Ali Abdali, CEO of Toronto-based porcelain and stone surfacing company Marbella, sees the same thing at play in materials. Cool, glossy and high-gloss gray and white surfaces dominated for years. Now, he says, warmer tones and matte or satin finishes are in demand. Travertine, a stone look that was everywhere a decade ago, disappeared almost entirely years ago and is just now back in style. His rule of thumb: ask yourself if it’s something you’ll want to watch every day for the next decade, or if you’re chasing a look you’ll tire of in two or three. “If you’re leaning towards something crazy, bold, bright or shiny,” he says, “you have to consider how much time you’re actually going to spend (with it).
