Practical matters first and the key ingredient is durability. Any surface, whether it is a kitchen worktop or the floor of a hotel lobby, needs to be hard-wearing and made to last. Ease of maintenance and cleaning is another essential element, while in some areas, particularly in public buildings and ‘wet’ spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms, an element of slip resistance is also important.

This is what make tiling, and porcelain tiles, in particular, such a popular choice for all sorts of surface applications. Porcelain tiles are highly resistant to stain, scratch and moisture. In fact, this is a durable and hard-wearing material that is resistant to harsh cleaning agents, scratches and stains. Often frost-proof and certainly frost-resistant, porcelain also won’t fade from exposure to direct sunlight, making it suitable for exterior applications too, so good news for those looking to create a seamless flow between inside and outside spaces, such as kitchens on to patios.

Another major reason for the popularity of porcelain for use on surfaces 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.

So what are some of the big trends emerging in porcelain’s use, and how can they be applied to your next interior design project? One significant shift we are seeing through our work with commercial and retail clients is the blurring of traditional boundaries between work and home. There is now very often a residential feel to commercial settings, where employees are made to feel at home in the workplace as a result of the layout and design choices made. This enables interior designers the option to make greater use of materials, colours and textures, to add visual interest and ultimately create a sense of homeliness.

There are many surface trends that carry quite comfortably across from commercial to residential settings, with looks that are evident in both. The desire for customisation and personalisation through the application of tiles, for example, is often seen in commercial situations such as entrance lobbies and hotels, but is also increasingly being desired in residential properties too. In kitchens and bathrooms, creating a sense of personality and offering something a little bit different from the norm is often something that is requested, Here, again, porcelain tiles do this requirement full justice, with very large tiles often combining with small tiles and even mosaics to create intricate, customised patterns.

As well as clever tile size combinations, porcelain also offers a wonderful opportunity to introduce pops of colour to any setting, with vibrant colourways offering a brilliant way to catch the eye and turn a specific area into a focal point. This trend isn’t limited by space either, working well in compact situations such as cloakrooms and washrooms and in large areas such as bars and restaurants. With such a diverse range of styles, colours and sizes of porcelain tiles available, from a single manufacturer such as RAK Ceramics, the options are there to be taken full advantage of, and interior designers are not limited in their creativity.

Porcelain tiles also give the opportunity to zone large areas, adding differentiation where required. This is something that has often been seen in commercial settings and is now increasingly the case domestically too, particularly as open-plan kitchen living areas become more the norm. The variety in formats, finishes and shading enables tiles to be used for consistency through kitchen, dining and living spaces in an open-plan home and similarly between work and social areas within offices, for example. In broken-plan living spaces too, tiles can be used to create visual barriers without building solid walls.

A key trend in tile design is a move towards large-format tiles. These offer a stylish and minimal look, with less grout creating a clean and uninterrupted finish. Using large-format tiles in smaller spaces will help the room appear bigger, while also making cleaning simpler.

Style-wise, materials that mimic nature and tiles that emulate stone and marble help to bring the outside in and create a sense of wellness through natural-looking environments. Marble-effect tiles in warm shades, including grey and cream, are very popular as they create a sense of luxury.

With so much variety available, when using porcelain tiles, interior designers are limited only by their own creativity, so; therefore, not at all.