One design direction I am anticipating at Cersaie is a preponderance of rich, earth colours: deep saturated hues that speak of comfort, security and the Danish concept of hygge.
So it was no surprise when I unearthed the collaboration between ABK, the well-respected ceramic tile brand, and Oikos, a market-leader in green surface solutions. These two Italian companies have a great affinity, most obvious in their focus on detailed and transformational interior decoration. They also share a dedication to R&D and environmental sustainability.
The new Crossroad ceramic tile collection brings together ceramic tiles from ABK, and colour solutions from Oikos, to offer architects and interior designers a system of materials and colours that allows them to make co-ordinated stylistic choices in line with current trends.
Crossroad brings together the experience of the two brands through the moodboard concept, a collaboration that combines different material effects and co-ordinating colours. The ceramic surfaces are proposed together with the selection of wall paints created by Oikos in identical or complimentary tones. The Crossroad portfolio contains a selection of sophisticated contemporary surface options that are squarely on trend.
“Amongst various things, ABK sees Crossroad as a way of promoting a dialogue with design professionals,” explains Alessandro Fabbri, ABK’s CEO of Sales and Marketing. “For this reason, we have created a collection capable of simplifying the process of choosing finishes, with a wide range of sizes, colours, surfaces and, for the first time ever, recommended wall paints that will co-ordinate with the ceramic tiles and offer the customer an all-inclusive package.“
“The partnership with ABK shows that Oikos is keen to collaborate with companies sharing the same values,” explains Claudio Balestri, Oikos’s Chairman. “Our aim is to deliver an integrated package of innovative and customised solutions to designers in search of new creative ideas. For Oikos, Crossroad also represents its propensity to experiment in the field of colour and respond to the challenge of new materials, as well as its strong links with the local area. This enables Oikos to operate in the global marketplace and to build partnerships with Italian firms in the field of design.”
Crossroad is a bold yet practical concept that may well pave the way for similar collaborations between synergistic interior surfacing companies in the years ahead.
A new post by Joe Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, September 2017.