February 26, 2024

Residential Outdoor Spaces

Beljn carbon-neutral exterior porcelain tile in Castle Stone

The residential sector's desire for outdoor living spaces is at an all-time high. A 2022 New Home Trends Institute survey revealed a “connection to the outdoors/nature and outdoor entertaining” ranking high on the top 10 list of design drivers. Following value and cost considerations, connection to the outdoors and nature was predicted to be the most significant driver of home design choices through 2025. The survey also showed that an open yard ranked low among design professionals compared with more multifunctional options. Only 28% of respondents chose open yard space, compared with other more popular features, such as covered outdoor rooms/open-air rooms (73%), patios (68%), and decks (55%). Explore our exterior tile collections for residential installations here.

Outdoor Spaces in Multifamily Environments 

At the Cafe´ 2CM porcelain pavers in gray

The drive toward more outdoor living spaces is a factor in more than just the residential arena. The demand for versatile outdoor areas in multifamily environments is on the rise. Residents want spaces that can accommodate a variety of activities, including relaxation, social gatherings, and fitness. Multifamily properties are responding by creating areas for outdoor fitness classes, movie nights, or communal dining. 

Outdoor Spaces at Hotels

Stone Fiction exterior porcelain pavers in Travertine Beige

In the hospitality segment, there is also a surge in demand for high-quality outdoor accommodations as travelers increasingly seek immersive outdoor experiences. Outdoor lounging areas, pools, and open-air rooftop bars are expected amenities; the fitness landscape is evolving beyond the traditional workout space, with hotels embracing diverse fitness options, from on-site yoga studios to outdoor workout spaces.

Outdoor Spaces at Healthcare Facilities

Outdoor Earth exterior porcelain tile in Dark Grey

In the healthcare market, facility design is increasingly moving beyond design elements that optimize diagnosis and treatment to an emphasis on creating an environment that promotes health, healing, and recovery. Hospital outdoor space has emerged as a key design element for healthcare facilities to address its users' physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. 

Designing Outdoor Spaces

Backyard Chill 2CM porcelain exterior tiles in Gray

Whether commercial or residential, the surfacing specified for outdoor spaces is a big piece of the design puzzle. Outdoor flooring must be as safe as possible, and all surfacing must be tough enough to withstand the elements. Surfacing should also be easy to maintain and not prone to chipping or cracking. Above all, outdoor surfacing should be beautiful. Here’s a look at the surfacing materials best suited for outdoor use. 

Porcelain Tiles for Outdoor Use

Owen Stone in matching exterior and interior finish tiiles in Down.

Porcelain tile products are ideally suited for exterior surfacing because the tiles are moisture-resistant, mold and mildew-resistant, extremely strong, and can withstand the elements. While natural stone is also a beautiful and durable surface material, for outdoor flooring, porcelain tile is generally considered more durable than natural stone tiles, which are more susceptible to chipping and cracking, especially if the stones aren't properly sealed. Porcelain is a very dense and hard material that's highly resistant to scratches, stains, and water damage, making porcelain tile ideal for commercial environments that receive heavy traffic as well as for residential outdoor surfacing that is long-lasting and easy to maintain. See all our outdoor tile collections here. 

Tiles for the Best Slip Resistance Outdoors 

Mellow Out exterior grip finish porcelain tiles in Ivory

When it comes to tile flooring indoors and outdoors, slip resistance is an important consideration, especially in outdoor environments. Unlike indoor flooring that may be subject to spills here and there, outdoor flooring can become very wet and potentially slippery from pool splashes or precipitation. Porcelain tiles are considered impervious (water does not penetrate) and offer good slip resistance when wet. Still, special finish exterior porcelain tiles offer even more slip resistance in wet, outdoor environments — these are the tiles in the porcelain paver and grip finish categories. 

Porcelain field tiles, grip finish tiles, pavers, and coping are all superb choices for outdoor environments. Porcelain floor tiles for patios, pool decks, and outdoor kitchens are available in a myriad of looks that mimic all the beautiful natural stones, as well as wood and terracotta look. See all our outdoor decking, coping, and pavers here.

Ceramic Tiles for Outdoor Use

Handwritten ceramic wall tile vertical installation on the island and backsplash. 

While not recommended for exterior flooring, many ceramic tiles are suitable for vertical surfaces outdoors. If the manufacturer states that ceramic field tiles or mosaic tiles are suitable for exterior walls, you can use them for feature walls, barbecue islands, and pool waterlines, for example.

Glass Tiles 

Twilight glass tiles are appropriate for pool and fountain waterlines and full linings.

Glass tiles and glass mosaic tiles are often used for pool waterlines because small glass tiles bring bits of brilliance that not only shine in the sun but offer the technical performance required for pool tile. We also provide specialty glass tiles and mosaics suitable for full pool linings. See our pool tile collections here.

Exterior Cladding 

Thinstone natural stone wall cladding in White Birch

Exterior wall cladding can be used to create unique design features, add aesthetic appeal, or be a visual barrier between spaces. Our exterior cladding selections are derived from natural materials, making them fade- and weather-resistant and naturally long-lasting. See our exterior wall cladding collections here. 

Porcelain Slab & Countertops 

Suspense porcelain waterfall countertop 

Our porcelain slabs are perfect for the outdoors. These beautiful porcelain countertops offer a range of gorgeous looks and are UV-, Stain-, and frost-resistant to ensure your outdoor space looks as good next year as it does today.
 

Whether the surfaces you wish to tile are vertical or horizontal, covered or fully exposed, in temperate or extreme weather conditions or climates, our tile pros can guide you to select the outdoor tile best suited to answer your technical specification requirements and desired aesthetic. Specifying the right tile for your exterior application’s unique needs is essential — turn to the Crossville Studios tile experts at our 28 showroom locations to help you choose your outdoor tile confidently for long-term enjoyment. Connect with us today!

Visit the outdoor section of our website to see all Crossville Studios outdoor collections: pool tile, decking, coping, pavers, exterior cladding, and porcelain countertops.

Browse our 2024 Pool & Outdoor digital catalog here.