Seventy-five brands in the Tile of Spain group of manufacturers offered fascinating displays at the 40th edition of the Cersaie fair in Bologna, Italy, celebrating an industry full of vibrancy and invention, and making Spain the second largest exhibitor by country at the show. With nearly 100,000 visitors, the event drew crowds keen to see the latest collections in ceramic and porcelain – while Spanish manufacturers lived up to the sector’s image as pioneers offering premium quality, exciting design and technical innovation, together with a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.
A number of notable aesthetic themes emerged from Spanish tiles at the fair, from seaside colours to the verdant shades of nature, from classic clays to deep, dark tones, and from the tactility of stone to the intriguing grain of timber and the patterns of parquet:
Sea and Sand
From the land of sunshine and glorious coastlines, it’s no surprise the ambience of the coast is a popular theme in Spanish tiles, whether that be uplifting aquas and turquoises, shimmering shell-like finishes, wave-like textures or calming sandy tones. Evoking thoughts of relaxing on the beach or by the pool, the latest collections range from decorative wall tiles that create a sense of wellbeing in the bathroom, to floor coverings perfect for outdoor terraces.
Adex: Levante wall tiles are inspired by the winds that blow in from the Mediterranean and available in 4 formats and in a matt or glossy finish. www.adexspain.com
Ceramica Mayor: Iconic Stone is high-performance, large format porcelain stoneware in natural sandy tones, ideal for applications in wet areas. www.ceramicamayor.com
Grespania: Atrezo Palco is a 45 x 120cm rectified wall tile in 4 pale, natural tones with a subtle wave-like texture reminiscent of ripples on the sand. www.grespania.comFabresa: Aria is a metro type element with an irregular, textured finish, perfect for creating patterns and light-play on the wall. In 9 seaside inspired colours. www.fabresa.comCeramica De Vinci: Brume is a classic wall tile with all the enticing shimmer of seashells, available in a 13 x 13cm format and 5 colours. www.ceramicadavinci.comEquipe: Kalma is a porcelain wall tile in a 6 x 18.6cm format and 8 colours, including tranquil Powder Blue, shown here, and in a matt or glossy finish. www.equipeceramicas.com
Timber in Tile
Exciting advances in printing technology mean that tiles can capture the look of any material, including the natural charm of woodgrain and timber. Whether as sleek flooring or patterned wall-panelling, as outdoor decking or replicating parquet and wide board planks, Spanish tiles offer stunning solutions for achieving the look and warmth of wood, with all the durable, easy-care advantages of ceramic.
Azulev: Artwood is as good as its name in creating striking, parquet-inspired patterns for high-impact, non-slip porcelain flooring in varying timber tones. www.azulev.comPorcelanosa: Gent Arrow is a distinctive wood-look porcelain wall tile with an intricate relief effect to create an intriguing new take on herringbone. www.porcelanosa.comBaldocer: Vermont is an elegant wood-look tile in a bamboo strip effect for walls, and a plank effect for floors. Colours include Earth, Maple, Cedar and Walnut. www.baldocer.com
ITT Ceramic: Alabama Line is a rectified parquet-effect tile capturing the beauty of woodgrain in four tones and a 59.5 x 119.2cm format. www.ittceramic.com
Roca Tiles: Panama is a finely detailed recreation of the beauty of timber in two finishes and a 19.5 x 120 rectified format for high-performance flooring. www.rocatiles.com
Cobsa: Cotto is a wood-look, non-slip porcelain flooring tile in 2 formats and 2 colours, ideal for designing a herringbone decking effect. www.cobsa.net
Neo Noir
The beauty of black makes a strong statement in design, bringing an air of glamour and sophistication. Black comes in many subtle variations, from shades bordering on dark grey and green to deep charcoals and midnights, and with iridescent finishes or marble-like veining. Deliciously dark tiles with a fascinating difference are offered by many Spanish manufacturers and come in various formats, from wall tiles ideal for splashbacks to slabs of porcelain perfect for worktops, walls and floors.
Arklam: Sahara Noir is a black, marble-look, hi-tech porcelain slab with gold and silver veining, in 12mm and 20mm thicknesses, ideal for worktops and cladding. www.arklam.comDecocer: Harlem is a decorative wall tile in glamorously dark hues with a beguiling iridescence and subtle texture, highly suited to stylish splashbacks. www.decocer.comEcoceramic: Kalahari is a large-format porcelain tile capturing the allure of midnight-coloured marble with an ultra-glossy finish and dramatic veining. www.ecoceramic.esFanal: Orobico offers book-matched beauty in the form of a polished porcelain slab with swirling streams of colour moving through black, white, grey and gold. www.fanal.comKTL Ceramica: Tundra is a rectified porcelain stone-look tile in 2 formats, with the Black colour choice offering a sense of subtle, weathered elegance. www.ktlceramica.comRealonda: Triangle is a decorative wall tile perfect for geometric effects. In a 48.4 x 28cm format, it comes in various colours and finishes including matt black. www.realonda.com
Going Green
Green is a highly popular choice in interiors, bringing us closer to a soothing sense of nature. Spanish ceramics have embraced this colour with verve and ingenuity, offering a wide array throughout the tonal range and in a variety of decorative styles and formats. From slender bamboo effects for the bathroom to the replication of exotic stones, and from traditional square and metro pieces to easy-install mosaics – the glory of green is taking over tiles!
Platera: Raku is a wall tile with a striking fine strip effect in 2 formats and 4 colours, including the vivid and energising Emerald shown here. www.laplatera.esL’Antic Colonial: Fiji is a classic wall tile in 2 formats and 7 colours, including an inviting Green with hints of earthy brown. www.anticcolonial.comEstudio Ceramico: Inspired by an island off New Zealand, Waiheke is a 15 x 15cm porcelain wall tile in rich, deep colours such as Emerald, shown here. www.eceramico.comEl Molino: Jakarta is a matt finish porcelain tile in a 30 x 60cm format celebrating the beauty of natural stone and characterised by distinctive undertones of green. www.elmolino.esEl Barco: Rubik is a fascinating wall tile with a textured bamboo effect, available in six colours including Verde, and in a 15 x 30cm format. www.elbarco.comOnix: Hex XL Carel is a glass mosaic composed of hexagonal tiles in mesh sheets of 28.6 x 28.4cm, creating an attractive interplay of turquoise and green. www.onixmosaico.com
Raw Rock
The aesthetics, details and textures of quarried stone have been adopted by Spanish tile brands to create new offerings for walls and floors, indoors and outdoors. Representing all the raw beauty of rock formations, grottos, and well-worn footpaths, these easy-to-work-with, lightweight products enable the sense of gravity, without stripping excess resources from the ground… and with inspiring potential for installing subtle patterns.
Azulejos El Mijares: Argos is a 10 x 50cm textured tile ideal for wall cladding, indoors or out, impressively replicating the rough-hewn feel of stone bricks. www.azulejosmijares.comTau Ceramica: Bali Stone comes in 7 colours, 2 finishes and 2 formats, including the natural rock effect of Coal, perfect for forming geometric patterns. www.tauceramica.comAzteca Ceramica: Street is robust and resistant porcelain floor tile in 3 formats and 3 colours creating a sense of stone footpaths with hints of ancient fossils.Cerlat: Montesa is a rock relief-effect porcelain outdoor tile in 7 colours and 2 formats for achieving the look of artisanal stone paving to stunning effect. www.azulejosmijares.comUndefasa Solid +: French Stone is a durable, high-performance technical porcelain that elegantly replicates the classic stone typical in French architecture. www.undefasa.comStile Ceramic: Kron Graphite is a high-tech, highly resistant rectified porcelain flooring tile in a matt finish and five formats with the intricate look of natural stone. www.stileceramic.es
Calling for Clay
Terracotta is one of the earliest forms of ceramic and the rustic look of natural or fired clay has an enduring appeal. Spain has a long and proud history of making beautiful and useful things from this ancient material and several Spanish manufacturers are referencing the tradition in collections that range from contemporary interpretations to honouring the simplicity of old-school tiles.
Argenta: Newclay is a contemporary take on a classic organic material. Creating a chic ambience, it comes in wall or floor formats and 6 subtle tones. www.argentaceramica.comGresan: Curtain is a versatile structural tile made from extruded stoneware in a natural terracotta finish, an elegant solution for ventilated screens, indoors or out. www.exagres.esMayolica: Gandia is a charming tile that references Spanish architectural traditions, in a 15 x 5cm brick-like format and three warm terracotta tones. www.mayolica.esZYX: Amazonia pays homage to the handmade, rustic feel of traditional tiles and comes in two formats (including hexagonal) and 5 natural hues. www.zyxspace.comZYX: Amazonia pays homage to the handmade, rustic feel of traditional tiles and comes in two formats (including hexagonal) and 5 natural hues. www.zyxspace.comHalcon Ceramicas: Grand Canyon is a high-tech porcelain tile in 4 formats and 4 neutral colours including the smooth, natural clay-like finish of Sand. www.halconceramicas.com
Tile of Spain is the voice of the Spanish tile industry, encompassing more than 100 tile manufacturers. Manufactured in Spain and widely available in the UK, these products embody the spirit of an industry priding itself on beautiful, meaningful, sustainable and high-performance solutions to floor and wall coverings, worksurfaces and furnishing, exterior paving and cladding. The prestigious Tile of Spain Awards, now in their 23rd year, recognise international architectural and interior projects making beautiful and innovative use of Spanish ceramics. www.tileofspain.com
Roca Tiles: Panama is a finely detailed recreation of the beauty of timber in two finishes and a 19.5 x 120 rectified format for high-performance flooring. www.rocatiles.com
