Cevisama returns to the architectural marvel of Valencia, continuing to champion innovative ceramic manufacture.

Opening its doors from 27th February to 3rd March and bringing together leading brands on mass, we were able to explore some of the most technologically advanced ceramic manufacture to date.

Weaving our way through Cevisama, we’ve drawn our analysis of the common threads running through its astounding offering of manufacturers - taking inspiration from Tile of Spain’s 2023 trend predictions. Industry favourites include the leading-edge surfaces from all brands in the Peronda Group – catalogued by one of our founding partners Casa Ceramica.

Our stand out trends for this year included; Outside Inside and Inside Out, Bold is Bliss, Sensory Haven and Responsible Luxury. This is where we recognised an active focus on the healing powers of nature, designing consciously and restoratively for human and environmental health - as well as a steer towards bright and buoyant prints that lift people’s spirits.

Outside Inside and Inside Out.

The word ‘ecology’ comes from the ancient Greek word ‘oikos’, meaning ‘household’, ‘home’ or ‘place to live’. Particularly after the pandemic, we have seen a societal shift in our appreciation of the natural environment, keen to reap the benefits it brings to human health and wellbeing.

With that in mind, people are reconnecting their living and working spaces with the outdoors through implementing surfaces, forms and tones relic to the natural world – bridging together the concepts of ecology and home.

Peronda’s ongoing collaboration with designer, Francisco Segarra transported us far beyond the aesthetics of the metropolis. These wood-effect porcelain tiles use sophisticated shape and layer glaze technology to echo the cracks and wood-rings of authentic wood flooring. Fs Wild brings the haptic experience of a wooden floor to the balls of your feet – without the inherent shrinking and expanding nature of the material.

With wood and stone being natural inducers of tranquility in a space, Arcana’s Betilo quickly caught our attention for this very reason. A recently released collection of porcelain stones available in four timeless colour-ways and three sizes. Using brand-new 3D glaze technology, Betilo follows the discreet incisions within a sophisticated stone graphic, emulating the sensory experience of real stone.

Trending colour palettes of this year’s show often rooted a spectrum of natural pigments, starring rich neutrals that take influence from the elements. For example, warm tones of sand and stone, deep emerald greens and oceanic blues, as well as celebration of cracks and crevasses inherent in natural weathering of materials. This was particularly noticeable in a number of Apavisa’s recently released ceramic offerings, as well as Universe by Keraben Grupo - taking inspiration from oxidising metals and worn stone surfaces.

We also identified a conscious choice to bring the kitchen, the bathroom and other areas of the home that represent communion and self care to our outside spaces. This design choice has encouraged a need for surfaces that are typically fit for purpose indoors to meet the same performance requirements when fitted outdoors.

Responding directly to this trend is IN OUT IN by Vives – a series of small format porcelain tiles, designed technically and aesthetically for water areas. Its availability in both natural and non-slip finishes encourage a continuation of an earthy and muted palette from inside to out.

Peronda’s Cluny 4D is inspired by the stone of the French city in the Burgundy region. Showcasing a fossil smattered surface and a bush-hammered texture evocative of hand-worked stone, its design stands out for its an eye-catching sense of movement. Cluny’s three wall tile models also come in three colours that are inline with current trends - creating soothing, harmonious living spaces. The collection also features matching white-body tiles, so that living spaces can be created with an all-round, unified aesthetic.

Bold is Bliss

Under this umbrella of optimistic offerings were re-invented retro designs, revised rhythms of the Art Deco movement, as well as an abundance of upbeat, punchy graphics and colour combinations.

Keraben Grupo’s Mystic in Fantasy Art Silver Starlight revealed a collection of cements and stones that pave way for experimental compositions and textures - subtly nodding to Art Deco movement.

Vives’ Flippo Soul collection put forward striking series of patterns – playful in their positioning. Produced by their art and design department, these bold, white body wall tiles are carefully handcrafted and fired multiple times with two applications of glaze to achieve optimal saturation – instilling joy into any scheme.

Tackling one of the most trending typologies out there, Arcana have delivered a delicate and harmonious approach to the macro trend - terrazzo. Croccante is Arcana’s cutting-edge offering, innovated through the design team’s efforts to achieve an authentic artisan result.

Pigment is dried out, crushed into irregular segments and rolled into cement. The surface is then repeatedly sanded until it reveals the coloured chips underneath. These surfaces that are made by the hands of the Arcana design team are then digitalised. Their subtle graphic is well suited to warm spaces with a sensitive and welcoming aesthetic.

Sensory Haven

Spaces that nourish body and mind now more than ever appear to be at the forefront of design thinking – advocating minimalist, muted aesthetics that champion a ‘less is more’ approach. In response to a growing awareness of our fast paced, busy lives and its effect on wellbeing, there has been an on mass decluttering of things we surround ourselves with at home. Instead, we are opting for surfaces that are soft on the eye and induce feelings of calm and relaxation - preventing an overload on the senses.

Soothing and restoring reliefs, as well as tactile experience were favourited design features throughout Cevisama. Following this trend was Keraben Grupo’s Bleuemix and Idyllic. Within their extensive library of stone print surfaces, is an abundance of three-dimensional, haptic reliefs that encourage tactile engagement.

Peronda’s Cluny Wall is also available in a wavy 3D relief wall tile with clear cut contours. With thanks to their thorough research and development into glaze technology, Peronda can ensure sharp definition of each tile. These tiles can be combined with their smooth surface and bush-hammered counterparts to bring a multi-sensory experience to a scheme.

RUBIK offers a recuperative palette, revealing varying tonalities in its four neutral colour-ways. Designed by Harmony, the collection plays on the concept of a rubix cube, using the power of light and shade to create truly restorative spaces.

Additionally, Harmony’s Log collection by ALT DESIGN takes direct influence from woodworking techniques, echoing the construction of log assembled mountain chalets. The curvature of the tiles pay homage to wood turning techniques, whilst also sporting a grooved texture that is inspired by tree bark.

Responsible Luxury

Marble is here to stay. Paving the floor of Valencia’s 14th century architectural wonder - the La Llotja and still selected for the modern homes of today, there is reason why the demand for this material has stood the test of time. Polished, it exquisitely reflects light up into the space the material occupies.

However, as our awareness and efforts to make more sustainable material choices increases, marble has to follow suit. Thoroughly advanced digital printing technology is enabling us to enjoy the visual and tactile qualities of this marble without mining it out of the ground. This is visible in Keraben Grupo’s Mystic collection, featuring a series of striking stone surfaces relic to marble.

With the technology improving rapidly year by year, 3rd firings of waxes and various reactive glazes and crystal clear printers strategically follow the veins of marble, imitating the material’s surface. Mimicking this precious stone is Les Bijoux by Arcana and Museum’s Sublime collection, suited to both residential and commercial spaces.

Visit the Cevisama page or Tile of Spain page for more information about this year’s exhibitors and trends.