There we go again, dropping the ‘t’ word into your morning scroll of interior design. While we’ve got your attention, though, if you were interested to find out what the latest tile trends for hotels, we asked Ben Bryden, Sales and Marketing Director at RAK Ceramics UK, to take a look for us…
Practical, versatile and stylish flooring solutions don’t get much better than porcelain tiles. Strong and durable, this is a material that is suited to all area, from hotel lobby to guest bathrooms. Practical matters first and the key ingredient for such surfaces is durability.
Ease of maintenance and cleaning is another essential element, while an element of slip resistance is also important when specifying flooring. This is what makes tiling, and porcelain tiles in particular, such a popular choice for all sorts of surface applications.
The manufacturing process of porcelain, which uses a finer and denser clay combined with high temperature and high pressure, results in a material that is far stronger than other types of ceramic, which is what makes this a material that is highly suited for flooring. Bathrooms benefit in particular from the properties of porcelain, which because of its density is extremely resistant to humidity and water.
Another major reason for the popularity of porcelain for hotels is the sheer versatility of the material. Colour and style choice is almost endless and finishes are also variable, giving designers a huge amount of creative freedom and enabling the material to be chosen for almost any application. Tiles can be printed or embossed in numerous ways and solid floor tiles can be mixed-and-matched in patterns and colours in any number of ways. They can be chosen to match or contrast with wall tiling and splashbacks for a cohesive look and can be chosen to replicate the look of many hardwoods and natural stones for the ultimate luxe look.
Image caption: Solid, durable and extremely versatile, RAK Ceramics Curton are stone-look porcelain tiles that make a highly attractive visual impact. | Image credit: RAK Ceramics
Tiles with a subtle or a bold marble-effect pattern work well when teamed with materials such as wood, bringing nature indoors and creating a calming, timeless and high-end look that works well across all areas, from public to more private. Porcelain also offers a wonderful opportunity to introduce pops of colour to the setting, with vibrant colourways offering a brilliant way to catch the eye and turn a specific area into a focal point.
Installation of the tiles themselves is also straightforward, with mega slabs from RAK Ceramics minimising grout lines and creating a luxe look. Such slabs offer endless design possibilities in commercial situations such as bars and restaurant areas, creating a seamless finish.
RAK Ceramics is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image caption: The Fashion Stone collection makes a powerful statement with its sheer simplicity. Packed full of sass and contemporary style, this is the ideal tile choice for creating a minimalist look and feel. | Image credit: RAK Ceramics
