Bathrooms have come a long way since the outhouse. Deputy Editor of Indesign Penny Craswell visits the Cersaie bathroom ceramics and tile fair in Bologna, Italy.

Most people wouldn’t think of their bathroom as the most interesting place in their home – but why overlook such a versatile room, when the options are so exciting?

The Cersaie bathroom ceramics and tile fair is held each year in Bologna, and is an example of the changing face of bathrooms worldwide. The annual Italian fair is host to a raft of tile and bathroom manufacturers, as well as buyers and journalists, all eager to snap up the latest bathroom design trends.

This year, the fair saw more exhibitors than ever, with over a thousand companies from Italy and all around the world. There was a mix of big and small brands, with the Italians dominating the fair with their creativity. Established brands such as Hidra Ceramica and Flamina could be seen alongside smaller companies, like Nic and Devon & Devon. Karim Rashid, Marcel Wanders and Fabio Novembre all released new products, while in tiles, the Florim brand family (including Rex and Casa Dolce Casa) made a big impression.

The bathroom has come a long way, and, as the Cersaie fair shows, it has the potential to add a new dimension of beauty to any home. For a full report on the fair, be sure to see Design Quarterly issue #32.

cersai.it