2022 Look-Ahead – Part 1: XTONE’s Dramatic New Patterns Rock

Veining has hit a nerve. According to numerous design forecasts, solid surfaces that feature large-scale, highly visible vein patterns will dominate residential and commercial interiors in 2022. The venerable British magazine Homes & Gardens exclaimed that rich veining is a sign of “unmissable luxury and next-level style.” Stateside, House Beautiful predicted that homeowners would embrace veining for both kitchen counters and backsplashes, to which Southern Living added, “The more glam and vein-centric…the better.”

Forecasters add that the current excitement around veining involves both push and pull. Veining represents a refreshing departure from the monochromatic or subtly gradated surfaces that ruled interiors in recent years. As for pull, the visual effect—which previously had been employed on projects whose scale and budget permitted the use of large, curated slabs of natural stone—is now more widely available due to advances in production technology.

Porcelanosa is a leader in that technology, thanks in part to its XTONE brand of large-format porcelain tiles and panels. Since launching XTONE in 2017, Porcelanosa has also steadily expanded XTONE’s offerings to stay ahead of aesthetic trends, and the latest introductions capture 2022 predictions to a tee. The new Astana Grey, Emerald Green, Invisible White, Orobico Dark, Orobico Grigio, and Marquina Black patterns, all part of XTONE’s Marble collection, feature heavy veining in several enticing variations.

Marquina Black is arguably the most theatrical of the just-introduced patterns, with streaks of white speeding across its surface. It also is reminiscent of a black marble quarried in the Basque region of Spain, which has been long favored for its ability to infuse drama in both traditional and highly contemporary spaces.

Shown: Marquina Black

Orobico, which is available in Dark and Grigio colorways, also has a counterpart in the natural world. The pattern namely resembles a slab of onyx. Orobico Dark possesses the contrasting bands of midnight and ochre that one might find in a black form of the semiprecious mineral, whereas Orobico Grigio shares the swirling shapes and tonal range of gray onyx.

Shown: Orobico Dark and Orobico Grigio

In this rollout, Porcelanosa has also mixed and matched the best qualities of natural products. XTONE’s Emerald Green pattern, for example, combines the veining of green marble with the oxbloods and golds of green onyx. Astana Grey possesses similar accent colors, which are arrayed in a branch-like fashion. Astana Grey also incorporates a granite influence, thanks to the delicate speckling in its warm background.

Shown: Emerald Green and Astana Grey

Invisible White, meanwhile, one-ups Mother Nature altogether, as its treatment of gray veining is more graphic than anything found in high-end marbles like Statuario or Calacatta.

Shown: Invisible White

Whatever the pattern, XTONE is an improvement upon natural products in terms of functionality. Comprising sintered porcelain and minerals, the material outperforms marble, onyx, and granite, as well as quartz and other common solid surfaces. The Porcelanosa product is impressively resistant to staining, heat marks and water spills, scratching, and ultraviolet rays, as well. Seen alongside its 50 other existing options, which include white-hot breccia patterns as well as timelessly striated designs, XTONE represents a complete toolbox for achieving the new stone style.