by Christy Heitger-Ewing | photos by Adam Gibson Architectural Photography
When shaping a home’s décor, it’s smart to start with tile. The material will likely end up on the everyday surfaces you look at the most: bathrooms, living rooms, entryways, and of course kitchens—the centerpiece of every home.
For 2025, homeowners are choosing organic colors and textures. Maybe the tiles have a rough surface with a soft glaze over it, or bold patterns in the shapes along its monochromatic surface. People are gravitating towards warm colors like creams and whites, which are increasingly associated with effortless elegance. It doesn’t hurt that these palettes pair so beautifully with modern contemporary homes.
According to Angie Allen, Territory Manager and Interim Showroom Manager at Virginia Tile, these earthy, organic inspired tiles with a pop of rich, splashy color mixed in are client favorites. She recommends soft travertine tiles as one popular option.
“It’s an updated cleaner version of a travertine,” says Allen. “So rather than the Tuscan style, which is really pitted and rocky, now they are smooth, clean cut, subtle, and earthy.”
Homeowners are especially eager to implement this kind of look into their primary bathrooms and kitchens.
“The kitchen is the most emotional room of the house,” says Allen. “Deciding on the kitchen backsplash is the hardest thing for homeowners because everyone that comes into your house sees it. This is where our in-house design team can help clients make these tough decisions.”
Organic base colors also open up tile designs for pairing with an accent color in a rich jewel tone like an emerald green, teal blue or navy. Think about pairing a natural white with a pop of color in unconventional spaces, like a colorful basin for the kitchen sink, or a mosaic greeting your guests in the entryway.
“We launched a new line of Virginia Tile Décor tiles that will be a big player this year as it has a lot of different looks,” says Allen. For example, their “Classic” line is a traditional subway tile, but the corresponding decorative accents have mixed metals and shimmer raised textures that create patterns on them. This juxtaposition makes it both timeless and playful.
“This year, homeowners are going big when they go home with their design selections! We continue to see a spiked interest in larger format sized tiles and porcelain slab tiles as well as a lot more matte finishes and lots of textures of all kinds,” says Allen. “Reeded patterns, raked textures and subtle, earthy feeling finishes are popular.”
Allen recommends their offerings of large slab porcelain panels, some of which are made in the U.S. while others are imported from Italy.
If you’re sustainability minded, one of Virginia Tile’s hidden gems is a Japanese line called Inax. They have a few lines that are air purifying. Based on conventional Japanese mud-wall construction, Ecocarat ceramic has many pores to catch and release air, regulating moisture, which in turn helps manage indoor humidity. Another welcome feature, Ecocarat helps deodorize foul odors from pets to tobacco. The many textures and natural colors can create relaxing statements for any space in your home.
Founded in Virginia in 1928, Virginia Tile started with salesmen going door to door selling tile out of suitcases. Their sales model evolved, and they later relocated their operations to Detroit, Michigan. Now they have 20 locations across 11 states, including Indianapolis, which opened in March 2024.
“For the past eight years, we have been selling tile to all of our flooring dealers in Indianapolis,” says Allen. “Indy proved to be a great spot for a showroom so we could showcase all our high-end products.”
Last year Virginia Tile merged with two other companies—Tom Duffy and Galleher LLC—to form a main brand under the parent company name Artivo Surfaces. A huge distributor of all things tile, including porcelain, ceramic, stone, glass, metal, and mosaic design solutions, now their product portfolio includes quartz countertop slabs, luxury vinyl plank, and in the near future, hardwood flooring.
“We’re one of the largest distributors in the U.S., giving us more buying and shopping power,” says Allen.
Every Virginia Tile showroom has designers and product specialists who help clients make tile selections that work best for the client’s project and design. Recently a woman came into the showroom, after unsuccessfully searching high and low for a backsplash tile that would fit her personality and vision.
After analyzing her new kitchen space, the team at Virginia Tile came up with a design that would give her the pop of color she wanted while still maintaining a subtle, earthy vibe. Better yet, she had a new calm about her and peace of mind.
“Now she’s elated,” says Allen. “Just by listening to her and taking into consideration her style and personality, we were able to create something she loved.”
This is what they do with all their clients—walk alongside them every step of the way, from inspiration to installation.
“In 2025, Virginia Tile has so much to offer that can contribute to the durability, productivity and beauty of any home or building,” says Allen. “It’s exciting to see where Virginia Tile goes next and what kinds of products we bring with us.”
Experts in textures, shapes, colors, and ideas, the team at Virginia Tile is eager to walk you through your project, making it a smooth, seamless, purposeful, and pleasurable experience. Call (463) 239-2600 to schedule an appointment. The showroom is open Monday through Friday from 9-5.
