Earthier, Moodier, Greener: Tile Trends for 2025

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Goodbye stark white kitchens, hello to a warmer, more textured future. The 2025 tile landscape is shifting dramatically toward spaces that feel lived-in, sustainable, and deeply personal—and we couldn't be more excited about where design is headed.

The earthy palette revolution is in full swing, with clay, sand, sage, terracotta, and olive creating environments that feel grounded and inviting. What makes these colors special isn't just their visual warmth but their staying power. As we discuss in this episode, these nature-inspired tones "wear in instead of out," developing character over time rather than looking dated. Paired with subtle textures—those handmade, slightly wavy terracotta squares or imperfect-edge tiles that catch light throughout the day—these materials create spaces that truly feel like home.

The floor beneath your feet is becoming the canvas for personal expression, with statement patterns transforming entryways and high-traffic areas. The revival of classic layouts like herringbone and basket weave proves that what's old becomes new again when installed with creativity and precision. We share real client stories of tone-on-tone herringbone mudrooms and basket weave patterns that wrap from floors onto walls, demonstrating how installation technique can transform even simple tiles into custom masterpieces.

Looking toward tomorrow, we explore how technology and sustainability are reshaping tile's future. From heated floors to embedded lighting and recycled materials, homeowners are demanding more from their surfaces—both in performance and environmental responsibility. Our favorite approach? Future-proofing designs by layering innovation on timeless foundations, creating spaces that evolve rather than require replacement.

Ready to bring these 2025 trends into your home? Subscribe to the Belk Tile Podcast for more insights, and share which of these emerging styles you're most excited to incorporate into your next project!

Episode Transcript

BELKY (00:01):
What kind of tile can you put on the wall or shower?
Do you have to seal tile?
How much extra tile should Ibuy for my project?
What thinset is the best for mytile application?
How hard is it to maintainnatural stone?
You have questions.
We have answers.
Welcome to the Belk TilePodcast.

(00:22):
How to style the bathroom, thebackyard, the kitchen, how to
improve your home style withtiles to make your home
absolutely beautiful?
Welcome to the Belk TilePodcast.
Here's your host, Mike Belk.

Mike (00:43):
All right, welcome back to the Belk Tile Podcast everyone.
I'm Mike Belk and, as always,I'm sitting down with Abby to
talk all things tile.

Abby (00:50):
Good morning Mike.
How was your Labor Dayyesterday?

Mike (00:53):
It was good, nice, relaxing weekend.
I gave everyone Friday off aswell, which makes it nice to
have a long weekend.

Abby (00:59):
I know.
Thank you so much.
It was nice to have some timewith the family and enjoy this
beautiful Ohio weather we havebeen getting.

Mike (01:06):
The weather has been great , at least the last week and a
half.

Abby (01:09):
It was a hot summer, that is for sure.

Mike (01:11):
Okay, let us dive into today's episode, which is about
the top tile trends of 2025.
And honestly, Abby, I gotta say, if I see another plain, stark,
white kitchen, I might justwell I'll politely hand them a
sample of something clay orolive might just well I'll
politely hand them a sample ofsomething.

Abby (01:27):
clay or olive.
Right, I knew we were in for ashift this year.
Earthy tones are everywhere.
Think clay, sand, sage,terracotta, olive.
What I love is how these colorsmake a space feel like lived in
, softer, and for people wholisten to our episode on brown
tiles, this is really just thenext chapter.
It's that cozy, grounded energy, but fresher.

Mike (01:45):
You nailed it.
There's also this big push forsubtle texture, fluted tile,
matte stone things that you canactually feel when you run your
hand over them.
We had a client last month.
She came in convinced shewanted high-gloss white tile for
the backsplash but walked outwith these handmade, slightly
wavy terracotta squares.
Total kitchen transformation,not showy, just like quietly

(02:07):
inviting.

Abby (02:08):
That reminds me of a project I finished in February A
kitchen with those imperfect,uneven edge tiles, kind of
rustic but not kitschy.
The way the light hit themthroughout the day it was, I
mean, almost magical, honestly,and it made the whole room feel
warmer, even though the palettewas so, so subtle.

Mike (02:28):
Yeah, that's it, these earthy colors and textures.
They help people feel safe andgrounded, especially in high
traffic areas.
Think kitchens, entryways, evenmudrooms.
And you know, the best part is,as these tiles get used and
pick up a little life, smallscuffs, a bit of patina, they
just look better.
They wear in instead of out.

Abby (02:45):
Exactly they age with you.
And if you keep these tonesmuted, kind of like what you'd
find in actual nature moss,stone, that sort of thing they
never really look dated.
I tell clients the trick is tobalance the organic tiles with
neutral cabinetry wood accentsor linen textures.
That's how you end up with aspace that feels of the moment
but also like it's alwaysbelonged.

Mike (03:07):
And, honestly, it takes the pressure off being perfect,
doesn't it?
You can mix finishes, you canhave a little texture and
suddenly the room just feelsmore like you Moving from walls
to underfoot.

Abby (03:16):
2025 is definitely the year of statement floors.
For so long, floors were thisafterthought.
Right Now, entryways are sayinghello with herringbone, chevron
, even big geometrics.
It's designed on a grand scale,but still approachable.

Mike (03:30):
Yeah, people want to put their personality right where
you step in.
We actually helped a Belk Tileclient do a mudroom floor with a
tone-on-tone herringbone subtlelike charcoal and lighter gray.
It had all the movement andnone of the noise and I'm
telling you, the pattern gavethat mudroom some serious
swagger without screaming forattention.

Abby (03:47):
Totally, mike, and I love how layouts have gotten creative
too.
It's not just the pattern, it'show you install it Vertical
stacks, diagonal lines, evenwrapping tile onto the ceiling.
I worked on a powder room wherewe ran a classic basket weave
pattern straight up one wall andacross the ceiling.
Everyone thought it was thisfancy custom tile, but it was

(04:08):
all about the way we laid it out.

Mike (04:10):
And here's the thing, those classic patterns like
herringbone or basket weave.
There's a reason they've stuckaround.
Even when you go bold with thefloor, the structure of those
layouts makes it feel rooted,not trendy for trendy's sake.
It's like you can have fun, butif you stay classic on the
pattern and neutral on thecolors, you're good for the long
haul formats.

Abby (04:35):
Cut down the grout lines, make the space look bigger, but
stay timeless if you keep thecolor palette controlled.
I always tell folks let thefloor do the talking and keep
walls and textiles a littlesimpler so you don't overpower
the space.
That's honestly one of the bestways to help these trends age
gracefully.

Mike (04:47):
And craftsmanship matters.
If the installation's off wrongspacing, bad alignment, you
name it it doesn't matter howtrendy your tile is, it'll look
off now and even worse later.
So pick your installer like youpick your tile with care.
Where was I going with this?
Oh right, you do it right, withthe right pattern and skill.

Abby (05:03):
It'll be a statement for years let's talk about moody
palettes and going green, two ofmy favorite subjects.
We're seeing a lot of deep navy, forest green, even matte black
, show up in kitchens and bathsand, honestly, when clients pair
those with natural wood orbrass, it doesn't feel trendy,
it feels well sophisticated.

Mike (05:22):
I'll admit I was a little skeptical at first, thought
maybe moody colors would fadefast.
But you balance them right,like you said, mix in warm wood
or some metal accents andsuddenly those dark tiles have a
real staying power.
Reminds me of when we coveredblack tile trends a few episodes
ago.
Matte black subway or a deepgreen zelaj paired with oak
can't go wrong.

Abby (05:40):
Right, but here's where it gets even better Sustainability
More homeowners are startingwith eco-friendly in mind,
wanting recycled glass, clay orresponsibly sourced porcelain.
I do a lot of recycled glassbacksplashes, and not only do
they look beautiful, they comewith a story clients love to
tell.
And, let's face it quality,sustainable materials genuinely

(06:01):
last longer.
So you're doing good and makinga smart investment.

Mike (06:05):
Yeah, people are savvier about what goes in their home.
I always say ask about whereand how it's made.
If a client comes in wanting areally bold or new-to-the-scene
look, I'll ask is this a coloryou wore 10 years ago?
Do you see it sticking aroundin your wardrobe, or is it just
what's hot on Pinterest thismonth?

Abby (06:25):
That's usually a good gut check for long-term love over
fast fashion and tile AbsolutelyQuality sourcing and honestly,
just trusting your gut.
If something feels balanced,like moody tiles with light
counters or a sustainable mosaicin a classic layout, it's
almost always going to hold upthe best rooms.
Mix a little trend with a lotof classic and sustainable
substance.

Mike (06:44):
All right.
So before we wrap up, quickdetour to the future.
Technology and tile.
Heated floors are like the holygrail for anyone sick of cold
toes, and we're seeing moreinstallations with underfloor
heat than ever before.
Then you've got embeddedlighting, that subtle glow along
the toe kick or under a step.
It's both form and function.

Abby (07:02):
I'm obsessed with lit tile accents, and then the custom
side of things like monogrammedmosaics, personalized designs or
working with artisans forunique finishes.
There's all these ways to usetech to make tiles work smarter,
and then some to make them feelmore you.
I mean your home shouldn't looklike everyone else's, even if
you're following trends right.

Mike (07:24):
Exactly.
The best approach I've seen isto layer innovation on a classic
foundation.
Take a neutral, timeless tile,maybe a soft stone look or a
muted geometric, then use techor custom details as an accent.
That way, if you get tired ofsay, backlit house numbers and
tile, you just update the accent, not your entire backsplash or
floor.

Abby (07:43):
And that doesn't just go for high-tech stuff.
You can future-proof yourdesign basics by thinking about
adaptability.
Keep the bones simple and letthe details evolve.
That's how you wind up with aspace that grows with you.
Honestly, we covered a lottoday, but I think those are my
favorite takeaways Choose whatyou love, blend tech with
tradition and always leave roomfor your own story.

Mike (08:07):
Couldn't have said it better.
Thanks for tuning in to anotherepisode of Belk.

Abby (08:09):
Tile Talk Abby.
Always a pleasure.
You too, mike, and thanks toeveryone listening in.
We can't wait to share whereTile's headed next.
Take care everyone.

Mike (08:16):
All right, have a great week, folks.
We'll catch you next time onthe Belk Tile Podcast.

BELKY (08:19):
Bye, you've been listening to the Belk Tile
Podcast.
When it comes to creating abeautiful home using tile, this
is the podcast for products,design ideas and tips.
We hope you got some usefulpractical information from this
show and we'll be back soon, butin the meantime, reach out.

(08:40):
The website is wwwbelktilecom.
Our store phone number is614-543-8334.
Find us on Facebook and Twitterat Belk Tile and on Instagram
at Belk Tiles.
Make sure to leave a rating andreview and if you have
questions or comments, reach outand we'll talk about it on the

(09:02):
next show.
Till next time.