The “Small” Design Detail Experts Say Will Be Everywhere in 2026 (It’s So Bold!)

From classic tartans to Buffalo check, plaid is truly one of the most versatile patterns — making it a great choice for a statement tile design. This textile-inspired motif is popping up everywhere in home design, from shower niches to kitchen backsplashes, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed. 

I spoke with designers and tile experts to get their thoughts on the bubbling trend, why it’s so hot right now, and how they’ve seen it used lately. Check out their answers below — and consider pulling out that familiar old flannel for inspiration the next time you’re planning a home project where tile can truly shine.

Design pros have  been obsessing over statement tile for quite a while — and the fervor is only growing. Just a few months ago, Pinterest used its data to predict that statement tile will be everywhere in 2026, with searches for “unique tiles” up 450% in the latter half of this year. 

Surely, the rapid rise of bold tile is tied to a yearslong surge of  maximalism in decor, but it also indicates an interesting departure from an obsession with resale value. 

Jamie Chappell, vice president of Brand & Product at Fireclay Tile, agrees: “I think people are just sick of the homogenous, white-on-white-on-white [look],” she told me while hosting an event in December 2025 at a press event. “And people are staying in their homes longer; everything’s more expensive. … They’re really wanting to personalize the space and make it what they want rather than think about resale value.”

She’s right, of course. Owning a home is extremely difficult these days, and the majority of younger people are renting for longer, or settling down into “starter homes” more permanently. After years of millennial gray and white subway tiles, homeowners are looking to reclaim spaces through personalization — and they’re doing this through more permanent features, including tile installation. 

If you ask Eli Mechlovitz, founder and CEO of TileBar, plaid patterns are the perfect way for homeowners to express individuality while still tapping into a timeless style.

“Checkerboards and plaids invite creativity. They allow for endless mix-and-match possibilities with color, finish, and scale, letting people infuse a sense of personality into their spaces,” he says. “The look feels familiar yet fresh, rooted in tradition, but reinterpreted for modern design.”

Sophie Rowell, principal designer and founder of Cote de Folk, agrees. “What I think makes these patterns so appealing is their familiarity,” she shares. “They’re rooted in tradition, yet when reimagined in subtle tones or unexpected materials, they feel entirely contemporary.” 

But, above all, I agree with Chappell; she feels that plaid tile “just helps to make a bigger space feel a bit more cozy.” And I know that coziness comes from the direct reference to traditional plaid-patterned fabrics. 

Plaid tile patterns can really be used anywhere you might think to tile. At TileBar, Mechlovitz has seen a wide range of applications, from bathrooms to backsplashes. “We’re seeing renewed interest in buffalo check motifs through our microsaic plaid marbles and natural stone,” he says. 

For Rowell, the trend seemed perfectly suited to kitchen flooring; she views it as a sort of new twist on the classic checkerboard floor.

“I first explored this look back in early 2024, when we designed a gingham-inspired floor using bespoke linoleum tiles in three shades of brown,” she says. “At the time, I was growing tired of seeing the same classic checkerboard pattern everywhere. [I] wanted to reinterpret it in a way that evoked that bygone kitchen charm but with a fresh twist.”

Whether it be a ‘micro-saic’ backsplash, moody pattern-drenched bathroom, or linoleum checkered flooring, you can always make a place for plaid. And as brands continue to embrace and explore this trend, there are plaid tile types for every taste — from marble to the trendy (and ancient) zellige.