MILES OF TILES

From FULLY TILED POOLS making a comeback to an abundance of PATTERNS, here are this year's essential tile trends, as seen at EXPO REVESTIR in São Paulo, Brazil.

- JO BUITENDACH

SÃO PAULO IS A MEGACITY – a sprawling metropolis with frenetic energy, endless traffic and a huge population. It’s also the home of Latin America’s largest coatings and finishings fair, Expo Revestir.

What to expect of an invitation to attend a tile/surfaces trade fair in South America? Would it be interesting and VISI-worthy? I wasn’t sure. I had little idea of how big Brazil’s tile industry was. But aŽ er one week in the economic heart of the country, I now know it’s one of the world’s largest manufacturers and exporters of ceramic tiles.

Established more than two decades ago, Expo Revestir is 65 000m2 of floors and surfaces, bathroom fixtures, trends and innovative design. It’s fantastic to see this level of trade, production and creativity from a fellow member of the sometimes-maligned Global South. It’s also not a surprise: Brazil has a strong history of design, and is the home of modernist starchitects Oscar Niemeyer, Paulo Mendes da Rocha and Lina Bo Bardi. It’s also home to notable furniture designers, including the Campana brothers. The region is a bubbling melting pot of contemporary design and art.

With countless options to pick from, here are just a few of the top tile and ceramics trends seen at Expo Revestir.

The days of tiles being only square or rectangular are long gone. Uniquely shaped tiles are all the rage – think circles, stars, crosses, fans, ogees, half-moons, triangles, hexagons and octagons. You can go bananas and cover the whole bathroom in this geometric jumble, or stick to an interesting backsplash. They’re a fun way of injecting character into a space.