CERAMIC TILES
BUONGIORNO TO BOLOGNA
George Barnes of Porcel Ceram takes tiling to Italy as he discusses his hopes and expectations from the Cersaie Tile Exhibition in Bologna.
Whilst many mourn the end of summer, the tiling world rejoice as September marks the arrival of the Cersaie Tile Exhibition in Bologna. Now, to the layman, this might not sound “Rock ‘n’ Roll”, but let me assure you, Cersaie is our version of the Cannes Film festival.
The Bologna Exhibition attracts visitors from around the world, and is an exciting time for the visitor and a chance to preview the fashions for the next year ahead.
Over the past few years we have had quite a few breakthrough tile designs that would have been laughable a few years earlier, such as concrete effect tiles and even chipboard effect. Five years ago, no one would have dreamt of putting a tile looking like a slab of concrete down in the atrium of their new office block, effectively giving it the appearance of an old warehouse, but thanks to pioneering tile manufacturers, this is now the norm.
Timber effect tiles have also seen a huge rise in popularity, with most manufacturers producing a couple of ranges. With timber-effect tiles, there are so many possibilities of design styles and surface finishes, from polished hardwood to reclaimed, aged, timber floorboard effects, there really is a timber tile for all schemes.
Now I know what you’re thinking, why use tiles that imitate other materials, why not use the real thing? It all comes down to practicality, usability and longevity. Natural materials look and feel stunning and in certain circumstances (mainly residential) they are the only choice, but for all commercial projects, the floor and wall materials have to be able to withstand excessive usage and to not show any signs of wear. Being made from porcelain, tiles will always be easier to maintain in
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terms of cleaning and will always have a greater lifespan when compared to natural materials. I have seen on too many occasions where a natural stone or timber has been specified as a floor finish and after only a few weeks of usage, it has been stained and scuffed and is reducing the quality of the overall scheme. Using a carefully specified porcelain tile will definitely prevent this.
So, back to Bologna; with so many materials being imitated by ceramic and porcelain, it will be interesting to see what can be done next. We are definitely seeing a resurgence of bold colours for wall tiles, and the more traditional approach being sought by a lot of UK designers is leading to a boost in popularity for metro, handmade and encaustic tiles. Generally, I think that designers and end users are seeking the product that no one else has and are prepared to step outside of their comfort zone and choose a tile that will create a bold statement and set them apart from their competitors. Cersaie will be sure to deliver products that will match these criteria, there will be tiles to impress, tiles to shock and tiles which really shouldn’t work but in typical Italian style, they do.
For Cersaie to be a successful exhibition, it needs to be pioneering and constantly promoting the pushing of boundaries in tile design. Fresh ideas and tiles that will simply blow us away will be what the visitors want to see and I’m sure we won’t be let down. Personally, I can’t wait to go and see what’s new and what I can bring back to show my clients, and at the end of a long day, when you think that you can’t see another tile, you’ve always got the Italian food and drink to bring you round; work doesn’t get much better!
www.porcelceram.co.uk www.tomorrowstileandstone.co.uk
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