Ombre Walkway
The vibrant magical mind of Adam Nathaniel Furman has blessed us once more with some spectacular ceramics. Covering the columns of the ground level of an office building in Croydon, Furman has created what he’s called a “porcelain palace for the people”, decorating the thoroughfare in a wonderfully textured ombre artwork. Croydon Colonnade consists of sixteen 25ft columns and a few of the building’s external … Continue reading Ombre Walkway
Five Funky Flower Tiles
Following on from the fun and funky 70s style findings we’ve been collecting over the past few months, I decided to dedicate a little space to retro florals, choosing a few groovy designs with a 70s soul. 1) Homey Flower Amongst Ceramiche Piemme‘s calming Homey collection of earth-toned and chilled organic-vibe tiles sit two decors that fit our funky bill. Homey Flower Cotto and Homey … Continue reading Five Funky Flower Tiles
Design to dive into
Transforming the mundane into a joyful playground for the imagination, Brazilian design studio Alva (founded by architect Marcelo Alvarenga and artist/stylist Susana Bastos) forms furniture that offers both fun and function. Producing a mini poolside world, Alva’s Piscinas collection features five designs created for use as tables/seating, each of which are tiled and shaped to mimic swimming pools. Including unusual shapes, such as sunken interiors … Continue reading Design to dive into
Primus Vitoria: production paradox
Apicer’s 2024 The Art of Possibility Tour of Portugal proved hugely inspirational. It offered Diary of a Tile Addict’s Joe Simpson a wonderful opportunity to visit some of the country’s leading manufacturers, see numerous examples of ceramic street art, experience tile’s massive contribution to contemporary Portuguese architecture, and – best of all – get fully immersed in the history, heritage, and passion that drives Portugal’s … Continue reading Primus Vitoria: production paradox
ëCollabo8
Bali-based ëCollabo8 is the latest company to join the ranks amongst plastic-recycling powerhouses Durat, Plasticiet, Coldharbour Tiles, Pretty Plastic, and Smile Plastics. Specialising in plastic, rubber, and glass waste, ëCollabo8 buy and collect it throughout Bali preventing it from entering the ocean, landfills, or from releasing emissions through burning. Since its foundation in 2019, ëCollabo8 have created countless items from plastic waste including small decor … Continue reading ëCollabo8
Cersaie Curiosities V
The last Curiosities of Cersaie – bubbles, fish, grout, and rugs – these are our final finds from the show! 1) Fresh Traffic light like lines of 3D circles make up the decors of Pamesa‘s Fresh collection. In four shades (Citric, Nut, Sky, and Apple) these textured buttons add delightful dimension, especially alongside the plain stretched metro and ombre designs. 2) Marenostrum Designed by Giuseppe … Continue reading Cersaie Curiosities V
Cersaie Curiosities IV
Our penultimate Curiosities collection comes today with a hint of glitter, a touch of hand-painted charm, and a dip under the sea. 1) Camelot Taking a touch of inspiration from 12th century design, Graniser‘s Camelot tiles present a repeat pattern in blue and red, with a playful dash of glitter featuring in the coloured glaze. 2) Tresor De La Mer Standing out amongst the cold … Continue reading Cersaie Curiosities IV
Cersaie Curiosities III
Today’s Curiosities feature some of my favourite finds throughout Cersaie. We’re talking curious wallpaper, stained glass, stacked stone, and a gorgeous use of texture. 1) Ibiza Dreamtile‘s duo in Green and Blue, Ibiza’s incredible cracked elephant skin texture featuring glaze deep in the crevices is coupled with less intensely rough surfaces and designs, creating a dynamic patchwork full of intrigue. 2) Astronomy I love a … Continue reading Cersaie Curiosities III
A Mix of Metallics
Seams of gold, brushed metal mosaics, and glistening backdrops. The metallic tiles at Cersaie added a touch of magic to the stands, displays, and scenes they were presented in. So for lovers of glitz and glam, this one’s for you. Sphere Three metallic shades – Copper, Gold, and Metal – make up Porcelanosa‘s metal mosaics, each offering a unique pattern of curves and strokes scratched … Continue reading A Mix of Metallics
Cersaie Curiosities II
We’re back with a fresh new bunch of Cersaie Curiosities. This time we’re talking mosaics, metallics, and textured treats! 1) Tempo Circle A stunning design featuring a perfect pair – natural stone and contrasting mosaics – Tempo Circle from Porcelanosa offers the charm of antiquity with the ease of modernity. 2) Charlotte Copper Like an abstract city map, Pamesa‘s Charlotte Copper is decorated in a … Continue reading Cersaie Curiosities II
Cersaie’s Textured Stone
Marked with natural imperfections, decorated with carvings, and shapes in formats both little and large, textured stone offers a deep seam to mine when it comes to tile design. These are the few I collected at Cersaie. Alchemy and Deco Pierre Irregularly ridged with scored lines, Peronda‘s Alchemy and Porcelanosa‘s Deco Pierre take a similar approach to adding texture to stone. Subtle veins can be … Continue reading Cersaie’s Textured Stone
Le Nid Knockout
After talking about their unusual collection Déjà Vu last year I was particularly looking forward to seeing Le Nid tiles up close and personal at Cersaie. And they really didn’t disappoint. Patterns with a retro vibe and colours that captivate, almost everything on the Le Nid stand was knockout. You’d be hard pressed to find any tiles with the same rich character and enticing style. … Continue reading Le Nid Knockout
Recer: sublime surface selection
One of the most respected Portuguese tile brands, Recer was founded in 1977. Today it is a medium sized producer of porcelain tiles, and ceramic wall tiles, offering home owners and designers a wide range of contemporary solutions with its wide and diversified product portfolio. In 2022, Recer produced around 5 million sq. metres of tiles, achieving total sales of Euro 45.3 million. Sustainable … Continue reading Recer: sublime surface selection
Cersaie Curiosities
Cardboard, croc skin, jute, and jellyfish, the Cersaie Curiosities begin today with a handful of weird and wonderful designs. 1) Jute Natural First up and with a nod to the fabric-effect trend, Nitco‘s fibrous design Jute Natural offers up the organic textures of jute in a layered scrappy patchwork complete with weave detail and imperfections. 2) Lagos Graniser‘s Lagos tiles present a wibbly wobbly pattern … Continue reading Cersaie Curiosities
A trio of mini trends at Cersaie
Today we’re sharing the last of our Cersaie trends content before we get into the Curiosities and a few other finds. This trio of mini trends may be ones to watch in the coming months – let’s see if they get bigger. Ombré Ombré was touted as an interior design trend almost five years ago but it might be making its way into the tile … Continue reading A trio of mini trends at Cersaie
Cevisama trend overspill at Cersaie
Although I was on the hunt for fresh new trends at Cersaie this year, I couldn’t help but scout out a few of the trends from Cevisama to see if they’ve remained relatively consistent over the last few months. This is what I found. Toon Town Terrazzo One of my favourites – the playful, colourful, whimsical Toon Town Terrazzo was still very much around. Fun … Continue reading Cevisama trend overspill at Cersaie
Viúva Lamego: Tiling tradition transmogrified
Founded in Lisbon in 1849, Viúva Lamego remains a proud exponent of traditional Portuguese ceramics. But this landmark company is far more than an artisanal tile producer, although it does manufacture exquisite small format plain and decorative tiles in its unique facility in the Sintra district. The company is better viewed as an ambassador of Portuguese culture, due to its close collaboration with numerous artists, … Continue reading Viúva Lamego: Tiling tradition transmogrified
Wood-looks at Cersaie
The wood-effects at Cersaie went way beyond the slats with lots of inlaid looks and material combinations to enjoy, varying texture for a realistic finish or encouraging illusion with contrast. Codicer95‘s Flower Loire and Stella Maine tiles, both in Silver and Noce offer an delightfully intricate combination of wood and marble in simple yet decorative repeat motifs featuring floral and starry imagery. Colorker‘s Ragnar tiles … Continue reading Wood-looks at Cersaie
Trending: Feathers
Although it’s on a smaller scale than The 90s/Y2K, Springtime, Fabric-effect, and Roadside Chic, our final trend from Cersaie is still definitely one to watch. The stretched shape of feather tiles offer effortless elegance and a touch of curvaceous charm. A cool combination of classic metro and fancy fishscale, feather tiles are highly versatile, having the ability to play with perspective, add character, and create … Continue reading Trending: Feathers
Trending: Roadside Chic
This trend appeared a little bit at Cevisama, and although it didn’t make it to my final edit (two examples from Mykonos and Vives are included below) I was primed and on the lookout at Cersaie to see if there was more. Specifically I was searching for patterns you usually see on drains and sewage grates, as well as tactile pavers used to improve accessibility … Continue reading Trending: Roadside Chic