Warm neutrals opened the door to softer, more comforting homes, but the direction is now moving on again, towards richer and darker colour families that feel grounded, expressive and deeply liveable. Instead of the pale sands and soft creams that have defined the last phase, we are seeing homeowners embrace caramel, cola, burnt toffee and spiced browns that bring depth without relying on high contrast or stark statements.

This shift mirrors what fashion commentators have described as a move away from quiet luxury towards a more playful, expressive mood, where personality is allowed back into the frame. Interiors rarely copy fashion at speed, but they do respond to the same cultural forces, and richer colour is emerging as the bridge between the calm of warm neutrals and the bolder energy that is building more widely. 

For the home, the appeal is practical as well as visual. Deeper warm colour is forgiving in busy spaces, it sits comfortably alongside timber, stone and aged metals, and it creates a sense of warmth that does not depend on trend-led accent colours. In tile, this looks especially current because glaze and variation add movement across a surface, meaning the colour reads as layered rather than flat.

Grazzie Wilson, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra, says: “Warm neutrals changed the feel of interiors because they took the edge off the cooler palettes that had dominated for years, but we are now seeing people want the warmth with more depth. The richer end of the spectrum, caramel through to cola, creates a room that feels settled and inviting, and it gives you colour that does not need to shout to have presence.

“If you are cautious, you do not need to commit to a whole room in a deep tone. Tiles let you place richer colour where it earns its keep, behind the basin, in a shower, around a bath, or as a kitchen splashback, and you can let the glaze do the heavy lifting by catching light and creating gentle tonal shifts across the surface.

“The detail that makes this trend work in real homes is how you handle transitions. Aim for harmony rather than contrast: grout that sits close to the base tone, edges finished cleanly, and a balance of plain fields with one moment of texture or variation so the space feels confident rather than busy.”

Richer shades are easiest to live with when they are treated as a wraparound tone rather than a sharp accent. In bathrooms, placing deeper colour where water and light naturally create reflections, such as shower walls or around a basin, helps the surface feel luminous, while leaving the remaining walls calmer keeps the room open. Gloss and subtly undulated finishes are useful here because they bounce light in a softer way than flat paint, so the colour feels warm and dimensional rather than dark for the sake of it. 

In kitchens, caramel and cola tones sit particularly well with timber grain, honed stone and brushed metals because the palette is related, which is why it reads as a progression from warm neutrals rather than a hard change of direction. If the room already has warm neutrals, a richer tile can be the step that adds depth without reworking cabinetry or worktops.

The installation choices matter more with deeper colour because every line is more visible. Aligning grout joints, keeping cuts neat, and selecting a grout that complements the base tone will make the surface feel seamless and deliberate. With heavily variegated or handmade-look glazes, blending tiles across boxes before fixing avoids patchy colour blocks and gives a more even, natural spread of tone. 

Product spotlight

Bamboo porcelain mosaic in Caramel (new launch)

Use this where you want texture at close range: a basin splashback, the inside face of a shower enclosure, or a niche. Styling-wise, pair it with warm metalwork and a quieter wall colour so the surface reads as a material choice, not a feature wall. RRP £14.63 a sheet

Maroc porcelain in Caramel (new launch)

A gloss porcelain with tonal variation and a softly undulated surface, designed to nod to traditional zellige while remaining practical for modern schemes. It works well when you want the richness of colour with movement across a wall, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens where changing light keeps the finish alive through the day. RRP £89.38/sqm

Avebury ceramic in Burnt Caramel

A glazed brick format that suits classic layouts and more contemporary spacing, depending on grout choice and bond pattern. If you want richer colour without making the room feel smaller, keep the field fairly continuous, then break it with a single shelf detail, a ledge, or a slim trim so the warmth feels integrated. RRP £86.40/sqm

Stone Glaze ceramic in Cola gloss brick

Handcrafted stoneware with a thick, hand-applied glaze and natural variation in tone, size and gloss level. This is the option for homeowners who want depth that feels collected and tactile; it rewards experienced installation, sympathetic spacing, and a grout plan that supports the glaze rather than competing with it. RRP £145.20/sqm