It's still popular. I am not a fan of it personally. I've designed it when people want it, but I sometimes will talk them out of their actual choices. I feel like we see a lot of baths where it's the accent, especially glass, that gets messed up with installation or grouting, or it doesn't turn out like the homeowner expects.

Sizzle strips like yours and the plain liner version were popular for decades but thats not what people think of when they say band of accent tile nowadays:)

That horizontal band palimsest refers to is a trend that we have seen decline in our market. A larger horizontal accent as in the photo below is more popular but even more so, if accents like that are being used, they tend to now be a large vertical accent as in the next two photos. Most however, are not including accent bands.

Personally love the single band that whips around the shower.

The "band of tile" is still popular. There are many creative ways to introduce complimentary tile withing a design and break the monotony of a single color slab.

Accent bands second. Focus on the quality of the build UNDER the tile. Proper shower pan grading, waterproofing, flood testing, inspections and permitting. After that adds up see if accent tile is in the budget.

THIS is what we are seeing less of. It was very popular for awhile. Of course, creative use of pattern and material will always be a matter of personal choice and will be an opportunity to add custom design and interest to any space. (This is an example, not our work).

Other than the fact that accents are still being used, there really is no "trend" for TYPE of accent. This is one I'm working on right now-- 5 single rows of penny tiles evenly spaced in subway tiles

And this is one I did a couple of weeks ago, with a wide vertical stripe of river rock.

About the only "trend" I think I can say is super popular right now, is the used of some kind of use of river rock in almost every shower, including the one I'm working on right now. The floor will be river rock when it's done.

So true Creative (love the offset). Here's one we did with nautical flag tiles for a children's bath (each flag symbol used spelled the child's name). And there is the classic historic bath we did with double accent liners. Still say the example we posted above was a "trend" though. Every tile showroom displayed that way too much. Glad it has passed.