Top Trends We Saw at the CERSAIE 2017 Italian Tile Show
The Italian Ceramic Tile industry is holding its 35th CERSAIE annual tile and bath furnishing extravaganza this week in Bologna, Italy, and retro looks, subtle colors, and new takes on encaustic cement are stealing the show.
Italy, which is coming off of a good year for total production and exports, is part of the European contingent responsible for most of the innovation and cutting-edge styles in the tile industry.
That was clear at this year’s show.
Manufacturers showed an extremely wide range of styles, but some stood out more than others. Vintage-inspired looks (especially Mid-Mod and '70s style), cement, oxidized metals, and textured products were prevalent.
But the trends that seemed to stand out the most include wood, texture, and old graphics. The wood look, which has been around for a number of years, is perhaps the most popular thing the industry is producing, various manufacturers here said. Still, brands are finding ways to tweak the aesthetic, adding different formats, hyper-real grain patterns, and even combinations of wood that do not exist in nature.
Color is still going strong, but tones are much more subdued and gauzy. Textile-inspired prints were visible at many booths. Numerous interpretations blended linen, brocade, and knitwear.
Cristina Faedi, a marketing director for CERSAIE, said at a press conference this week that architects and designers should expect tiles inspired by fabrics, warp and weft, damask, classical themes, industrial bricks, weathered wood, green and blue colors, and terracotta.
Everything translated into a vibrant show with tons of options and surfaces for everyone.
Here are some looks that caught our eye.