Do you look around and think you have seen enough of subway tiles? Well, it is 10 years since I added mine to my kitchen and I do still love them. However, there are so many encaustic Morrocan style tiles that are flying around Instagram at the moment and I am loving the patterned tile. Some experts may say that this patterned tile trend is a fad and will go out of fashion as quickly as it has arrived but the patterned tile has been shown in many interior photos for the past 3 years and I see no sign of it going anywhere yet.

If you are lucky enough to own a Victorian or Edwardian property then there is a great chance you own a hallway floor that has an original tile presence. These tiles were very fashionable at that time and how many people have ripped up their hallway carpet just to see if there was a slight chance of seeing a patterned tile gazing back at them?

My advice is if you love this patterned tile trend then go for it. We can spend a huge amount of time worrying about whether a trend will come and go but we need to enjoy our homes and feel free to implement what we love. So count me in. All I will say is if you are worried about adding this trend to a whole floor or wall then just dip your toes by adding splashbacks to your downstairs loo or bathroom.

Tiling a coffee table or side table would give a great focus and be easily taken away if you didn’t like the patterned look later on. Personally, I love this tile, I love how it can add a feature to your bathroom or kitchen and break up an area of a room.

Encaustic cement tiles have been around for centuries and Europe set up factories in Barcelona and Paris around 1850. Manufacturing the encaustic cement tile does not require fueled heat so it makes it more possible for tile-making to be located in remote and rustic areas. This meant encaustic tile making was found in lots of places like Mexico and Cuba as well as across Europe. Did you know encaustic tiles are made by impressing a pattern in the unfired clay to a shallow depth using a carved wooden mould. The resulting indentations were filled with a liquid clay, or slip, of contrasting colour.

Using this trend especially in the bathroom means that you can have fun and mix a patterned tile with a subway tile and create a very modern up to date style. Having been around for centuries it means if you want to add to a classic style it will definitely look the part. One of my favorite ways of using this trend is adapting it with antiques and creating an eclectic look.

There are now tons of suppliers showing a traditional style pattern and used on a modern tile but I honestly think paying a little more and going for a cement tile will pay off in the long run. For a start, the pattern will not wear off and the quality will speak for itself. This is why I love places like Fired Earth because they are famous for providing good quality tiles. With the ease of ordering online these days if you don’t have a store near you then you can easily get orders delivered to your door.

Whatever way you decide to add this trend enjoy it and if you are not going to be jumping down the patterned route soon maybe you can just add a few tiles as coasters to your side? what do you think?

All views are my own. I didn’t get paid for writing this post.

Featured Image – Luigi Roselli Architects

Image 1 – Remodelista

Image 2 – Pinterest

Image 3 – Byrd Design

Image 4 – My own (Yes they are my feet)