At this year’s Cevisama there was a notable lean towards matching sets – that is, differing formats that work together, collections utilising the same shades for cohesive design, and combinations that one might not have thought of. Durstone combined their 315 by 1,000mm 3D square decor relief tiles Japandi Kayachi with the 230 by 270mm hexagonal terrazzo designs of Six. Matching the colours of Blue, Rose, and Sage, the result is highly effective. The completely disparate designs work harmoniously together with impeccable shade matching and visual variety.

Dune‘s Berlin had an incredible amount to offer. A huge range of colours, patterns and styles made these simple 147 by 147mm tiles highly exciting. The collection utilised soft pastels, as well as a richer pink and teal, a combination used throughout the pieces. Berlin also had two stand-out designs, one previously covered in our article on florals, and another featuring a fantastically simple nod to Art Deco with this fan design and stark, bold lines.

Life Ceramica was one of the few companies to take the 20s trend in a different direction. Rather than focusing on Art Deco, elements of De Stijl and Constructivism were utilised instead. The straight lines and block colours are reminiscent of the early 20th century styles whilst the blue and pink hint towards mid-century, post-war themes, creating something that looks both modern and retro.

Their pink, grey, and blue varied paint-striped tiles have a similar take. The randomised strokes and brush detail enable the creation of miniature artistic designs, a minimalist abstraction of shapes that looks highly modern, whilst the tile texture implies life, and has elements of wood grain. The colour options offer a choice of moods, with the delicate and hopeful pink, the calm neutral grey, and the dark, bold statement of blue.

A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, March 2020.