If one takeaway emerged from Cersaie 2024, it was the Italian ceramic industry’s affinity for balancing craftsmanship and technology. As exhibitors took to the show floor in Bologna, Italy, to showcase their innovations, this year’s tile launches served as a constant reminder of these two key pillars. Some brands made a return to classic colours and patterns, while others stepped out of the box with statement-making designs. But even those that took a more minimal approach ventured beyond the stone and wood-look styles into uncharted territory. Below, we’ve rounded up 10 such collections that shone on the show floor. Stay tuned for the full trend report from Cersaie 2024 in our January/February 2025 issue!

Last year, architecturally inspired collections could be seen across the show floor. At Cersaie 2024, Decoratori Bassanesi continued the trend with the launch of the Wă collection by Federica Biasi, drawing from the terracotta roof tiles of pagodas and dwellings seen during the designer’s travels in China. “Usually, it’s the simplest elements that catch my eye, straightforward images that call up a specific vision, says Biasi. “For the Wă collection, the sharp, strong lines of the buildings, with their ties to history, ancient forms of craftsmanship and the use of natural materials, were a flash of inspiration that, over time, generated the creative process the design grew out of.”

Wă translates the layered configuration of these terracotta roofs by stacking cross sections of the curved shingles on top of each other in a dynamic mosaic. The 9.5 x 18.5 cm full-body porcelain tiles can be arranged in three patterns (up, down and alternating, which creates a wave-like motif) and are offered in four neutral tones. Versatile and evocative, it’s no wonder the collection won this year’s ADI Ceramics & Bathroom Design award.

The wild patterns of the Nok collection immediately drew us in at 41zero42’s stand. Inspired by neo-expressionist and African art, the porcelain stoneware collection foregrounds material expression. While the Totem decoration takes the tribal inspiration more literally, the Snake style on the other hand explodes with graphic appeal. Three understated mosaics — Boogie, an array of rectangles set slightly off-kilter, Crock, which mimics the style of organically broken stone, and Rug, which alternates flat and textured pieces — round out the collection. All the styles are offered in four warm and earthy colourways: Ivory, Taupe, Ebony and Terra.

A portmanteau of the Italian words for air and light, the aptly named Arialuce collection marks Marca Corona’s first foray into the world of breezeblocks. The extruded terracotta volumes are available in three styles — Curve (20x20cm), Pertuse (12x12cm) and Asole ­(12x24cm) — that allow in varying degrees of light, in three neutral finishes. Each of the styles was inspired by one of the brand’s tile collections (Asole, for instance, was derived from the Brick collection), allowing for seamless pairings. Bringing the beauty of ceramics into three dimensions ( each breezeblock is 6cm thick), Arialuce can serve as an architectural feature in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

At Ceramica Sant’Agostino, the Iro collection stood out amongst the sea of tiles like LEGO bricks in a more subdued palette (the 5×20” bricks are offered in sage and forest green, as well as a terracotta tone and a trendy pale blue). With a series of circles, both raised and recessed into the surface, the tiles bring a playful texture to any space. The Iro Mini decorative offering pairs perfectly with the 60x120cm concrete-look tiles that ground the collection, as well as the terrazzo (Iro Next) and plaster-inspired (Iro Stripe) options. With a wealth of combinations to choose from, the collection can be used to create a monochromatic look, or mixed and matched for a hit of contrast.

“Are you sure it’s not fabric?” At Cersaie, the Triomphe collection kept people guessing, expertly masquerading as sumptuous silk wallpaper. You couldn’t help but reach out and touch the iridescent porcelain stoneware slabs, which imbued the vignettes at Sodai’s stand with a surprising sense of warmth. Offered in three metallic colourways – gold, silver and bronze — the tiles are produced with a Moirè effect that creates plays of light and shadow. With all the richness of precious metals, Triomphe embodies an air of old-world luxury that runs throughout the brand’s 2024 launches. Available in two sizes: 60x120cm and 120x280cm.

This year, checkerboard patterns made a return to the scene, demonstrating the enduring appeal of classic designs. The Tarsia collection by Versace Ceramics turned the dial up a notch with bold stone-look styles that ooze modern luxury, inspired by the inlaid marble floors of Palazzo Versace (the brand’s Milan atelier). Produced using exclusive high-definition digital 3D technology, the tiles feature a thick coating of ceramic materials in perfect alignment with the graphic, creating more realistic surfaces with sensory appeal.

The collection mimics three stone types — Bianco Dolomiti, Avorio Apuano and Nero Imperiale — in four decorative patterns that range from intricate inlays to graphic optical illusions. Tarsia can also be customized with fascia, listello and tozzetto pieces, decorated with the brand’s Medusa and La Greca motifs. Suitable for both high-end residential and hospitality projects, the tiles are offered in two sizes: 60x120cm or 120x120cm.

In a departure from the botanical motifs of wallpapers past, the Colorama Décor collection (shown here in the Brush pattern) by Ceramica Bardelli conceives each 60x120cm tile as a canvas painted with expressive, organic forms. Produced using a new cold digital printing technology, the graphic is enhanced by a relief effect that lends the surface a tactile quality. Incorporating all six hues of the solid Colorama series, the collection can stand alone as a bold accent wall or be combined with the Colorama tiles for a cohesive look. The rectified, coloured body porcelain stoneware tiles are suitable for wall applications. Other decorative offerings in the Colorama collection include Circles, a graphic geometric pattern, Precious, a mosaic-like pattern of abstract forms, and Flowers, a subtle floral print.

From across the room, Ceramiche Piemme’s Homey Paper Clay could easily be mistaken for plaster. The collection, designed by internationally renowned artist Paola Paronetto, boasts a rich, trowelled texture that captures and reflects the light, transforming throughout the day to create an immersive sensory experience that evokes a sense of calm. The collection is rendered in a palette of soft pastel tones, as well as two grey and two white options. Blurring the lines between art and design, the collection seeks to highlight the traditional craftsmanship of Italian ceramics while also showcasing the technology that the modern ceramic industry has become known for. The patterns appear random as if produced meticulously by hand, harking back to the patience and slow rhythm of traditional craft.

Antiche Fornaci D’Agostino combined its expertise in hand-painted ceramics and inspiration from its Amalfi Coast locale to create La Lampara. The 20x20cm stoneware tiles combine solid offerings with subtle brushstroke patterns and decorative pieces with craggy designs that evoke the light of fishing lamps (for which the collection is named) reflecting off the sea at night. The reference is especially evocative in the dark blue colourway, with white accents that recall the caps of the waves on an especially windy day. Whether utilized on the walls or the floor, La Lampara brings a subtle coastal vibe to any interior, imbuing spaces with nautical character.

This architecturally inspired collection by Ceramica Fioranese counts the EUR building in Rome and the Maison de Verre in Paris as some of its key references. Within the semi-polished concrete-look surface, a grid of small irregularly shaped polished “windows” creates a glass brick effect. The collection, which is suitable for both wall and floor applications, can also be combined with a solid version with the same concrete-like texture. Combining the elegance of glass with the solidity of concrete like a modernist masterpiece, The Blend collection makes for a refined addition to any space.