Tile Transitions

By Saxon Henry of Design Commotion

What’s hip is also classic at Cersaie, the world’s largest tile exposition held in Bologna, Italy.

Given that Cersaie in Bologna, Italy, is where the world debuts its newest and grooviest ceramic tile designs each year, I was expecting the abundance of bling and ample edginess. But when the five-day fair kicked off on September 29^th, the unexpected trend to emerge was a beautifully serene reinterpretation of classic styles, which was de rigueur in a number of collections. Many of the designs were tone-on-tone, making them whispery soft but dynamic thanks to subtle textures, while others were texturally rich due to classic patterns that were cleanly updated for a modern freshness. What was most splendid about these timeless styles is their versatility: they would be just as at home in a beautifully designed country cottage or farmhouse as they would be in the most metropolitan of homes.

Among my tone-on-tone favorites was Ceramica Fioranese’s Blooming Lines Collection, a marmoreal series of tiles aimed at a modern market. The collection includes both floral and stripped patterns that were particularly appealing. The stripped version is deeply scored for colorless texture and border strips add even greater personality without disturbing the line’s monochromatic simplicity as is seen in the powder room above.

In Impronta Ceramiche’s Bianco Nero collection, opposites attract with interplays of black and white. Floor and wall tiles are made of Marmo D, the floor tiles produced with pro-digit technology, which results in computer-generated control that gives ceramic tile producers greater creative leverage and a cleaner seam than ever before. The Bianco wall tiles have a tailored quilted appeal that speaks a time-honored language, while the seamlessness of the floor tiles evoke a bygone era but with a contemporary purity, as this bathroom illustrates.

Three patterns emerged for me as the best examples of classically inspired reinterpretations. Casamood’s Vetro Mosaic Collection includes brocades and geometrics, the surfaces of which shimmer slightly thanks to the line’s crystalline clarity. The tiny tiles are especially personable when used in light-dark combinations, as in this shower.

Within Trend Group’s Wallpaper Collection, there is an entire line dedicated to classic styles, one of which is Damask. The Damask pattern is offered in three colorways, two of which juxtapose pale and deeper tones. My favorite for its soft appeal combines white and bisque tones because it lends the oversized patterns a subtlety that exudes chic modernity.

Ceramica Bardelli brought designs by Marcel Wanders to Cersaie. One of Wanders’ philosophies behind his tile designs is that tiles clothe a home like fashion clothes a body. It’s not surprising, then, that his Carmen Collection with its intricate floral arabesques is reminiscent of finely woven cloth in a pattern befitting a modern-day Moorish princess. Rather than seeming heavy and overly ornate, there is a candid contemporary feel to them when placed in a sleek setting, as in this simply designed kitchen.

These are but five among 1,036 exhibitors debuting an eclectic mix of tiles and fixtures at the fair. Maybe it was the dizzying array of products that drew me to these soothing stretches of ceramic tile, which gave my sensibilities a moment to simply breathe!

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