The burgeoning popularity of turquoise backsplashes, rock crystal chandeliers, mica lampshades, lapis-trimmed tables, tigereye countertops, and the like could have been predicted.

"What's happening in home design reflects what's going on in the world," theorizes Mills. "the popularity of feng shui is a partial explanation. also, there's the idea of sustainable design, so that furnishings made of natural materials fit into green design."

Well, sort of. Because stones are extracted from the earth and not replaced, it can be argued that their use is not truly green. "The buzzword that applies is 'modern organic,' " says Emily Bolls, manager of marketing and communications for Ann Sacks. Just this year, the luxury tile, stone, and plumbing company added jewelry-grade turquoise tiles to its upscale offerings.

"What's more of a showstopper than an entire bathroom wall of turquoise tiles?" Bolls asks. "People love the idea of bringing this jewelry element -- and amazing color -- into their homes." while she could envision the tiles being used in this dramatic way to blanket the walls, in, say, a five-star hotel in america's Southwest (one Dallas designer already has specced it for an over-the top hotel, she notes), a more realistic expectation for the $500-plus-persquare-foot turquoise tiles is as an accent in the home -- say, the border in a bathroom, kitchen, or any other room that could benefit from a little bling. "we know that bling is not a trend right now, but because this material is entirely natural, it's an alternative approach to super-luxe," explains Bolls.