Having finally worked my way through all the new product information gleaned at Cersaie 2017 – a mammoth yet very interesting undertaking – I was struck by just how many on-trend design buttons were pushed by Aparici in Bologna.  This leading Spanish manufacturer has long been a pace setter in Castellon, but right now very few companies on the planet can match Aparici’s 2017/18 portfolio for sheer inventiveness, humour, tone, texture and graphic joie de vivre.

I will include a broad range of images from the current catalogue, but this is by no means all that is on offer, so there is a link at the end of this post where you can download the full PDF brochure of the novelties.

Suitable for floor or wall applications, Carpet will be equally at home in a kitchen, bathroom or living room.  Additional flourishes are available in the shape of décor pieces finished in gold, and a matching mosaic tiles for wet areas.

Available formats include 251 by 756mm and 592 by 592mm.  There is also a 250 by 290mm hexagon, plus, for outdoor areas, 20mm thick pieces in 497.5 by 995.5mm.

Other notable ranges include the Tex Collection which mimics the surface of fabric for a range of tiles that play with contemporary prints and striking decorative patterns.  Ideal for both indoor and outdoor spaces, for which a 20mm version is available.

dWood  is a spectacular collection based on the technique of wood marquetry developed in Antwerp in the 16th century.  It features five designs of traditional garment patterns, combining various classic tonalities of dyed oak.  A particularly notable feature is the use of subtle gloss application on some of the darkest oak shades.

This is a very bold and design-savvy collection that delivers a note of hand-sewn haute couture, to any project seeking originality and elegance in equal measures.  Available in a versatile 600 by 600mm format in porcelain stoneware, this collection can form a lead design element in any commercial or residential space.  The design options are oak, square, wheat, tartan, and houndstooth.

Invented by Venetian mosaic workers in the 15th century, terrazzo reached its peak in popularity in the mid-20th century as it was most commonly used in commercial and institutional buildings to ensure resistance and durability with low maintenance costs.

Terrazzo was one of the main design themes at Cersaie, and the Venezia Collection from Aparici was one of the best examples.  It clearly draws inspiration from the original haphazard material but has taken it in a more contemporary design-led direction by creating six colourful patterns with a smooth lappato surface where the marble-effect fragments emerge like gems on a brilliant continuous surface.  This porcelain collection with two sub-base tones – grey and white – will offer a very exclusive look in domestic and commercial spaces alike.  It comes in a classic format: 297.5 by 297.5mm.

The Recover collection creates a variegated natural stone look in three striking tonalities – ivory, vision and grey – to provide a natural look with a contemporary touch.  Suitable for internal and external floor and wall applications, the range includes 20mm outdoor porcelain slabs, 500 by 1,000mm, in all three tonalities.  This can create an unbroken visual continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces in any residential or commercial space.  With two formats available for indoor areas – 1,000 by 1,000mm and 500 by 1,000mm, Recover can also be used in ventilated façades and raised floors. Recover Ivory Nat.

Shagreen – a type of rawhide consisting of rough untanned skin, formerly made from a horse or wild ass skin but now commonly made of sting ray skins – has proved an inspirational material to generations of designers.  But, despite being one of the most beautiful natural designs, it is very rare to find perfectly round, regular patterns.  The pattern on Shagreen skin is formed from tiny grains, while the overall form is set by the animal’s physiology; often being discretely but delicately emphasised in the centre by a few larger rounded cells.  This beautiful texture is set off by delicate colour, as Shagreen is often dyed in subtle shades of a green, grey, or brown; and then polished.

So, it is just the kind of natural material that inspires tile designers.  In Aparici’s hands it has been reborn, emphasising the beauty of the original craftsmanship, and fusing this quality with the visionary observation of the designer, and the pleasure of rareness to create a material  that has a palpable historical resonance.  It is offered in three colourways: white, Grey, and Coffee in 297.5 by 595.5mm.  Added emphasis is offered by Bettoni Gold, Silver, and Copper Lista decors, mosaics and striped listellos.

Another of the portfolio’s influences is Jacquard: a style of weaving that is defined by the fact that its process raises independent warp threads to create a textured pattern.  Named after its creator, Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French weaver and merchant who lived during the late 1700s and early 1800s, this technique has inspired a new range that captures the natural softness and delicateness of the original textile.

Enhanced with a subtle textured pattern, the Jacquard range creates a visual contradiction by being used in combining with a concrete effect to deliver an elegantly modern collection in a striking 450 by 1,200mm wall tile format.  The design options are Grey, Ivory, and Vision; plus ivory Forbo, grey Forbo, and vision Forbo.  The floor tiles come in an 894.6 by 894.6mm format.  50 by 50mm mosaics, as 297.5 by 297.5mm tiles are also available.

One of the more surprising of the current tile design trends has been the return of the terracotta look.  Aparici’s Terre is typical of this reinvention of traditional terracotta floors. The aim of this new collection was to break the concept of the typical square shaped terracotta floor by creating an elegant rectangular format – 250 by 1,000mm – in porcelain.  Add to this a rich chromatic variation in three different tonalities and this is a terracotta look like no other.

This modern collection provide a feeling of warmth, ease and elegance . It is also complemented with an anti-slip finish in the Rosso tone that will enable its application in public spaces and outdoor areas with soft, enveloping tones with a current rustic look.  50 by 50mm mosaics, as 297.5 by 297.5mm tiles, add an extra design option.

Texture is the foundation of the Montblanc range, which is based on a pure white colour available in two finishes – satin and gloss – in a new premium 450 by 1,200mm white body wall tile.  The use of white creates a canvas that Aparici has decorated in surprising ways.  Designed for those seeking to make each room unique, contemporary and luxurious, the three textures suggest new perspectives by creating dynamic spaces that will manage to make them open and inviting, no matter the size or layout.

Click on this link to download Aparici’s latest product catalogue: http://www.aparici.com/admin/fotos/140620152916.pdf

http://www.aparici.com

A new post by Joe Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, November 2017.