What's Actually Trending in Tiles Right Now? Mokara Estudio, a Madrid Home Renovation Company Weighs In

MADRID - Every January, the same question pops up in client meetings at Mokara Estudio: "So what should we actually go with this year?"

It's not a simple answer anymore. The tile market has exploded with options, and what worked three years ago can already look dated. The Madrid-based renovation firm just put together a deep dive on 2026 trends, and honestly? Some of it surprised even them.

Bigger is winning. Way bigger.

The move toward large-format porcelain keeps accelerating. We're talking 120x120cm slabs now - nearly four feet across. Why does this matter? Fewer grout lines. Cleaner look. And in a compact Madrid flat, that visual continuity tricks the eye into seeing more space than actually exists.

But here's the catch: you need installers who know what they're doing. These pieces are fragile during installation - one wrong move and they shatter. Mokara learned this early and now only works with teams who've handled the format before.

Earth tones are back. Not the 90s version.

Terracotta, olive, ochre. Sounds like your grandmother's kitchen, right? It's not. The new versions are refined - matte finishes, subtle variations, nothing that screams "Tuscan villa." People got tired of gray-on-gray-on-white. They want warmth now. Something that feels like home, not a showroom.

The Mokara team put some of these warmer palettes into a recent project on Avenida de Bruselas - 150 square meters, about 14 weeks of work. The bathrooms went with gray tile and navy vanities (classic combo), but throughout the apartment they brought in natural wood tones and custom shelving that softened everything up. The clients had a massive book collection. Floor-to-ceiling shelves. It changed the whole feel of the place.

Zellige is everywhere. For good reason.

Those slightly imperfect Moroccan-style tiles with the uneven edges? They photograph incredibly well, which helps explain the Instagram boom. But they also just... look good in person. Each tile catches light differently. Walls feel alive instead of flat.

Not cheap though. And the irregular shapes mean more labour time. Worth it in the right spot - a feature wall, a shower niche - but probably not for an entire bathroom on a tight budget.

Wood-look ceramics solve a real problem

Real hardwood in a bathroom is a nightmare waiting to happen. But people love that warmth. Wood-effect porcelain gives them both: the look without the warping, the swelling, the refinishing every few years. Mokara's been recommending it for kitchens too, especially for families with kids. Juice spills aren't a crisis anymore.

How you lay them matters as much as what you pick

Herringbone patterns. Vertical stacking. Diamond layouts. The grid is boring now. Even budget projects can look custom if the installation pattern has some thought behind it. One trick that's been working well: only tile the shower area, paint the rest. Saves money, still looks intentional.

The sustainability question keeps coming up

Two years ago, maybe one in ten clients asked about eco-friendly options. Now it's closer to half. Recycled ceramics, low-impact porcelain - the supply chain has caught up and the options actually look good now.

For Madrid homeowners planning a renovation

Mokara works across Madrid and up into Cantabria. If you're in the northern zones - Alcobendas, La Moraleja, Arroyo de la Vega, Valdelasfuentes - they cover full renovations, kitchens, bathrooms, the works. Also do commercial spaces and home staging.

Full trend breakdown here: https://mokarainteriorismo.com/tendencias-azulejos-bano-2026/

Alcobendas-area services: https://mokarainteriorismo.com/reformas-integrales-alcobendas-arroyo-de-la-vega-la-moraleja-valdelasfuentes/

Mokara Estudio | Reformas integrales e interiorismo

Email: info@mokarainteriorismo.com
Telephone: +34 611 05 92 45
Address: C. del Pensamiento, 27, 7 derecha puerta 8, Tetuán, 28020 Madrid

Mokara Estudio specialises in comprehensive high-end renovations and bespoke interior design, with particular expertise in luxury reforms and kitchens. Based in Madrid and active throughout the Community of Madrid, the studio is expanding its presence in Cantabria. More information:

https://mokarainteriorismo.com

This release was published on openPR.