Las Vegas—The International Surface Event, held here last month, was home to three powerhouse tile companies this year: Dal-Tile, MSI and Emser Tile. While the main event for tile each year is Coverings, being held in Orlando, Fla., in April, TISE gives tile dealers an advantage over those who choose to wait for the Florida show to discover what’s new.
Tile suppliers agreed this year’s show was robust and the energy was palpable. “It’s been great; we’ve been swamped,” said Kathy Green, director of brand strategy and communications at Emser. “We brought a lot of salespeople and at first I was a little nervous about that. I didn’t want people standing around. But everybody has been very busy. We’ve had a lot of really good, quality customers coming in, too. Everybody seems very excited to be here.”
Daltile, Marazzi, AO
The Dal-Tile booth again housed three top tile brands, Daltile, Marazzi and American Olean (AO). This year, the company focused on five overarching themes that are driving design trends in homes today: Elevate Life, Dreamscape, Seize the Day, Essential Luxury and Tender Living. “We are always trying to understand what is inspiring the consumer—across generations,” said Karen Sigrist, senior marketing manager, Dal-Tile.
The company also continued to highlight its “Shop By Look” wall, which features QR codes to help guide consumers through the sale. The initiative was launched last year and remains devoted to easing the buying process for consumers and elevating the shopping experience for dealers.
Each brand launched tile collections meant to support those overarching themes and tap trends in home design currently burgeoning in the market. Color, for example, was at the forefront. “People are less afraid of using color—and bright colors,” Sigrist explained. “So, we are creating products that can recreate these beautiful, bright and playful spaces.”
Marazzi’s Rice tapped the color trend as well as the desire for a handmade-look. Rice features a purposefully uneven surface and glossy finish in several colors including deco leaf and blossom designs.
Daltile’s new Miramo also offered a fresh take on color and handcrafted-inspired tile. It’s available with six curated colors ranging from soft neutrals, vibrant blues to a deep sea green. The collection is offered in three mosaic shapes: picket mosaic, fan mosaic and the modern 1 x 6 mosaic. Miramo’s glazed ceramic tiles are also protected with Defend, powered by Microban.
Shapes and textures are also playing an important role in home design. Hexagons came crashing onto the scene just a few years ago and have found a home in tile. The popular shape was highlighted across the three brands. Hexagons can be found in Marazzi’s Artistic Reflections, Daltile’s Bee Hive Medley and AO’s Playscapes.
The company also found that thinner and longer shapes are starting to take command of the design world. “It gives a lot of movement and it’s very elegant,” Sigrist explained. “We are noticing a lot of applications in this kind of shape and all the brands are launching the 1 x 6 size.” Daltile’s new Inyo, for example, was unveiled at the show and tapped this shape trend—as well as texture. It’s a leather-look tile featuring Microban technology and is available in 2 x 8, 8-inch hexagon, a 1 x 6 mosaic and a penny round mosaic.
American Olean celebrated 100 years at the show and brought out a plethora of product to highlight its century-worth of innovation in product design. From stone looks to refined metals, slates and bold colorways, AO had something on hand for any consumer need.
Emser Tile
Emser Tile showed off its design prowess at the show with new lines following today’s home design trends. Unique design options, for example, are a must in today’s market. However, those design options have to come with powerhouse visuals and be easy to install.
To fill that need, Emser launched Radiant at the show. A unique tile look that includes LED lighting, which can be used with waterproof LEDs for shower installations. “Consumers want a unique design element, but they know they’re not going to be able to live with the same thing forever,” Green explained. “So, they want an easy way to change the design without having to [renovate.] You can do that with this by switching out the LEDs or adding colors. And you can make the lighting as neutral or dramatic as you want. It’s great for commercial applications but, honestly, we’ve had a ton of interest in residential.”
The company also launched its Designer Grouts to allow consumers to create unique designs without the need for major renovations—or breaking the bank. The Designer Grout is a specially curated collection of exclusive grout colors designed to complement Emser’s family of products. Inspired by nature, wellness and sustainability, the on-trend colors are designed to celebrate the beauty found in blush tones, warm taupe, blues and greens.
Emser also found handmade looks to be popular in the market and came with a variety of tile looks to satisfy that craving. Exhale, and its sister collection, Inhale, for example, focus on the handmade, rustic look while bringing trending colorways as well. “We’ve done this color called Marron, which is very popular right now,” Green explained. “All the terracottas and oranges, warmer colors, are coming back. Inhale is even more rustic because it gives the appearance of a hand-painted tile—something that you put in brand new but it looks like it’s been there for years, which we’re seeing a lot of requests for.”
MSI
MSI has grown beyond its background in tile to include luxury vinyl and waterproof hardwood. What hasn’t changed is the company’s commitment to its retail partners. “MSI has always been a retail-driven company,” said Jason Andrews, director of national accounts, non-slab, MSI national marketing. “We do a really good job partnering with retailers, and in order to do that we want to be able to provide them with everything they need and drive value to them.”
At the show, the company unveiled a host of new designs meant to support the needs of its retail partners. The Miraggio collection, for example, features porcelain tile that closely resembles that of MSI’s Miraggio quartz stone—allowing for mix-and-match usage with an already proven design style— with a cool white background and multiple vein color options available. Miraggio is designed to add a touch of refinement to a variety of environments such as kitchens, bathrooms and fireplace facades. It is available in multiple shapes and sizes, for both residential and commercial settings.
The company also tapped the hexagon trend with its new Hexley collection, a line of floor, wall and backsplash tile. The classic geo shape underwent a refresh in three colors as well as an art deco and marble look. Designed for mixing and matching as well, Hexley features an ontrend matte finish.
MSI also showed new designs in the ever-popular stone-look format. The Soreno collection, for example, achieves the look of limestone.
