The best of Cersaie 2018

In 1960, Gio Ponti and Alberto Rosselli came up with a ceramic tile for Marazzi with four curves and a glossy surface available in colours for the XII Triennale di Milano. Today Marazzi Tecnica, in an open dialogue between past and future, design and industrial production, form and material, art and architecture, ceramic and stoneware, presents the Triennale range of ceramic tiles, dedicated to contemporary projects.

Elisa Ossino designed the interior of an apartment in the heart of Brera that was presented by Salvadori at the last edition of the Milan Furniture Fair to create a continuum with the company showroom located in the same building. Ossino reinterpreted this space with the intention of giving the environments strong pictorial accents, resulting in the creation of true three-dimensional paintings in which furniture and objects become points of vividly contrasting colour. In the living room, an unconventional approach has been taken to the beams which have been painted in a sophisticated green that becomes the main feature of the whole apartment.  

Elisa Ossino designed the interior of an apartment in the heart of Brera that was presented by Salvadori at the last edition of the Milan Furniture Fair to create a continuum with the company showroom located in the same building. Ossino reinterpreted this space with the intention of giving the environments strong pictorial accents, resulting in the creation of true three-dimensional paintings in which furniture and objects become points of vividly contrasting colour. In the living room, an unconventional approach has been taken to the beams which have been painted in a sophisticated green that becomes the main feature of the whole apartment. 

A collection of porcelain stoneware tiles inspired by the aesthetics of concrete, retaining the marks of the material’s natural ageing process. Digital technology has been used to reproduce the cracks, holes and marks typical of worn concrete. The three colours in the range correspond to the tones that concrete assumes as time passes: Taupe is the most elegant colour, suitable for sophisticated settings; Grey outlines industrial scenarios and enables combinations with darker materials or with wood effects for cosy, comfortable environments, while Silver is the palest shade and most luminous of the proposed colour palette, a cement grey suited to combination with the world of colour and decoration.

Prototype of single-hole mixer designed by Michele De Lucchi for Rubinetterie Stella. This study on the single-lever version represents a tribute to the Rome series, an icon of bathroom tap design (in uninterrupted production since 1926).

This design by Marc Sadler represents a homage to the technological heart of Listone Giordano: the multilayer system patented in 1984. The particular arrangement of the layers with crossed fibres, the transversal incisions and interlocking with micro-metric precision keep the parquet stable over time. The multilayer in birch fibre assumes a new connotation and becomes a visible layer, transmuting the finish into a real, actual wood texture.

The new Rak Ceramics range for floors and walls takes inspiration from vintage trends and industrial design from the 1950s and 60s. Rak Ceramics present over 30 new collections in porcelain stoneware, full-body and ceramic characterised by their treated and mirrored surfaces inspired by fine materials like leather and velvet, metals such as brass, lacquered wood and briar. Another new product is the Maximus mega slab for floors and walls and new applications for worktops. In the photo: Maximus Blu del Belgio.

Colour carries a great psychological weight that influences perception of space and the sensations it evokes. With the White & Colors ceramic range, the Spanish brand intends to exploit these sensations with a wide range of colours. An explosion of vivid finishes that are inspired by the small format with pieces of ceramic presented in two sizes: Siviglia and Malaga. The first is made up of three tiles laid horizontally while the second is a grid composition. Nine colours and two sizes multiply decorative possibilities for the creation and innovation of spaces. The range of neutral colours is completed in White & Colors by more energetic tones. In the photo: Aqua, an aquamarine colour imbued with a dynamism that recalls the freshness of the element it takes its name from.

Declined in a range of contemporary colours with intense hues, this whitebody ceramic collection with its discreet feel is enriched by unusual coordinated decorations: Damasco - with an attractive woven effect that gives the surface a soft three-dimensionality - and Kenzia, a decoration created with leaves that emerge as a texture on the surface. Fap Ceramiche also propose another decorative option, Righe Metal, that illuminates the wall with the artistic force of a handmade jewel. Proposed in two colours Blue and Moka, the oxidised effect of this decoration surprises with its unexpected metallic reflections.

Universally renown as one of the finest marbles, white Carrara is featured in the Veined White collection that interprets its strength and appearance in a contemporary style. Characterised by a pearly-white background tending towards light grey with thin grey veins that cross it in a discontinuous fashion, Veined White conveys ideal beauty and timeless classicism. The collection is available in formats 300 x 150, 150 x 150, 150 x 75, 75 x 75, 75 x 37,5 cm, with a thickness 6 mm in a polished and silky finish. This type of marble finds ample space within contemporary design thanks to its superior aesthetic qualities that give character and personality to both indoor and outdoor spaces and elegantly cover staircases, door fronts, kitchen tops and decor accessories.  

Designed by Luisa Bocchietto, the Tessere collections has its roots in the tradition of weaving. The result of an in-depth study of the construction and composition of fabrics and textures, Tessere references not only the action of weaving but also the fundamental element of every mosaic, the tile, with its thickness of 10 mm, hand cut by artisans and arranged in such a way as to form unique and unrepeatable compositions.

Today, the extensive range of fibreglass technical fabrics, conceived and produced by Gavazzi, that can be used to finish different kinds of wall surfaces is brought together under the brand Gavatex®. One of these is Full, a covering that is pre-glued on the back and pre-painted to a high-quality finish on the front. Suitable for large areas, it reduces painting to just a single coat of finish in the case of light colours. 

Ceramica Globo presented the latest edition of Cersaie with new marble-effect finishes that enrich the Le Pietre collection.

The 6.5 mm thickness that characterises the Kontinua series has, thanks to state-of-the-art production technology, made possible a concrete response to the demands of contemporary design, integrating part of the Casalgrande Padana collections with porcelain stoneware tiles of slender thicknesses. The large format enables visual continuity between the various environments in the home while being compatible with the traditional thickness for aesthetic and functional coordination of great expressive strength.  

Due to the extreme lightness and elevated mechanical properties of the material, Laminam ceramic tiles with their large dimensions and minimal thickness are ideal for use in interiors where they can be used to cover walls and floors in both residential and public spaces. Recent projects include the residential and commercial centre Seylynn Village, located to the north of Vancouver. Inside the building, the Denna Club, designed by studio CHIL Interior Design, is developed around a central swimming pool, that is striking both for the wood ceiling and for the large walls clad in tiles with a marble effect. Supplied by Laminam from the series I Naturali, the slabs measure 1000 x 3000mm with a thickness of 5.6 mm and have been applied in the Book Match combination, recreating the effect of continuous veining found in natural quarried stone.

Making use of evocative elements typical of Italian modernist architecture and studying the harmony of exposed concrete walls in a number of contemporary architectural solutions, the Matrice collection has led to the reinvention of a series of finishes that can be applied to porcelain stoneware. The tiles are articulated in finishes that visually suggest concrete, along with a smoother one that acts as a base. Barbara Brondi and Marco Rainò have used these surfaces as a starting point for developing the design further, applying a figurative code that negates the idea of the grid, that has always been connected to that of module. Using a vocabulary of graphic marks engraved on the tiles with a depth of 3 mm a system for infinite combinations of possible arrangements is created.  

The Iso range by Piero Lissoni proposes a number of layouts of lava stone worked only in terms of their cut and mounted in such a way as to eliminate the rigidity of modular repetition. Exploiting the small colour differences that characterise the material, it is possible to obtain patterns that recall the feel of parquet.  

In this collection, to be presented this month at Cersaie, the ceramic mosaic tile is embossed with a totally new kind of denim-effect finish, suitable for floors and walls. The essence of jeans fabric is reworked using three mosaic patterns with names taken from the world of textiles that has inspired them - Striato, Ondulato, Sfilato - each developed with two different versions, with distinct colours and dynamics.

With this design, realised in collaboration with Danish studio OEO Studio, Mutina make their entry into the world of interior architecture. A tangible expression of the company’s vision applied to the world of interiors, Mutina Accents is expressed via complementary products designed by OEO Studio, that are contextualised by Mutina surfaces and in turn emphasise ceramic finishes. Completely new materials are proposed alongside the brand’s collections, playing with colours, architectural elements and furniture.

A roll of vinyl material, Medley is the finish from the HQR line that Gerflor has designed like a patchwork of stones, that conveys the visual impact inspired by the mineral world. Conceived for domestic use, the HQR range can also be used in the semi-contract sector: residences, offices, waiting areas, shops and hotels. This stone-effect flooring has a thickness of 3.1 mm and a wear layer of 0.50 mm, characteristics that make Medley suitable also for zones that receive heavy use. The collection is also resistant to stains, scratches and has a high resistance to foot traffic.

Three new looks have been created for this surface: Concrete, Onyx and Prima – all distinguished by their strong character and made using proprietary technology. While Concrete presents a timeless beauty, with the appeal of industrial design, the appearance of Onyx is distinguished by a bolder style, while Prima offers directional and contemporary patterns. In the photo: Tape Top designed by Monica Graffeo for Rexa Design with top and cladding in Corian®   Solid Surface, colour Dune Prima and bathtub with integrated sink in Corian® Solid Surface, colour Neutral Concrete.

A metallic finish that takes inspiration from the eponymous technique of straw weaving, Vienna recalls a manual skill from times gone by. The striped délabré finish enhances the woven effect giving the surface a fabric-like texture. It is supplied in tiles suitable for laying on floors and walls.  

The enamelled porcelain ceramics by the Andrea Marcante and Adelaide Testa for Ceramica Vogue.

In the woods and forests of Slavonia it is easy to come across the trunks of old “dead” trees, sometimes standing, sometimes on the ground, often with bizarre shapes. These trees that have died for various reasons are salvaged by Garbelotto and used to make extraordinarily attractive wood floors. This innovative product fulfils a dual ecological function: one of keeping the forest clear and another of using waste materials.

Mosaics that recall sacred architecture, Diamond takes inspiration from the glass in medieval cathedrals and cites the modern Art Deco architecture of the Chrysler Building by William Van Alen and pure geometries of Frank Lloyd Wright. In this series, the joint is a feature of the decoration and creates a design running between the sheets of glass. It can be coloured with plain and flat shades or have a graduated and veined surface.

Evolutionary step in the ceramic field The One, designed by Meneghello Paolelli for The Artceram is characterized by the thin-rim, the small size and the inset seat cover with no hinge system. The hallmark of The One is its hingless seat cover – patent pending - which is built into the slim rim. The Wood-Skin® technology allows the creation of the seat cover through the milling of a unique sheet, highly resistant and only 14mm slim.