Joe Simpson talks surface design highlights at InstallerSHOW 2025

Attracting interest from retailers, distributors, installers, self-builders, KBB specialists, and design influencers, Surface Area at last month's InstallerSHOW underlined the near-universal appeal of tiles – Diary of a Tile Addict’s Joe Simpson takes us on a curated tour.

Surface Area had a clear brief. Demonstrate the best designs in ceramic/porcelain tiles and worktops, while reflecting the full diversity of this dynamic market sector. With thousands of manufacturers worldwide, this is no easy task, but Diary of a Tile Addict’s final selection of 24 brands spanned everything from hand-made 100 by 100mm designer tiles from Margate through to massive 1,630 by 3,240mm My Top slabs from Italy... and everything in between. With tiles from Turkey, Portugal, Germany, UK, Italy, and Spain, this was a truly global selection.

And it was not just about the surfaces themselves. Preston’s Granite House, one of the UK’s leading worktop fabricators, showcased just what can be achieved when the latest cutting and shaping tools are put to work by informed experts. Granite House featured a statement white marble-effect kitchen island by Marazzi, shown above, with an invisible induction hob, alongside elements featuring 3 different surface finishes by Neolith, a stunning freestanding Inalco worktop with brass trim, and book-matched slabs by Fondovalle, imported by Forma+, and held in stock by Opus Distribution. The quality of the detailing, and the design potential of 6mm porcelain, really shone through.

Perhaps the outstanding technical feature of Surface Area’s worktop section was Fondovalle’s All-Over technique. This allows the pattern and texture of the ceramic slab to be reproduced on slab edges, digitally, in a way that is faithful to the original graphic. This patented process creates highly realistic porcelain surfaces, and allows the creation of objects such as circular porcelain-topped tables that look as though they have been fabricated from a single marble slab.

On the tile front, Surface Area captured most top trends. The designs included Tele di Marmo Onyx by Emilceramica; the latest chapter in the history of the world’s most precious marbles. Two very hot hues were picked from the range: green and pink. The fabric-effect segment was represented by Sant’Agostino’s Fineart range. Flying the flag for grungy, industrial, and brutalist concrete effects was Germany’s Porcelaingres.

Surface Area also featured the latest iterations of one of the most successful collections of the last decade: Marazzi’s Lume. This combines the aesthetic appeal of Italy’s traditional majolica tiles with the performance benefits of porcelain stoneware. The look is beguiling, elegant, and original in equal measure, while offering easy cleaning and porcelain’s renowned practicality.

And, talking about revolutionary, Surface Area’s visitors also got to see RAK Ceramics’ stunning photo-luminescent Luce range. Part of the Maximus slab collection, and featuring an ultra-white body, this range can be backlit to incredible effect in areas such as hotel receptions, bars, or kitchen splashbacks. With a full Lappato finish and rectified edges, these easy-to-clean 6mm slabs measure 1,200 by 2600mm.

Sustainability remains a hot topic in the tile sector. Surface Area covered this off with an extensive display of materials from Alusid. Distributed by Parkside, this innovative concept – developed in the UK and manufactured in Spain – explores the full potential of recycled industrial waste, such as glass or tile manufacturing, such as the dust produced during polishing or rectification.

Tile is also all about colour and detail. This was exemplified by 2 ranges from VitrA, Miniworx and Color 2.0. VitrA’s Miniworx modular system offers complementary solutions for edges and corners in 4 colours and 6 forms. The parts that ensure aesthetic appearance and ease of cleaning are suitable for many different residential uses such as bathrooms and kitchens, as well as public bathrooms, cafés and bars.

Representing the artisanal designer/producer end of the tile spectrum was Trix Newham’s Lux Pottery.  Each tile is hand produced and is an artwork in its own right, although instantly recognisable as being part of the Lux studio style. Utilising bold geometrics and subtle lines to create patterns which, though individual, follow each other and flow together to create a mesmerising whole, transcending mere decoration. This is a range that both harks back to the 1970s, and yet it is utterly contemporary.