Tiles are elevated to an art form at Cersaie, the ceramic industry’s annual fair in Bologna, Italy. Yet this year, bath and radiator companies also reinvented their goods to stunning effect, playing with form, color, and material.
- Julie Taraska
 

Tear right in
Déchirer (“to shred,” in French) is designer Patricia Urquiola’s debut line of ceramic tile for Ceramiche Mutina. The line features large-scale pieces with surfaces imprinted with snatches of different patterns. In four sizes and five colors, including gray (shown). Italian Trade Commission, Ceramic Tile Dept., New York City. www.italytile.com circle 200

[Reader Service: February 2009 #200]

 

Cityscapes
Maps provide the design for the Streets range, which depict the roads in a variety of towns (Macao, shown). The pathways are marked by a glossy embossed line on the larger ceramic tiles (23.6'' x 47.2'') and in bas-relief on the smaller ones (23.6'' square). Lea North America, Charlotte. www.ceramichelea.com

[Reader Service: February 2009 #201]
 

Clear winner
Containing a minimum of 80 percent postconsumer recycled glass, Feel mosaics are available in 12 opaque colors and 26 pre-set patterns. Prices for the 3⁄4''-square tiles start at $10 per square foot. Trend USA, Miami. www.trendgroup-usa.com

[Reader Service: February 2009 #202]
     

Go with the flow
In Matteo Thun’s Invisible Bath for Rapsel, drains, faucets, and bulky pipes all but disappear. Instead, the suite — made of water-resistant green pine — puts the movement of water front and center. Still in the concept stage, with availability to be determined. AF New York, New York City. www.afnewyork.com

[Reader Service: February 2009 #203]

In the pile
Comprising a sculptural stack of steel discs, the Milano radiator can be affixed to the wall or placed on the floor. It comes in both electric and hydraulic versions, the latter of which uses 1⁄3 less water than other models. Tubes Radiatori North America, Corona Del Mar, Calif. www.tubesradiatori.com

[Reader Service: February 2009 #204]

Hot stuff
Nera is fabricated from lava quarried from Mt. Etna, which is then cooked until its pores are sealed. The procedure means the tile doesn’t stain like marble or granite or need any protective coatings. Available in a choice of a honed, crusted, and brushed finish. Casa Dolce Casa USA, Alpharetta, Ga.
www.casadolcecasa.com

[Reader Service: February 2009 #205]
   
 

Inspired Idea
With its tapered body and slight, 9.5’’-wide profile (excluding basin), the freestanding Muse is perfect for tight spaces. The unit's smooth ceramic body also means there are no crevices in which dirt can collect. Catalano, Fabrica di Roma, Italy. www.catalano.it
 

Buttoned Up
Like their namesake upholstery, Capitonné tiles from Ceramiche Rex feature a curved surface with a button in the center. The porcelain pieces come in eight colors ranging from black patent (shown) to gold metallic. Italian Trade Commission, Ceramic Tile Dept., New York City. www.italytile.com
 

Tough Customer
Buxy Flammé tiles from Cotto d'Este resist shocks, scratches, stains, and frost. Their mottled, non-slip surfaces also make them ideal for use in wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and pool surrounds. Esterel in ground natural, pictured. Italian Trade Commission, Ceramic Tile Dept., New York City. www.italytile.com
     

Tiny Treasures
Brix's 5mm-square I Frammenti micromosaics are suitable for indoors or out. The porcelain tiles are sold on 11.8’’-square sheets; choose solids—10 matte colors, 7 glossy—or one of 10 mixed sets. Italian Trade Commission, Ceramic Tile Dept., New York City. www.italytile.com
     

Rock of Ages  
Maxim ceramic tiles by Ceramica Faetano offer the look of travertine flooring without the material's characteristic holes. Available in slabs measuring 11’’ x 22’’ and 5.5’’ x 22’’, and in listellos, strips, and mosaics. Italian Trade Commission, Ceramic Tile Dept., New York City. www.italytile.com