – and your desire to be environmentally-conscious. What’s more? These recycled tiles are sure to be one of your most long-lasting flooring and wall materials thanks to their non-porous and easy-to-clean surface. 

New to the recycling idea? With everything from our ever-classic hexagon patterns to vibrant leaf patterns with an utterly modern style, it’s easy to love recycling when the result is an eye-catching kitchen backsplash design!

 

Marriage of Jewel Tone and Neutral Kitchen Ideas

As we look for ways to fortify ourselves with energy, clarity, and hope for the new year we foresee, the combination of neutral elements and bright colors will be an emerging trend. After all, isn’t finding more style and comfort is what is needed the most in today’s busy kitchens? 

As shades of greys, whites, and beiges are the elements of assurance and stability, brighter colors such as emerald greens, jewel blues, positive pinks and cheerful yellows can express the message of hopefulness in next year’s kitchen decor. Get ready to see the marriage of strength and optimism in interior design – such as in this kitchen update where neutral cabinets are paired with the electric lime green color of our Emerald Green Foil Glossy and Frosted Square Mosaic Tile in an uplifting way! 

Blues tones can also be equally dramatic and luxurious while adding a calming vibe - deeper tones of midnight blue tiles such as our Blue Foil Glossy and Frosted Hexagon Mosaic Tile and Blue Foil Glossy and Frosted Square Mosaic Tile are perfect to balance out the latte or white shades of your cabinetry as well as soft metallic fixtures, while bringing a one-of-a kind opulence to the kitchen. These shades stand out even more against light countertops, and when paired with silver accents create a cool color combination, or brass if you want to add contrast!

As the senior color designer for HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams explains, ‘Homeowners are drawn towards colors that evoke feelings of compassion with comfort as they offer a certain sense of familiarity when facing the unknown.’ This explains why we all about pairing your neutral tiles with more optimistic colors, for a style that sets the mood of comfort with a dose of positivity! 

An Artisan Touch for a Homey Kitchen

Whether you enjoyed experimenting with recipes while sheltering in, or use your kitchen as your everyday work station, you’ve probably noticed how your surroundings impact the way you feel. It will be all about creating a sense of personalization by adding unique and authentic elements to our environments. That being said, from kitchen floor tiles to statement walls and backsplashes, artisan tiles with a hand-made look will be in great demand to make our kitchen spaces more of a personal retreat for relaxing, working, and recharging for the whole family. 

While all-white kitchens will probably never go out of style, gone are the days of that matchy-matchy look with same white tones and textures throughout the kitchen. If you’re still in love with the white on white trend, it’s time to change up your vision with a cozier version of clean design! 

If you’re interested in infusing your kitchen with an artisan touch, we love how the handmade look of white ceramic tiles sets the mood for a more authentic feel in this kitchen, with our La Riviera Blanc 2.5x8. Check out more of our glazed ceramic Zellige tiles to see how artisan tiles can instantly change the look, feel and expression of your kitchen in an unexpected way!

The etched surface of our Wooden Beige Chevron Tile is a charmingly textured marble subway tile– such a beautiful addition with an artistic spin for any kitchen backsplash project! Want to give it even more personality? Add a unique layout like this herringbone subway tile backsplash!

Gone are the days when plain and uniform was the epitome of chic! Textured tiles are perfect to introduce a bit of individuality into your kitchen if you’re hesitant about introducing different colors or patterns, especially in a minimalistic design. 

Geometric Kitchen Tiles

Everyone likes to think out of the box now and then with a surprise element in their homes! Speaking of authenticity, geometric tiles will continue to be on the rise in kitchen remodel trends, giving the room some extra aesthetics with fun and bold elements. The best part? The patterns and textures of geometric tiles offer a myriad of options– so you shall be spoiled for choice! 

From triangles to hexagons, diamonds and a variety of other unique shapes, our geometric tile collection offers limitless design possibilities for a one-of-a-kind kitchen backsplash, feature wall or floor design. We love how the brightness of our Calacatta Gold Diamond & Square Mosaic Tile lightens the kitchen, ensuring a neutral, calm sophistication without going overboard with geometric design.       

Looking for a visually-striking backsplash tile with a contemporary twist? Add an unusual and stunning pattern for a bit of luxury and ritzy look into an otherwise ordinary kitchen design. The trick here is to let the geometric tiles do all the talking – and keep everything else relatively minimal such as in this chic bar where royal blue colors, a pop of chrome, and white marble let the tile do the talking!

 

Add a Homey Wood-Look for a Country Kitchen

As the design experts at Domaine say, “Now more than ever, we look to our homes to evoke a sense of comfort, and materials play such an important role in giving a space its sense of soul.” Speaking of comfort, the wood-look tile trend comes straight from our need to feel cozy and comfy in our homes. Whether you have modern sensibilities or want rustic farmhouse kitchen décor, wood-look tile will continue to be one of the growing trends, establishing itself for its natural look and homey feel.

French Country cottage charm meets modern sophistication with a wood look marble mosaic pattern for your kitchen, like our Wooden Beige and Carrara interlocking tile.

Let’s face it. As the pandemic brought cleanliness to the top of our minds, easy-to-clean materials started to rise in popularity. An alternative to the porousness of hardwood with the ability to slow down the spread of germs, our wood-look tile alternatives offer the best of all worlds. From wood-look natural stone tiles that require significantly less maintenance than real wood to non-porous wood-look porcelain tiles for an extremely water resistant surface, we offer a variety of backsplash tile options that resemble the welcoming feel of wood in  your cooking zones! 

Do you long for a homey feel under your feet as well? If so, wood-look porcelain floor tiles are an excellent choice in next year’s trending kitchen designs – wood-look tiles can also tie beautifully to open living spaces and match the living room furniture of any kind. If you’re in love with Scandinavian minimalism, the light tones of white oak inspired Spiga Olson Blanco reinforces the feeling of more space as the white hues create the illusion of a bigger room while darker tones such as Vancouver Natural and Rovere Natural mimic the rich, brown tones of real wood.

All aesthetics aside, wood-look tiles have all the practical reasons to redo your kitchen floors in the most comfortable way!

 

Dark and Inviting Interior Ideas

When we think about a ‘warm feeling’, dark and moody shades such as black, grey, and dark blues will be used to make kitchens feel cozier and inviting. Combined with textured woods to add a rustic and homey charm, or metallic details to soften the look, kitchens will follow the fashion for taking surfaces to the dark side. These ideas tell us not to be shy when embracing moody hues in the heart of our homes! 

Dare to go to the dark side with these richly colored kitchen tile trends - like jewel toned ceramic tiles with a glaze to add shine!

If your kitchen is big enough to handle bold colors, there’s no better way to create an air of luxury and sophistication with black backsplash tiles all the way around your kitchen! Whether you choose to bring a modern design element with artisan black zellige tiles or a more classic elegance with black marble tiles in the background, you’ll be sure to create a kitchen that really has an ambiance like no other! 

If you are hesitant about going all dark, consider just one accent wall in dark hues, or a monochrome kitchen mosaic backsplash tile that carries a touch of classic allure like this black and white marble basket weave tile backsplash that can suit any style from contemporary to classic kitchen designs. 

In a nutshell? Dreamy dark kitchens will beckon you in better than you expect!

 

Dark Grout Lines to add Contrast

We know classic white ceramic subway tile will never go out of style, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look for ways to jazz it up! One of the current trends to give this timeless tile a fresh new look is adding contrasting grout! Dark grout lines against white ceramic subway tile, or even black or gray tile with a crisp white grout, adds gorgeous dimension to your backsplash!

Our recommended grout for your white subway tile backsplash? Laticrete Permacolor is our favorite - usually the grout pictured in the installation images you see on our website! To give your matte, polished, or glazed subway tiles the perfect contrast, Laticrete’s Midnight Black or Platinum grout add a dose of dark color, while Twilight Blue and Slate Gray add a dramatic contrast with a softer color. 

Tips for picking the perfect contrasting grout? Test a bit on your tile sample alongside a swatch of paint to make sure you like the colors together before installing your tile! 

 

Gold for a Brighter Future

We’ve all been reminded this year that life’s too short, so why wait to bring in the luxury look you deserve? Glam gold is coming back, not only in fixtures but also with intricately patterned tile options that sing harmoniously with modern to classic kitchen decor. 

To create the kind of room that catches your eye in kitchen design magazines, the unique floral pattern of Gold Bouquet Marble Tile or the unconventional shape of Golden Stars Calacatta Gold and Brass Mosaic Tile are perfect to add some strong visual attraction, and create an abstract piece of art on kitchen wall. And for a backsplash project that doesn’t break the budget, our peel-and-stick tiles feature some glitzy details to prove that gold décor does not always need to be expensive!

 

This gorgeous kitchen with contrasting grout by Cecilia Casagrande Interiors not only caught our eye as one of the top Kitchen tile Trends, but her work earned an HGTV Designer of the Year recognition - the future is bright!

No matter if you chose to go with a color pop, hint of gold glam or the fresh touch of wood-look style, we offer a huge tile collection that will help you make the right shift for your new kitchen décor. If we spent the bulk of 2020 at home, maybe it deserves a little touch to become cozier and even more special? Following the latest kitchen tile trends, let your kitchen get the look it deserves as the soul of your home!