

Interior Design Trends 2018
Expect hexagon and kite shapes in just about everything when it comes to interior design and home decor this year, as the geometric pattern is taking over.
Building materials manufacturer Knauf, recently opened a showroom in London’s design community of Clerkenwell, to showcase their building products. The purpose of the showroom was to create a space to inspire architects, by presenting Knauf products and systems through a series of innovative designs. Designed by Mailen Design, the showroom incorporated the geometric trend in multiple ways. Mailen created three human-sized geometric shapes to represent the ways in which Knauf’s design panels can be displayed.
The central staircase leads visitors down to the events and meeting space in the basement. The stairwell is bordered by an installation constructed of folded geometric panels, that descend from the ceiling of the ground floor down to the basement.
A living wall is incorporated down the centre of this wall, backed with Knauf’s mould-proof Aquapanel product, reflecting how this material is designed for use on building exteriors. The geometric installation also extends over the walls of the basement, where it acts as acoustic panelling.
This geometric feature displays how the pattern does not always need to be bright and boldly coloured to be impressive. There are simple yet noticeable ways to introduce the pattern into your home.
Tile kitchen backsplashes and cushion covers are just a few simple ways most popular ways to introduce the pattern. Start small with kitchen accessories or wall art, and make your way up to feature floors with a striking geometric pattern.
At Pentagon Tiles we offer a range of hexagonal tiles, patterned or plain that will create a bold or subtle geometric pattern.
Terrazzo
The Terrazzo trend began to appear last year and in 2018 it is set to replace the marble trend. Terrazzo dates back 8,000 years to the Venetians. Once used as a cost-cutting measure, construction workers would take smashed marble chips and set them in clay, rather than laying the entire floor in marble. In more recent history, Terrazzo was highly popular in America during the 1970’s before it quickly fell out of style before the end of the decade.
Now Terrazzo is back for 2018 and looks far from cheap. Commonly seen as tiles, terrazzo can be integrated into the home in many ways, through kitchen worktops, bathroom tiles, planters, vases and even Terrazzo print wallpaper. There are endless colour and material options (e.g. glass and metal fragments) so it’s easy to understand why Terrazzo is growing in popularity. Most importantly, Terrazzo offers a new and interesting alternative to granite and concrete.
Simon Astridge was tasked with renovating and extending a Victorian house in North London, to create a contemporary space for a scientist and her family. Terrazzo was used throughout the space. In the kitchen all flooring, skirting and worktops are a dark grey Terrazzo and the living room coffee table is also Terrazzo with a reddish hue. The title of the project was ‘Terrazzo House’, chosen as it reminded the owner of looking through a microscope.
At Pentagon Tiles we offer a broad range of Terrazzo tiles in a range of colours, so you’re sure to find the tiles to suit your kitchen, bathroom or hallways.
Colourful Kitchens
White will always be a classic colour when it comes to kitchen design. However, in 2018, homeowners are straying away from block coloured kitchens and injecting touches of colour into their homes. Warm wood tones, such as mahogany and oak are combined with dark neutrals, such as grey and blue, to create a warm yet fresh look.
This trend was integrated into the home of Simon Mottram, the founder of cycling brand Rapha. Mottram and his family enlisted the help from Richard Parr and Associates to remodel their Edwardian-era house, located in Mapesbury, London. The Mottram family wanted a rich, warm and elegant contemporary style, that retains the building’s key original features.
Richard Parr and Associates, introduced pale blue into the kitchen cabinetry, alongside a dark oak countertop and matching island. The rest of the room remains simple with a muted colour palette, allowing the blue to stand out.
Earthy wood tones are an up and coming trend when it comes to kitchen cabinetry. People are drawn to the character of the wood and the warmth that the natural colour brings to a space. Warm colours are a popular choice for cabinets and wall colours; mustard, terracotta, yellow and dusky pinks all compliment wood and darker kitchens and work great with shades of grey.
If you decide to add or change colour in any room, a neutral floor tile will always match. At Pentagon Tiles we offer an extensive range of wall and floor tiles in multiple finishes and colours.
The New Metallics
Metallic touches in home decor are nothing new, but this year the choice of metallic finish is changing. Rose gold took over many aspects of home decor last year, and this year industrial metallics are expected to become the prominent choice. Less high shine materials, such as brass and nickel, will add a more organic element into your space.
Luxury interior design service, Elicyon, used ‘industrial’ metallic elements throughout the redesign of a London penthouse. Used for bathroom accessories, lighting features and draw handles, these materials complemented ultra chic marble floors to create an industrial twist to a modern design.
Lamps and smaller touches of industrial metallics are a great way to inject a new trend into a room without the need to invest in larger, more expensive furniture pieces. Simple finishing touches can add a huge impact.
Industrial
Bare fixtures, a pared-back colour palette and galvanised steel are all signature when it comes to industrial design. This trend has been around for several seasons, but this year will see a twist by adding a touch of glamour to this urban style.
London-based architecture practice Emulsion, have transformed a structure of a former corner shop, into three four-storey apartments. Architects decided to retain the previous 1950’s building, and build over it as part of a more sustainable strategy of adaptive re-use. An industrial-inspired material palette, is used throughout the interior and exterior. Metal mesh and steel beams were used to differentiate between the old and new parts of the building.
The industrial materials off galvanised steel and concrete, are reference to the area’s industrial heritage. Throughout the interior of the apartments, black metal lighting features add to the industrial design, with exposed cables and bright bulbs. Lighting is a great place to start when looking to incorporate this style into your existing decor. Cables and bulbs have become integral parts of the design that add to the trend.
Greys and neutrals work well with black and white, and bursts of colour can be infused through statement furniture pieces. Overall the colour palette is fairly muted, with hints of natural materials. The muted palette compliments the raw materials, which is a key feature of the industrial design. The occasional pop of colour is found through accent furniture pieces such as coffee and side tables.
The industrial design is easily achieved with our wide range of metal and concrete tiles, available in neutral colours that will pair perfectly with industrial furniture and decor pieces.
Pink and green
This year pink and green will be bigger than ever. With the increasing popularity of Greenery, Pantone’s colour of the year 2017, and millennial pink (which is more or less here to stay) there are many ways to incorporate this design trend into your home.
Leafy green house plants and simple touches of pink is probably the most simple and easiest way to incorporate this trend into your decor, or go bold with statement furniture pieces and wall paper.
Earlier in the year architecture studio Office S&M, combined millennial pink with green terrazzo details on the exterior of a new build house on Salmen Road. Set apart from its conventional brick-clad neighbours, the house’s pale pink and green exterior surely stands out. There are terrazzo elements throughout the exterior of the house which add a rich surface detail and also help light reflect light into the building.
The pink and green trend doesn’t just stop at the front door. Throughout the house there are also elements of millennial pink and leafy green. In the light, the floors appear a deep forest green, while in the kitchen a section of the ceiling is a very pale pink. These colours compliment a variety of other colours and materials. For example in the kitchen of the Salmen Road house, the appliances are black with a marble backsplash tile, and accents of natural wood shelving bring warmth to the space.
The pink and green trend is easily achievable with tiles from Pentagon. Whether you desire a striking green feature wall in your shower, or a delicate pink tile around your bath, we have multiple ranges available in shades of pink and green.
Monochrome
This trend is nothing new when it comes to home interiors, but monochrome is believed to increase in popularity in 2018. Simplicity is a key feature for this trend and is great if you wish to achieve a minimalist interior. This trend is highly sophisticated and stylish, and when combined with pared-back decor, can create a statement design.
London architecture studio Paper House Project, transformed a former Hackney warehouse into a two-bedroom living space, blending both the monochrome and industrial heritage.
Foliage is an effective way to bring back life into muted spaces, without injecting too much colour. A wooden table and benches stand out amongst the darker kitchen cabinets and worktops, and the spruce-panelled staircase introduces warmer elements into the space.
At Pentagon Tiles, we offer a wide variety of tiles in monochromatic colours, that will be an excellent addition to any kitchen or bathroom, that will never go out of style. Combine either of our Mods or Mattone ranges in black and white to create a feature complimenting your minimalistic interior.