Ceramics for Walls and Floors

A decorative aspect that designers use to tie their concept together is to give walls and floors a colourful touch. For functional reasons, tiles are often the best choice. One must be careful in combining and complementing bold patterns with other optical surfaces. This can play a crucial part in a concept, and can create an interesting tension where the ceramic meets another material. What in former times has been part of artistic pottery tradition, is now almost entirely mass produced. There is a huge industry developing new surfaces and setting new trends every year. What I find interesting is that there is a recognizable niche of handmade quality products some of which I will introduce to you. The brush or the stamp apply the crystals of the glaze with an imperfect yet human quality, something we can all relate to and feel at home with.

 


NAUSICAA ODYSSEY by NCB Architettura for Scene Mediterranee. The series „Odysseus“ was created in collaboration of the Danish Italian Brand Made a Mano with NCB Architettura. The aim was to combine contemporary graphic with artisan craft which in this area dates back 4000 years. The unique material of natural lava stone is sourced in Mount Etna, which is naturally the hardest stone. They locally process the material and treat it in a way so it becomes durable for many generations. The glaze is carved into the tile with a template creating this fascinating combination of raw stone and glossy glaze.

ANTICO by La Riggiola. It’s been a while since the fashion magazines were all about Colour Blocking. This combination of electric blue and brilliant white is simple and bold. It leaves creativity to the designer as it can be arranged in different variations. It’s a strong statement, but also allows freedom to explore with materials and styles that can be combined with it. I can see this tile in a countryhouse style kitchen but it would also work well in a modernist context.

WINGS by Dahl Studio. Dahl Studio is owned and run by Nanna Louise Dahl, who graduated as an architect from the Aarhus School of Architecture. Her custom made tiles are a study of material, color and shape, and the signature tiles draw on geometry as their source of inspiration and specific point of departure. The shapes create a pattern that magnifies into architecture through the specific glazing surface of the lava stone tiles.

NOVECENTO by Made a Mano. The Novecento series is heavily inspired by traditional Sicilian tile design. The range of Novecento builds on the rich Italian tradition for great hand craftsmanship, referencing among other key points the stairs in Caltagirone, the city of the original Made a Mano production facility. Owner Nanaki Bonfils designs the tiles in close collaboration with a traditional producer in Sicily that uses locally sourced lava stone from.

GRAN SMALTI ELEMENTI by La Riggiola.

CONTEMP MOSCACIECA COMP by La Riggiola.