9 New Porcelain Tile Finishes About to Hit the Market
Stoneware tiles get some exciting new looks at CERSAIE 2017. Check out the latest trends and possibilities
Antonia Solari
20 October 2017
Let’s be clear: no imitation can ever compete with the real thing. Nonetheless, it’s also true that porcelain stoneware tile – which can be made to imitate a variety of finishes – has many advantages, including resistance to abrasions, stains and detergents, as well as overall durability. Add to that a very competitive price tag and producers who are increasingly reducing its environmental impact, and the result is a product that might just make you stop and think when selecting that marble finish.
This year’s CERSAIE, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, which took place on September 25-29 in Bologna, Italy, showed that porcelain stoneware can appear in nearly limitless variations. If in the past, hardwood was the material most frequently imitated in tile, now you can choose between marble, wallpaper, fabric, resin, concrete, terracotta, and parquet. The tile also comes in a variety of finishes and formats, from textured to smooth surfaces and from geometric mosaic-inspired tiles just a few centimetres wide, to tiles that meet the latest trends in oversized coverings. Here is a look at some of the most exciting porcelain stoneware offerings at this year’s fair.
This year’s CERSAIE, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, which took place on September 25-29 in Bologna, Italy, showed that porcelain stoneware can appear in nearly limitless variations. If in the past, hardwood was the material most frequently imitated in tile, now you can choose between marble, wallpaper, fabric, resin, concrete, terracotta, and parquet. The tile also comes in a variety of finishes and formats, from textured to smooth surfaces and from geometric mosaic-inspired tiles just a few centimetres wide, to tiles that meet the latest trends in oversized coverings. Here is a look at some of the most exciting porcelain stoneware offerings at this year’s fair.
1. Resin effect
Is it possible for a continuous surface to be reproduced in tile? Yes, if the finish of the stoneware imitates the colour, shine and typical brushstrokes used when laying resin. Likewise,
large-format tiles create only minimal interruption to the fluidity of the surface.
A practical example of this comes from Casalgrande Padana’s Resina collection, which combines the durability of ceramics with the aesthetic appeal of a continuous surface.
Is it possible for a continuous surface to be reproduced in tile? Yes, if the finish of the stoneware imitates the colour, shine and typical brushstrokes used when laying resin. Likewise,
large-format tiles create only minimal interruption to the fluidity of the surface.
A practical example of this comes from Casalgrande Padana’s Resina collection, which combines the durability of ceramics with the aesthetic appeal of a continuous surface.
2. Wallpaper effect
What a great idea: extra-durable ‘wallpaper’ that can be wiped down with a simple sponge and everyday detergent. Like the paper version, wallpaper-effect tiles come in an endless array of patterns, from figural motifs to abstract decorations and from bold colours to soft shades.
So how do you make a tile mimic a roll of paper? A technological innovation mixes stoneware with fibreglass, making it possible to make tiles as big as 100 x 300 centimetres while maintaining a thickness of only 3.5 millimetres. Wonderwall by Cotto d’Este is one example.
What a great idea: extra-durable ‘wallpaper’ that can be wiped down with a simple sponge and everyday detergent. Like the paper version, wallpaper-effect tiles come in an endless array of patterns, from figural motifs to abstract decorations and from bold colours to soft shades.
So how do you make a tile mimic a roll of paper? A technological innovation mixes stoneware with fibreglass, making it possible to make tiles as big as 100 x 300 centimetres while maintaining a thickness of only 3.5 millimetres. Wonderwall by Cotto d’Este is one example.
3. Fabric effect
Is it a curtain? Is it a fabric panel applied to the wall on a frame? No, it’s a coating on the surface of the stoneware that displays warp and weft as though it were a real piece of fabric. This is the idea behind the Fabric collection by Marazzi Ceramiche. The tile series Basket by Marazzi includes raised interlacing threads made of ceramic, inspired by natural fibres. The Fold series has micro-texture geometries, and the Tailor tiles feature graphics that imitate patchwork cloth.
Is it a curtain? Is it a fabric panel applied to the wall on a frame? No, it’s a coating on the surface of the stoneware that displays warp and weft as though it were a real piece of fabric. This is the idea behind the Fabric collection by Marazzi Ceramiche. The tile series Basket by Marazzi includes raised interlacing threads made of ceramic, inspired by natural fibres. The Fold series has micro-texture geometries, and the Tailor tiles feature graphics that imitate patchwork cloth.
4. Marble effect
Marble-effect tile has two undeniable benefits over the real thing: first, its environmental impact, since no land must be quarried to produce it; and second, its drastic difference in price.
Industry leaders in ceramic tile production are committed to celebrating the aesthetic purity of marble, producing high-quality variations. Ceramica Sant’Agostino is one such company, presenting their Pure Marble series, which features imitations of covelano white, Côte d’Azur, and palissandro sky marble, as well as white onyx. The company uses digital tools to recreate the characteristic veins and texture of marble.
8 Things You Didn’t Know About Italian Marble
Marble-effect tile has two undeniable benefits over the real thing: first, its environmental impact, since no land must be quarried to produce it; and second, its drastic difference in price.
Industry leaders in ceramic tile production are committed to celebrating the aesthetic purity of marble, producing high-quality variations. Ceramica Sant’Agostino is one such company, presenting their Pure Marble series, which features imitations of covelano white, Côte d’Azur, and palissandro sky marble, as well as white onyx. The company uses digital tools to recreate the characteristic veins and texture of marble.
8 Things You Didn’t Know About Italian Marble
Ricchetti, likewise, presents their Marble Boutique Collection, especially its ‘Statuario White’ tile design, also suitable for covering walls for a powerful impact.
5. Stone effect
Nor is marble unique here. When we run out of stone and the quarries lie empty, the stoneware sector will save the day. Stoneware is even capable of reproducing the aesthetics of rural stone buildings. See, for example, Serenissima’s Pierre de France collection, whose tiles recall both the shades and textures of stone, combining the aesthetic of the past with the simplicity of tile-laying and the easy maintenance of the present.
Nor is marble unique here. When we run out of stone and the quarries lie empty, the stoneware sector will save the day. Stoneware is even capable of reproducing the aesthetics of rural stone buildings. See, for example, Serenissima’s Pierre de France collection, whose tiles recall both the shades and textures of stone, combining the aesthetic of the past with the simplicity of tile-laying and the easy maintenance of the present.
6. Wood effect
Unlike timber, porcelain stoneware doesn’t get scratched when you move the furniture, or when your child’s toy car loses its rubber wheels; it doesn’t need special delicate detergents to maintain its colour and patina, or any special finishes when it is laid in damp environments such as the bathroom or the kitchen.
Though wood-effect stoneware is already widespread, new variations, such as the Woods collection by ABK, pay particular attention to finishes. In addition to being offered in six colours that resemble natural hardwood flooring, ABK’s Woods also features a ceramic surface that is astonishingly almost completely matt.
Browse more tiled floors
Unlike timber, porcelain stoneware doesn’t get scratched when you move the furniture, or when your child’s toy car loses its rubber wheels; it doesn’t need special delicate detergents to maintain its colour and patina, or any special finishes when it is laid in damp environments such as the bathroom or the kitchen.
Though wood-effect stoneware is already widespread, new variations, such as the Woods collection by ABK, pay particular attention to finishes. In addition to being offered in six colours that resemble natural hardwood flooring, ABK’s Woods also features a ceramic surface that is astonishingly almost completely matt.
Browse more tiled floors
7. Concrete effect
The use of concrete calls to mind an industrial, edgy and raw space. This same atmosphere can now be recreated thanks to stoneware collections such as Beton Chic from Ricchetti‘s Manifattura del Duca range. The tiles imitate the texture of concrete, and are available in different sizes and colours, from ivory to shades of grey that range from extremely pale to charcoal, just like concrete, which can have a variety of shades depending on its constituent components.
The use of concrete calls to mind an industrial, edgy and raw space. This same atmosphere can now be recreated thanks to stoneware collections such as Beton Chic from Ricchetti‘s Manifattura del Duca range. The tiles imitate the texture of concrete, and are available in different sizes and colours, from ivory to shades of grey that range from extremely pale to charcoal, just like concrete, which can have a variety of shades depending on its constituent components.
8. Cement-tile effect
A late-19th-century tradition, cement tiles were used to cover bathroom and kitchen floors and surfaces. They consisted of a lower layer of highly resistant concrete, and a top layer of marble powder, white cement, and various pigments. It definitely has a striking effect, but requires an elaborate process that can only be carried out by hand. Today, as the Abbazie collection by Del Conca shows, a similar aesthetic can be achieved thanks to porcelain stoneware tiles laid in 20 x 20 centimetre slabs. The collection is available in a number of variations, and a rich assortment of colours and styles.
Traditional Cement Tiles Reinvented for Modern Design
A late-19th-century tradition, cement tiles were used to cover bathroom and kitchen floors and surfaces. They consisted of a lower layer of highly resistant concrete, and a top layer of marble powder, white cement, and various pigments. It definitely has a striking effect, but requires an elaborate process that can only be carried out by hand. Today, as the Abbazie collection by Del Conca shows, a similar aesthetic can be achieved thanks to porcelain stoneware tiles laid in 20 x 20 centimetre slabs. The collection is available in a number of variations, and a rich assortment of colours and styles.
Traditional Cement Tiles Reinvented for Modern Design
9. Terracotta effect
In Tuscany and Umbria first and foremost, but also in farmhouses throughout the mediterranean, terracotta is a favourite material for flooring. It’s charming and comes in a wide variety of shapes and colours, depending on its constituent clay.
In its Alpha collection, Ceramiche Keope has combined the classic terracotta colours with the technical properties of porcelain stoneware. It is available 15 x 30 centimetre tiles, the traditional rectangle, or 30 x 30 centimetre tiles for a more contemporary look.
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In Tuscany and Umbria first and foremost, but also in farmhouses throughout the mediterranean, terracotta is a favourite material for flooring. It’s charming and comes in a wide variety of shapes and colours, depending on its constituent clay.
In its Alpha collection, Ceramiche Keope has combined the classic terracotta colours with the technical properties of porcelain stoneware. It is available 15 x 30 centimetre tiles, the traditional rectangle, or 30 x 30 centimetre tiles for a more contemporary look.
Tell us
If you found this story helpful, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation.
More
Read more stories about flooring for information and inspiration
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BTW I don't mean that I don't believe you. Just that it is surprising :-)