Design Tiles
Design Tiles is a privately held Sydney-based specialty retailer founded in 1999, selling premium architectural tiles, bathroomware, hardware, and lighting through a Rockdale showroom and Australia-wide e-commerce, serving residential homeowners, designers, and commercial builders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersRockdale, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Design Tiles does
Design Tiles is a privately held Australian specialty retailer of architectural tiles, bathroomware, hardware, and lighting, founded in 1999 and headquartered at a single showroom in Rockdale, NSW. The company operates a hybrid retail model combining a physical showroom (407 Princes Highway, Rockdale) with an Australia-wide e-commerce website (designtiles.com.au). Its core product offering spans porcelain and ceramic tiles in formats including mosaics, subway, kit kat, mega slabs (up to 3200x1600mm), natural stone, terrazzo, stone cladding, and handmade-look tiles, priced per square metre from approximately $22 to $290. Adjacent categories include tapware and bathroomware (Meir, Caroma, ADP, Nood Co, ABI), cabinet hardware (Zephra), proprietary Lunara lighting, and engineered timber flooring. The company also offers free in-store and virtual design consultation, sample packs ($5 for five samples via code '5SAMPLE'), and a Builders Range for cost-conscious buyers. Proprietary 'Design Tiles Exclusive' collections (Alhambra Flower Viola Marble Mosaic, Botanica Kit Kat, Zellige Series, Travertine Soft Stone, Travertine Bianco, Ivory Stone Porcelain) and exclusive distribution of Kazoku handcrafted Japanese mosaic tiles form differentiated offerings.
The business operates as a multi-channel retailer to three primary customer segments: residential homeowners (primary; renovations, new builds, interior upgrades), design professionals and builders (secondary; specifier relationships), and commercial builders/developers (secondary; hotels, airports, office fit-outs). Named commercial references include Sydney Airport T1 International, No 1 Martin Place, and IBIS Wentworthville. Marketing is executed through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, an email newsletter with first-order discount, and a Trustindex-verified Google review profile (191 reviews, Excellent rating). Revenue is generated through one-time retail product sales (in-store and online, with Afterpay and PayPal payment options), supplemented by seasonal sales of up to 20% off. Pricing is per m2 for tiles and per unit for hardware, with box-rounding for tile orders. Design Tiles operates as an independent, privately-held company with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or M&A activity.
Design Tiles firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Tiles
- Legal name
- Design Tiles Sydney
- Website
- https://designtiles.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Design Tiles is a privately held Sydney-based specialty retailer founded in 1999, selling premium architectural tiles, bathroomware, hardware, and lighting through a Rockdale showroom and Australia-wide e-commerce, serving residential homeowners, designers, and commercial builders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Tiles industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Tile & Bathroomware Retail
- NAICS
- Floor Covering Retailers (449121), Interior Design Services (541410), Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tile & Stone Specialty Retail (CRAIAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ceramic, Porcelain & Natural Stone Tile Flooring (IMADAJAE), Tile Setting Materials (Mortars, Mastics & Grouts) (IMADAOAG), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where Design Tiles is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rockdale
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Design Tiles business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail product sales: Revenue is generated through one-time retail sales of tiles, bathroomware, hardware, and lighting products. Customers purchase directly via the e-commerce website or in-store at the Rockdale showroom. The company also offers design consultation services (free) to assist customers in product selection, supporting higher-value purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Unit pricing per m2 or per item; wide price range from budget to premium |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Design Tiles product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Tiles is an Australian (Sydney-based) retailer and distributor of architectural tiles, bathroomware, hardware, lighting, and engineered timber flooring for residential renovations and commercial projects. The company operates a showroom in Rockdale, NSW, complemented by an online store, and supplies both consumer homeowners and trade/commercial buyers with exclusive international brands plus its own Design Tiles Exclusive collections.
Product overview
Design Tiles is a Sydney-based tile and bathroomware retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of over 229 tile products across multiple categories. The core product line centers on porcelain and ceramic tiles in diverse formats (600x600mm, 300x600mm, 600x1200mm, subway, kit kat, mosaics, mega slabs up to 3200x1600mm), complemented by natural stone tiles (travertine, marble, limestone). The company operates as both a distributor of international brands (Porcelanosa, Atlas Concorde, Kazoku Japanese tiles) and creator of exclusive products (Design Tiles Exclusive line featuring Travertine Soft Stone, Ivory Stone Porcelain, Alhambra Flower Viola Marble Mosaic, Botanica Kit Kat Mosaic, Zellige Series). Adjacent categories include tapware and bathroomware (Meir, Caroma, ADP, Nood Co, ABI), hardware and accessories (Zephra cabinet handles and knobs in stainless steel and natural stone), Lunara branded lighting, and engineered timber flooring. The company provides design consultation services and sample ordering, serving both residential and commercial customers with a 26-year track record from its Rockdale showroom.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Design Tiles Exclusive: Exclusive tile collections curated by Design Tiles, including Alhambra Series, Travertine Soft Stone, Opera White, and other proprietary tile designs
- Lunara Lighting
- Builders Range
- Designer Sample Packs
Products and services
- Porcelain & Ceramic Tiles Porcelain and ceramic floor and wall tiles for residential and commercial projects, sold per square metre with multiple sizes, finishes, and colours available. Targeted at homeowners, builders, and interior designers specifying tiles for bathrooms, kitchens, living areas, and commercial fit-outs.
- Natural Stone Tiles Marble, travertine, and other natural stone tiles sold per m² for premium residential and commercial applications. Intended for homeowners and designers seeking authentic stone finishes for floors, walls, and feature areas.
- Mosaic Tiles Mosaic tiles in stone, porcelain, and ceramic formats for feature walls, splashbacks, bathrooms, and decorative surfaces. Sold to homeowners and designers for accent and decorative use.
- Mega Slabs (Large-Format Porcelain) Large-format porcelain slabs (mega slabs) supplied for benchtops, walls, and commercial surfaces where fewer grout lines and larger continuous panels are required. Suited to premium residential kitchens/bathrooms and commercial projects.
- Subway & Kit Kat Tiles Subway tiles and Kit Kat finger tiles for splashbacks, bathroom walls, and feature areas. Targeted at homeowners and interior designers.
- Tapware & Bathroomware Tapware, basins, showers, vanities, baths, and toilets bundled for full bathroom renovations. Intended for homeowners and trade buyers fitting out residential or commercial bathrooms.
- Hardware & Accessories Hardware and accessories required to complete a tile or bathroomware installation, including shower screens, mirrors, and fittings.
- Lighting Lighting products sold to complement bathroom, kitchen, and home renovations supplied alongside tiles and bathroomware.
- Engineered Timber Flooring Engineered timber flooring sold per square metre for residential and light-commercial floor installations, complementing the tile range.
- Grout, Sealants & Cleaners Grout, sealants, and cleaning products supplied for tile and stone installation and ongoing maintenance.
- Design Tiles Exclusive Collections Proprietary Design Tiles Exclusive tile ranges such as Alhambra, Botanica, Travertine, and Zellige, available only through Design Tiles in Australia. Targeted at homeowners and designers seeking differentiated, exclusive designs.
- Free Design Consultation In-house design consultation service provided free of charge in-store and online to help homeowners, builders, and designers select the right tiles, bathroomware, and flooring for their project.
- Sample Pack (5 swatches) Pack of 5 tile or product sample swatches sold for A$5, allowing customers to evaluate colours and finishes at home before committing to a full order.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free design consultation available for all customers — both in-store and virtual
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Design Tiles
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Design Tiles technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Design Tiles partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- MeircoreDesign Tiles is an authorised reseller of Meir tapware and accessories, offering Meir tapware products through both the physical showroom and online store.
- ABI (Architectural Designer Products)coreOfficial authorised reseller of ABI tapware and accessories, featured as a brand partner on the Design Tiles website.
- ADP (Architectural Designer Products)coreAuthorised reseller of ADP tapware and accessories, listed as a brand partner under the bathroomware category.
- Nood CocoreAuthorised reseller of Nood Co basins, featured as a bathroomware brand partner on the Design Tiles website.
- CaromacoreAuthorised reseller of Caroma bathroomware and tapware products, displayed as a brand partner on the Design Tiles website.
- ZephracoreAuthorised reseller of Zephra hardware products including cabinet handles, knobs, door hardware, and stone hardware. Design Tiles offers a range of Zephra's stainless steel and natural stone hardware products.
- Atlas ConcordecoreAuthorised reseller of Atlas Concorde tiles (Italian manufacturer), featured as a brand partner on the Design Tiles website.
- PorcelanosacoreAuthorised reseller of Porcelanosa tiles (Spanish manufacturer), listed as a brand partner on the Design Tiles website.
- Kazoku TilescoreAuthorised reseller of Kazoku authentic handcrafted Japanese mosaic tiles, sold as an exclusive collection on the Design Tiles website.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Design Tiles competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Tiles: Australian tile, bathroomware and flooring retailer with showrooms across multiple states, offering a comparable product mix (porcelain, ceramic, mosaics, bathroomware) and trade/residential split. Direct competitor for Sydney renovation and builder customers.
- Tile Cloud: Online-first Australian tile retailer offering designer tile ranges with home delivery and sample ordering. Overlaps with Design Tiles' e-commerce and sample funnel, competing for the same digitally native renovation buyer.
- Perini Tiles: Sydney-based tile and stone retailer supplying porcelain, ceramic and natural stone tiles with showroom presence. Comparable premium positioning and Sydney-area customer overlap with Design Tiles.
- Amber Tiles: Specialty Australian retailer of tiles, bathroomware and related building products with a multi-store presence. Comparable in assortment, customer base (homeowners, builders, designers), and emphasis on design-led showroom experience.
- Tile Factory Outlet: Australian discount tile and bathroomware retailer offering clearance and end-of-line tiles. Competes with Design Tiles on budget and Builders Range SKUs and on price-sensitive renovation customers.
- Beaumont Tiles: Australia's largest specialty tile and bathroomware retailer with a national showroom network, bathroomware ranges and design services. Most direct comparable in category, scale and customer overlap with Design Tiles, with substantially larger physical footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Tile Shop: US specialty tile retailer with a large multi-store footprint offering in-house design consultations and a curated tile assortment. Comparable consultative specialty retail model at substantially greater scale.
- Cambridge Tile Company: US-based specialty tile retailer with broad assortment of porcelain, ceramic, stone and mosaic tiles plus design services. Comparable assortment and consultative retail model, but US-focused and broader geographic footprint.
Emerging players
- Tile Haus: Smaller Australian online tile retailer offering curated tile ranges and sample delivery. Comparable digital-led, sample-driven model targeting the same e-commerce renovation buyer, but at a smaller scale than Design Tiles.
Regional players
- Bella Vista Tiles: Australian tile retailer with showrooms outside Sydney's metro core. Comparable product mix but different geographic footprint; competes for builder and homeowner trade demand that Design Tiles targets online.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Design Tiles social profiles
Digital presenceDesign Tiles financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Tiles leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Design Tiles funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Tiles M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Design Tiles
What does Design Tiles do?
Design Tiles is an Australian (Sydney-based) retailer and distributor of architectural tiles, bathroomware, hardware, lighting, and engineered timber flooring for residential renovations and commercial projects. The company operates a showroom in Rockdale, NSW, complemented by an online store, and supplies both consumer homeowners and trade/commercial buyers with exclusive international brands plus its own Design Tiles Exclusive collections.
Is Design Tiles a public or private company?
Design Tiles is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Design Tiles founded?
Design Tiles was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Design Tiles based?
Design Tiles is headquartered in Rockdale, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Design Tiles make money?
One revenue line is on record: retail product sales.
Who are Design Tiles's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Tiles, Tile Cloud, Perini Tiles, Amber Tiles, Tile Factory Outlet and Beaumont Tiles. Broad incumbents are Tile Shop and Cambridge Tile Company. Tile Haus is listed as an emerging player. Bella Vista Tiles is listed as a regional player.
Does Design Tiles have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Tiles.
What industry is Design Tiles in?
Design Tiles's product category is Architectural Tile & Bathroomware Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAIAGAA, Tile & Stone Specialty Retail, with a secondary code of IMADAJAE, Ceramic, Porcelain & Natural Stone Tile Flooring. Its NAICS code is 449121.