Boxart Virtu

With 25 years experience under their belts, the organisers of Cersaie not only celebrated their silver jubilee, but also put on a first rate show of the latest bathroom and tile products to a record breaking crowd of more than 91,000 visitors. Summing up all the trends at the show into one underlying message, is that the winter of minimalism is over.

Enjoyment, colour and not a little hedonism are back with a bang, both in tiles and bathrooms.

Picture this
Senio has commissioned leading ceramic artist Goffrede Gaeto to create individual artworks, stretching across a number of its Geo 60x120cm porcelain wall tiles. The pictures are permanently fired into the tiles and can be used inside or out and for curtain walling. Commissioning an original painting from this leading ceramicist would certainly add a cachet to a new building unavailable elsewhere.

Go for gold
Unit from Provenza is made in 30x60cm and 60cm2 – now a very popular size – and comes in white, brown, black and the obligatory beige in a plain matt finish. One might be tempted to overlook these tiles until being surprised by the décor versions. These are the same but with abstract designs deeply etched into the surface in a bright golden glitter.

Hand it to Cevi
Cevi takes pride in its hand pressed tiles. Costiera are massive 16mm thick 40x40cm and 40x20cm terracotta tiles, hand thrown and glazed in a range of seven strong gloss colours in a hammered finish with a stippled effect and a striking mulberry colour that looks like being a trend on its own, as similar shades were shown elsewhere.

A new angle
The trick we saw some four years ago of bending porcelain tiles has come of age. Unlike normal clay tiles, porcelain is pressure moulded from a dust material, so it has to be made flat. The only way to achieve a proper bend is to make it do so during firing. Dune now offers an outside bend and the really difficult one – an inside bend – in porcelain; ideal for exterior steps where frost might be a damage risk for clay tiles.

The natural look
Oxida from Edimax is a rectified porcelain floor tile that looks just like natural travertine stone, even down to the surface pitting that is the feature of the real thing. Made in one 45x75cm size, these tiles have rectified edges so they can be laid like a natural stone with butt joints, grouted or even used as cladding.

Trompe L’Oeil
Light is a range of metallic tiles from Faro in a 50x50cm format with four metallic colours and three different surface designs. One of which really deceives the eye. Until actually touched, it is easy to believe that this tile cannot be flat, but the seeming dips and curves are all created by the texture and the glaze.

Small is beautiful
Mosaic is still popular, but no longer tied to square shapes. Vietro Antico has added the series Shegge 20x20cm mosaics to the Fondali collection, with a choice of individual mosaics as small as 1cm2, 1x5cm 1x10cm and 1x20cm pieces on a cloth backing.

Frame up
Korzilius has an unusual dry tiling system designed for use where conventional tiling would be inappropriate, such as suspended floors where future access is required. This system employs very thin ceramic tiles adhered to precision made lightweight load bearing blocks firmly fixed to a metal sub-frame which can be removed for access. This long established German company is looking for a UK contact.

A golden moment
The writing was on the wall for minimalism when Zucchetti displayed a gold tap as an option in the Wosh range of brassware designed by William Sawaya. Another new move is the amalgamation of Zucchetti and shower manufacturer Kos in a new partnership that brings a new synergy into their combined product ranges.

Tomorrow today
A taste of things to come from Teuco with new bath tubs, now with clear back rests and much larger window fronts to the baths. Also the P546 and P547 slimline shower panels made in polished aluminium, offering overhead, body jets and handshower with the choice of blender or thermostatic water control. The P547 includes a bath filler for over bath installation.

Like clockwork
The latest concept from Ritmonio is Clockwork a new concealed brassware designed by Davide Vercelli. Anyone who has experienced problems balancing water flow and temperature will like Clockwork. This employs epicyclic gearing, so instead of just a quarter turn adjustment, Clockwork gearing gives a complete 360° full circle, allowing finer tuning of both flow and temperature. Ritmonio offers three headwork designs with a round spout angled downwards or a waterfall system.

Bugs in the system
Ellebi showed Bug, an unusual freestanding wash basin made in layered laminated wood. This basin has a natural organic feel and includes a semicircular chrome towel rail that extends from each side. There is a large round mirror with a pendant wooden shelf and a most unusual square magnifying mirror attached to the circular glass.

Today tomorrow
ISA showed prototypes for a new bathroom furniture collection for 2008. Today is a range of mid market furniture that moves in two directions: either curves and bright, strong colours or more formal natural wood finishes. Both offer smooth furniture lines. Plain mirrors or a back lit version with a hammered glass edging are offered.

Jewel box
Acrylic washbasins inset with a multitude of semiprecious stones bring a splash of colour from Boxart to hammer another nail into the coffin of minimalism. To complete the picture is the sparkle of Vizi accessories, in mirrored mosaic and also brightly coloured natural stones.

Drop in the ocean
The Water Drop shower tray by Flaminia takes ceramic material back to its roots with a texture and shape reminiscent of natural stone. The surface design replicates the action of water on sand with uneven concentric circles radiating from the waste, to provide drainage and a slip-resistant surface. This low height tray comes in a range of sizes and can be installed on, or flush with the floor.

The next Cersaie will be held from 30th September to the 4th of October 2008.

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