Just in time for spring, the botanical trend is abloom in the world of interior design—and nowhere more beautifully than in the realm of decorative tile.

“Things are shifting toward more organic shapes and fluid lines, and we’re seeing it embodied in the leaves and florals of botanical designs,” says Kirsten Schmit, marketing and product manager for tile specialist Decorative Materials, which has showrooms in Denver, Aspen, Vail, and Telluride. “It’s a true softening of the very graphic, angular patterns of last year and the year before.”

Whimsical florals and bold, leafy fronds can make a big statement, but it’s a tough look to get right, Schmit cautions. Here, she shares a few tips for pulling it off with style:

Create a feature wall. Kitchen backsplashes and powder rooms are great places to incorporate the trend, Schmit says. Or, opt for a space you get up close and personal with every day, like your master bathroom’s shower. “I recently saw a botanical-patterned, stone-mosaic feature wall paired with white marble in a shower, and it was stunning,” Schmit says. “It’s a great place to push your boundaries if you don’t quite have the nerve to commit to a kitchen backsplash.”

allison eden banana leaf
Allison Eden Studios’ Banana Leaf Plant pattern is bright and bold. Available at Decorative Materials. Image courtesy of Allison Eden Studios
aram orchid tile
Orchid Dimensional Bianco Carrara, by Michael Aram for Artistic Tile, is sculpted in three dimensions from Thassos marble. Available at Decorative Materials. Image courtesy of Decorative Materials
allison eden floral motif yellow
Allison Eden Studios’ Floral Motif Over Yellow glass mosaic has the look of stained glass. Available at Decorative Materials. Image courtesy of Allison Eden Studios

Choose just one. Botanical patterns “work best on their own,” Schmit says, so choose one design you love and let it take center stage—and avoid pairing it with another soft-lined pattern. The room’s supporting design elements should speak softly in terms of texture.

Carefully consider color. “My biggest caution is to carefully consider your color palette,” Schmit says. If you are going bold with pattern, don’t add color that will steal the show. A natural fieldstone or white marble is a great place to start; a monochromatic palette will really let the pattern shine.

allison eden mod flowers
Allison Eden Studios’ Mod Flowers pattern is perfect for a girl’s bathroom. Available at Decorative Materials. Image courtesy of Allison Eden Studios
Aram leaf tile
The Michael Aram Leaf White tile, created for Artistic Tile, features intricate texture and a glossy white finish. Available at Decorative Materials. Image courtesy of Decorative Materials
allison eden studios flowers and vines
Vivid Flowers and Vines, by Allison Eden Studios, features a scatter of blossoms on a bone-colored backdrop. Available at Decorative Materials. Image courtesy of Allison Eden Studios

Keep it inside. It may be tempting to incorporate a botanical-patterned tile into an outdoor room, but Schmit says the unpredictable Colorado weather (with its frequent freeze-thaw cycles) isn’t friendly to outdoor tile. Always opt for function over fashion.

View these and other botanical-patterned tiles in person at Decorative Materials’ Denver showroom, located at the Denver Design District; 595 S. Broadway, Suite 121E; 303-722-1333, decorativematerials.com