Cersaie 2011

This year I was lucky enough to attend the Cersaie Bathroom and Ceramics fair in Bologna, Italy.

I visited the fair in 2009 and was quite curious to see how much it would change or whether it would be affected at all by the recent world economic state.

I have to start by saying the fair was as massive and impressive as ever. Cersaie is held in an exhibition centre which spreads over 176,000m2, there are about 1,016 exhibitors (approx 750 of those are Italian) and is visited by roughly 82,500 architects, designers and importers over the 4 days of the show. So in summary, its huge.

Luckily we don't sell tiles, so I could cut out half of the halls but it still tired me immensely and forced me (as touristy as it sounds) to take the little courtesy train from hall to hall over the 2 days I spent at the fair.

I should also mention photography isn't allowed so all the images taken were on the sneaky (and if you're a Cersaie official, my friend Mrs Feyk took the photos).

One of the first stands I visited was Gessi. They wowed me last time with a tremendous stand which included a cafe, bar and stylish Italians sipping coffee, and delivered again this year. I was given a tour of the stand and got to see their newest electronic range ISpa. The range was designed with the I-Pod shape as inspiration and features temperature and pressure electronic controls on top of the spout. Very sleek, very clever. Of course they also displayed the stunning Goccia range but this time all were working models which was great to see.

Simas had a fantastically kitsch and colourful stand. They displayed their ranges against OSB walls and neon lights, creating a very industrial and fun display that was extremely effective and drew me in immediately. What can I say? I'm a sucker for neon lights!

Antonio Lupi is a favourite of mine, their stand is always beautifully styled and very, very popular so with that comes their very strict no photos or touching policy! Unfortunately not even Mrs. Feyk could take pictures to share with you. They showcased their contemporary freestanding baths and basins against traditional elements. Resin oval baths sat by Louis armchairs and Carrara marble freestanding basins in front of renaissance style paintings. Divine.

At Cersaie, Vola team up with Rapsel and Nito for their stand to put together a classic, sophisticated range of products that compliment each other perfectly. Vola displayed their new R-Series, a range of wall mounted tissue dispensers and waste bins which have already won awards and are a favourite of the Candana team. And of course all the Vola classics were there, HV1's (basin mixers) KV1's (kitchen mixers) and the more recent FS3's (freestanding showers).

Giants in the bathrooms world, Hansgrohe and Laufen rarely disappoint. Hansgrohe showcased the wonderful Urquiola, PuraVida and Bouroullec ranges, which as featured previously on the blog here, offers a huge array of options and configurations.

Laufen kept their display simple but effective whilst highlighting the additions to their already extremely popular Palomba and Alessi ranges.

During my wanderings through the fair I discovered an Italian company called Cielo, who displayed their very alluring freestanding basins against grey, textured walls. Once I tore myself away from them (the walls, that is) I noticed they have a new range  'Amedeo' designed by none other than Karim Rashid. The elegant lines in these basins are a perfect example of Karim's understanding of unique shapes.

Known for their mosaic tiles, Bisazza launched their second line of bathroom furnishings at Cersaie this year. Designed by Marcel Wanders the aptly named 'Wanders Collection' is like nothing I've seen before in bathroomware. It's ornate, shapely and a little OTT, but I love it! The hints of red in the tapware are perfect against the black, white and crystal. And yes, that is a crystal chandelier shower!

Bisazza Bagno's first range 'The Hayon Collection' is a contemporary take on 1930's shapes and incorporated mirrors, tapware and lighting into the basins. The finishes include black, white and radiant copper. Its a totally conclusive and practical range.

Finally, Galassia was another Italian brand I hadn't seen before and I was drawn to their stand right away. They very cleverly displayed their sanitaryware with an artistic edge. They extended their console legs in a sculptural way that was very effective. And I absolutely loved the 'hand' accessories, so fun!

In conclusion, it seems bathroomware is having a bit of a break from being too serious which I think is great. Have a bit of fun with it, add a crazy bright coloured tap or a fantastic light fitting to your bathroom and instantly transform the space from 'wash-room' to a place where you can escape from every day life.

All images by Candana