As Featured in Apartment Therapy: Let’s Talk About Tile, Trends, and Choosing What Feels Like You

If we were sitting together over coffee right now, and you told me you were about to pick tile for your kitchen or bathroom, I already know exactly where the conversation would go.

You’d pull out your phone. Show me a photo or two. Maybe a Pinterest board. And then you’d say something like:

“Okay… but what if I regret this in five years?”

Totally normal. Totally human. Totally fixable.

And honestly? It’s one of the reasons I was excited when Apartment Therapy reached out to feature me in their recent article about tile trends homeowners regret. (You can read it here: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/kitchen-tile-trends-regret-5-years-37510455)

Because here’s the truth: regret doesn’t usually come from the tile itself. It comes from choosing something because it was trending… not because it felt like you.

Let’s Talk About That Trend Anxiety for a Second

Every season, designers see new tile styles that take over the internet - bold patterns, bright colors, dramatic shapes.

They look gorgeous in photos.

They get saved to your Pinterest boards 38 times.

And then suddenly, every showroom has a version of it.

But here’s what I told Apartment Therapy (and what I tell my clients all the time):

A trend only becomes a regret when it never matched your taste in the first place.

It’s like buying a pair of shoes everyone else loves… and then wondering why they don’t feel right on you.

Tile works the same way.

Let’s Talk About My Client

I once designed with a client who had been eyeing this simple, creamy handmade tile for months. She loved it every time she saw it.

But then she went to a friend’s house, saw their trendy patterned tile, and suddenly panicked:

“Should I be doing something more exciting? Am I playing it too safe?”

So we laid out all her options.

The patterned tile was fun.

But the warm, soft, imperfect handmade tile?

She lit up looking at it.

And I said, “Look at your face right now. That’s the tile.”

That’s the moment.

The click.

The yes.

The “this is so me” feeling.

And you know what?She’s lived with it now for three years… and still loves it every single day.

That’s the whole point.

Here’s the Thing Most People Don’t Realize

If you’re planning to live in your home for more than 5–7 years… your tile should make you happy.

Not Instagram.

Not Pinterest.

Not even your designer (though I can usually tell when it’s going to drive you nuts later 😂).

What people regret most isn’t being too bold or too safe, it’s choosing something that didn’t actually feel like them.

So How Do You Choose Tile You Won’t Regret?

1. Pay attention to the tile that makes you pause.

You know that “ohhhh yes” moment?

Yeah. Listen to that.

2. Pick what fits your actual home, not the showroom lighting.

Showrooms are like dressing rooms.

Everything looks different once you get it home.

3. Let your counters anchor the room.

If the counters and tile fight, the room feels chaotic. If they support each other, it feels like magic.

4. Trends are fun… but your taste lasts longer.

If something trendy also feels like you?

Amazing. If not? Let it pass.

5. Give yourself permission to choose joy.

Seriously.

It’s your home…pick what makes you smile.

If You’re in the Middle of Tile Decisions Right Now… I’ve Got You

This part of the remodel can be overwhelming because it carries so much emotional weight. You don’t want to hate it later. You don’t want to waste money. You don’t want to redo anything.

And you don’t have to do it alone.

Two ways I can make this easier:

👉 Discuss With a Designer 

A single session where we make smart, aligned decisions together so you walk away knowing exactly what works.

👉 Fast Track Selections

Shhh…we are getting ready to launch a new service in 2026, but have been secretly trying it out with clients over the past few months. And they LOVE it!! 

This is our “let’s get this done quickly but thoughtfully” process where we pick every finish and hand your contractor a full spec list. It’s perfect for folks who aren’t changing walls or layout, need selections quickly, and have a contractor they trust working with them. Email support@brandiwineinteriordesign.com with questions or to get booked! 

Both take the stress out of this part of the remodel, and make space for excitement again.

Listen…

We deserve homes that feel grounding, personal, and lived in, not homes designed around what’s trending this week.

Your home should feel like you.

And if you’ll be living there for years to come? Lean in.

Choose what you love.

And let the trends take care of themselves.

Whenever you’re ready, I’m here to help you pull it all together.

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