Casalgrande Padana at the Salone Del Mobile 2022 in Milan

by Sara Costi

From 7 to 12 June, Casalgrande Padana will be at the Salone del Mobile, in Pavilion 15 - Stand F31, at the Fiera Milano Exhibition Centre in Rho.

Casalgrande Padana will be taking part in the Salone del Mobile in S.Project, a cross-sector, multi-faceted space dedicated to design products, décor solutions and interior design techniques, and offering a complete overview of the world of architecture in order to respond to the new demands of the market.

Today more than ever before, architectural design has a key role to play in the well-being of the people who occupy living spaces, because it has the marvellous ability to elevate matter in order to create buildings using advanced techniques able to respect the environment and meet new needs. The home is no longer seen simply as a group of spaces built with bricks and mortar and furnished with objects and accessories; it has evolved into a place that can condition our lives, even biologically, entering into resonance with its occupants in a sort of invisible bond between them and their surroundings. This more advanced vision, which embraces disciplines such as epigenetics and quantum physics, engenders a desire to observe living spaces with enhanced awareness and to apply greater sensitivity to designing them, promoting a more holistic vision of architecture that is able to evolve from the science of material construction towards a more acutely aware approach to contemporary living.

In recent years, residential living spaces have taken on new meanings and values, drawing attention to the importance of environments that are not only inviting, comfortable, hygienic and healthy, but also modular and flexible, featuring dividing systems that can be adapted to the different needs of everyday living. Thanks to remote working and to the new tools made available by technology, such as webinars and online calls and conferences, the doors of our homes have been “virtually” opened also to strangers, turning homes from somewhere private, devoted to family and rest, into spaces open to the public.

Major importance is also paid to the use of eco-compatible materials and home automation technology, with a view to cutting energy waste and teaming comfort with enhanced safety.

Thanks to innovative production processes, Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware teams style and performance with respect for the environment, paying close attention to the need for living spaces that are not only beautiful and functional, but are above all healthy, free from harmful substances, easy to clean and conceived with materials and elements that are kind to the Planet we are guests of.

New from Casalgrande Padana

Atelier and Brickworks Nuances: a kaleidoscope of colours in porcelain stoneware

Colours regain a key role in living spaces, with Atelier and Brickworks Nuances, the two new, versatile Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware collections that can be used to complement our vast range of tiles with concrete, wood, marble, metal and stone effects. This brings a new colour renaissance to the home, shaped by smooth combinations and vibrant notes. Deep, silent or shrill, soft, fruity, spicy or sharp; pleasing tones ready to awaken the emotions.

Variations of colour, vibrant, sophisticated light effects and classy, contrasting tones spring to life on the porcelain stoneware tiles in the Atelier and Brickworks – Nuances collections. The rich, modern colour range of the former is composed of large monolith tiles in a thickness of just 6.5 mm (ranging from 40x120 cm and 60x120 cm up to 120x120 cm and 120x278 cm) and comes in eight monochrome shades ranging from the neutral Brume and Cristallo to Lavanda and from the fresh Fiordaliso and Indaco to the vivid blue of Oltremare and warm Rubino.

The latter collection features brick-effect stoneware wall tiles in a single 8.2x25 cm size, and comes in eight different colours (from the saturated shades of green and blue to the more neutral tones of black and white), available in two surface finishes that are opposites in terms of light reflection, with the satin version reflecting no light, in contrast to the bright polished version. Modern, versatile and embodying the expressive power of colour in line with the latest trends, the Atelier and Brickworks Nuances collections are perfect for enhancing décor and bringing a personal touch to any interior design project.

Nature and Petra: the timeless allure of stone in porcelain stoneware

The charm and beauty of stone has provided Casalgrande Padana with the inspiration for Nature and Petra, two new, technologically innovative porcelain stoneware collections with a sophisticated design.

With a palette of rich shades that recall the natural vibrations of the earth, the new Nature collection of ceramic tiles brings a contemporary twist to the materials typically used for country farmhouses. A warm, enveloping range of six different shades (Argilla, Calce, Creta, Lava, Sabbia and Terra), available in six different sizes (10x30 cm, 30x60 cm, 60x60 cm, 45x90 cm, 90x90 cm and 60x120 cm), with natural and lapped surfaces (in the new Silk version) for indoors, and an anti-slip surface for outdoors, make up the new Nature collection.

Rich, rigorous, confident and audacious, Petra by Casalgrande Padana derives from a combination of natural materials and modern intuition, for a collection that teams the elegant beauty of quartzite with the resistance and versatility of porcelain stoneware. Petra comes in six different shades (Antracite, Bianca, Grigia, Oro, Perla and Sabbia) and five different sizes (20x20 cm and 20x40 cm, the classic 30x60 cm and 60x60 cm and the large 60x120 cm), with a natural surface for indoors and a 20 mm thick anti-slip surface for outdoors.

Brickworks Muretto and Brickworks Petra

Nature and Petra are also enriched with a new range of brick-effect stoneware coverings that complement collections right across the wide Casalgrande Padana range and offer a creative option for tiling all kinds of walls, both indoors and outdoors, from floor to ceiling or just a part of them.

Brickworks Muretto comes in six colours (Bianco, Calce, Grigio, Lava, Nero and Mattone) with a light, pleasant pattern featuring delicate shading effects. Offered in a single 8.2×25 cm size, the new collection of Muretto coverings can be used for a range of different, creative laying patterns: from horizontal and vertical to staggered joints that recall the typical brickwork pattern.

Available in six colours (Antracite, Bianco, Grigio, Oro, Perla and Sabbia) and in a single 8.2x25 cm size, the new Brickworks Petra range of coverings mimics the colours typical of quartzite, bringing a unique touch of class to living spaces.

This versatile interior design resource can be used to create a ton-sur-ton look to match the flooring, or appealing colour contrast effects to enhance, enrich or enliven a dividing or accent wall. The superb adaptability and resistance of Brickworks Muretto and Brickworks Petra also make them ideal coverings for kitchen or bathroom tops, shower trays, washbasins, shelves, wall cupboards and worktops.

Metropolis: shades of elegance in concrete-effect stoneware

Metropolis by Casalgrande Padana offers a modern take on the austere, rigorous character of concrete, creating original surfaces with a striking visual impact.

Squared and rectified, the concrete-effect porcelain stoneware tiles in the Metropolis collection come in eight different shades, with a natural surface and a non-slip surface for outdoors. They are available in eight sizes (from the classic 30x60 cm and 45x90 cm sizes up to the larger 90x180 cm, 120x120 cm and 120x278 cm tiles) and in four different thicknesses. This is a collection that goes beyond the modular tile concept, towards the design of continuous, fluid spaces: thanks to the large sizes, a sense of visual continuity can be created throughout settings, by laying the tiles with joints reduced to a minimum or barely perceptible, while the 6.5 mm thickness allows for endless style options, such as coverings for walls, backdrops, shelves, worktops, tables or wall-hung elements.

Marmoker and Onici: new shades of light in porcelain stoneware

Casalgrande Padana extends its range of marble-effect ceramic tiles, with a selection of nature’s finest marbles that can be used to create new laying patterns for both floors and walls.

The Marmoker collection brings new shades to the wide range of porcelain stoneware tiles: from the timeless beauty of Carrara and Statuario Fine, with the delicate, detailed tones so dear to the great Tuscan artists, to Statuario Altissimo and Extra Oro, with distinctive, dark veins that stand out against a white background. In the dark shades of Deep Dark and Starry Night, sophisticated contrasts add greater depth.

In 9 sizes (from 30x60 cm, 60x60 cm and 60x120 cm up to the large 120x120 cm, 120x278 cm and 160x320 cm tiles, and from 45x90 cm to 90x90 cm and 90x180 cm) and 3 thicknesses (6.5 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm) with honed and gloss surfaces, the new colours in the Marmoker collection boost the expressive potential of Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware, to create visually striking settings in any environment.

The Onici collection features three new shades - Onice Arancio, Onice Grigio and Onice Perla - which join the five existing shades (Avorio, Bianco, Ghiaccio, Miele and Quarzo). Each unique tile comes in five sizes (60x120 cm, 120x120 cm, 120x278 cm, 90x90 cm and 90x180 cm) and two thicknesses (6.5 mm and 10 mm), with a choice of honed or gloss surface.

Beige, grey and pearly white areas are broken up by striking, random veins: Cloudy effects and smooth shades, combined and transformed by time, mingle and overlap, with the tones below coming through, creating beautiful transparencies.

The large sizes that bring out the colours and shades typical of natural stone, as well as the large variety of colours, sizes and surfaces available and the impressive technical characteristics, make Marmoker and Onici the ideal tiles not only for floors and walls, but also for kitchen and bathroom tops and backsplashes, worktops, shelves, dividing walls and furnishing accessories.

Le Ville: precious porcelain stoneware fragments for terrazzo style

In line with the latest design trends, Le Ville by Casalgrande Padana brings a modern twist to Venetian terrazzo, a flooring with centuries of history and one of the most renowned, original Italian craftsmanship creations. The new Le Ville porcelain stoneware tile collection comes in six patterns - in different colours so that new combinations can be guaranteed every time - and five sizes (20x20 cm, 30x60 cm, 60x60 cm, 60x120 cm and 120x120 cm). It is available in two thicknesses (9 mm and 20 mm), and a natural, gloss or Grip surface.

Uneven grits and intertwining geometric shapes come together in modern, creative combinations, with a richly detailed pattern and an exquisitely sophisticated design. Squared, rectified, and with zero warpage, the large 120x120 cm stoneware tiles in the new terrazzo-look collection can create a seamless look with minimal joints, for elegant, contemporary living spaces.

A smoothly appealing blend of fragments of different sizes, in which random repetitions and continuous surfaces form a beautifully rich geometric pattern the light reflects on, creating an interplay of light and shade and subtle atmospheres with an original, timeless allure.

Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware: 100% sustainable

Guaranteed and certified, Casalgrande Padana ceramic tiles are one of the most modern, versatile resources available to the modern design process, offering décor solutions able to meet contemporary biobuilding criteria.

Made exclusively from natural raw materials, free from plastic and harmful substances, Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware is completely recyclable, inert, fire-resistant, non-allergenic and remains unchanged over time. Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware tiles are obtained using a closed-cycle production process, in which elaborate anti-pollution equipment allows for the recycling and complete recovery of all the components, with substantially zero emissions and dispersion: 0% harmful emissions, 100% reduction in water impact, 99.5% of waste recovered, 74% of energy self-produced and 100% eco-compatible packaging.

The cutting-edge production process focuses on sustainability, taking account of development, scientific research, and the best environmental experiences. It also seeks to reduce pollution as much as possible, to respect and protect the landscape and its balance. This commitment is demonstrated by our numerous certifications, which include LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), ISO 14001, a Code of Ethics that governs and regulates the environmental policies related to its production cycle, and an environmental management system compliant with the EMAS Regulation, to improve its environmental performance by publishing an environmental statement validated by the certification body.

Maximum hygiene in the home with Bios Antibacterial®

Casalgrande Padana offers Bios Antibacterial®, the exclusive silver-based treatment able to eliminate 99% of bacteria present on the ceramic surface. The antibacterial capacity is permanently incorporated into the stoneware tiles, and is active at all times, both in the presence of light and in the dark; it does not require UV rays for activation.

Bios Antibacterial® uses a silver ion technology that blocks the metabolism of bacteria, eliminating them and preventing them from spreading, with efficacy tested on the four main strains of bacteria. Following strict laboratory tests, Bios Antibacterial® proved capable of eliminating 99% of the four main strains of bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition to its bactericidal capacity, Bios Antibacterial® prevents the formation of mould, yeast and fungi, the main culprits of unpleasant odours, thus making settings healthier and with a more pleasant smell, even when no light is present.

The Bios Antibacterial® treatment is incorporated into the ceramic product before the firing stage, and thus irreversibly and permanently becomes an integral part of it. Unlike treatments applied cold, after the firing stage, Casalgrande Padana’s antibacterial treatment maintains lasting efficacy, and is unaffected by wear and tear.

Porcelain stoneware for home automation

The dry interlocking laying system for porcelain stoneware floors is a quick, technically complete and elegant solution that can engage with home automation systems for a smart home able to meet the most complex design requirements.

Unlike a traditional system in which the various functions in the home are activated by switches or knobs that do not interact with each other, home automation systems offer the possibility to coordinate the operation of the various interconnected devices. Home automation makes it possible to switch lights on and off, open and close curtains, shutters and windows, adjust the temperature in multiple zones, manage energy consumption, adjust the irrigation and even the sound system, from both inside and outside the home.

With dry interlocking installation, it is possible to create smart flooring, which - by integrating sensors and command modules underneath the surface - can regulate light and temperature, for a functional home that offers a wealth of innovations and is able to reduce consumption and prevent energy from being wasted.

Wiring and electrification can also be carried out simply and elegantly, using variable cable ducts and electrical boxes that can be installed flexibly under the ceramic tiles. The synergy thus created is able to boost the comfort of the home in one simple move.

Porcelain stoneware for outdoors

For outdoor areas, Casalgrande Padana offers Extragres 2.0, a wide range of stone, wood and concrete-effect colours in the Amazzonia, Chalon, Country Wood, Manhattan, Pietra Baugè, Pietre di Sardegna and Kerblock collections, as well as the new collections Nature, Metropolis, Petra and Le Ville. Perfectly squared and rectified, with a thickness of 20 mm and an anti-slip surface, Casalgrande Padana’s versatile, resistant and functional porcelain stoneware tiles are the ideal response to all kinds of design needs.

The Extragres 2.0 tiles can be either laid on screed using glue, ensuring high load resistance, or dry-laid on gravel, sand or turf. In this case, they can be walked on immediately, without the need for screed, mortar and glue. Finally, the 20 mm thickness can be used to create raised floors, using polypropylene supports available in a number of fixed or adjustable heights. Raised flooring for outdoors is easy to remove and inspect, so electrical or plumbing systems can be installed in the gap below the floor.

Casalgrande Padana’s porcelain stoneware tiles for outdoors are also resistant to frost and loads, guarantee colour fastness to light and remain unaltered whatever the climate conditions; they are resistant to humidity and salt, and unaffected by mould and moss (thanks to the Bios Antibacterial® technology, available on request), as well as being easy to clean and install, and thanks to the raised laying system, they can easily be removed for inspection even after the flooring has been completed. These important technical features make porcelain stoneware one of the top-performing contemporary solutions.

Together with furnishings, accessories and drapes, Casalgrande Padana ceramic tiles have an important role to play in furnishing style, to design elegant, sophisticated living spaces in a minimal, glamorous, classic, country or industrial chic style: from open-plan loft apartments with a metropolitan flavour to typically Nordic-style settings, as well as more classic, contemporary or modern spaces. These are elements that can no longer be neglected today, and are closely interconnected with the events of the present. Together with the physical and aesthetic qualities of the material, they make porcelain stoneware one of the most interesting materials available today, ideal for adapting settings to changing times and evolving needs.