Minimal style: furnishing with porcelain stoneware tiles

by Sara Costi

Minimalism, as a concept, began with an artistic current that arose in the USA in the 1960s and 1970s as a response to Pop Art. The term was coined in 1965 by the English philosopher Richard Wollheim and extended to all the creative arts, from fashion to design and architecture. Minimal style, which has been in vogue as a furnishing trend for several years now, focuses on simplicity, linear shapes and pure, light, neutral colours, with smooth shades largely based on the scale of white, grey and beige. The hallmark features of minimal style are all about tidy, functional living spaces, with no frills and nothing superfluous.

Because this style favours plenty of open, airy space, furnishings tend to be arranged along the walls, and suspended off the floor where possible, such as wall cupboards. Only in open-plan living spaces or loft apartments - highly conducive to the minimal style - do we find furniture positioned in the centre of the room. Another significant element is just the right combination of natural light with artificial light elements, skilfully arranged to highlight the shapes and geometries of the rooms and the extension and depth of the volumes.

For the floor and wall tiles, minimalist interior design favours environmentally sustainable materials that are easy to clean and resistant to stress, inspired by innovation and able to slot smoothly into home automation systems.

Casalgrande Padana porcelain stoneware tiles are among the most versatile design solutions the market offers today. They are made exclusively from natural raw materials, free from plastic and harmful substances, completely recyclable, inert, fire-resistant, non-allergenic and remain unalterable over time, as well as being non-absorbent and resistant to shock, abrasion and abrupt changes in temperature.

In addition to the traditional installation with glue on screed, Casalgrande Padana also offers designers the Ars Ratio dry laying option, for smart flooring able to integrate sensors and command modules under the surface to regulate light and temperature. These living spaces, equipped with innovative home automation technology, are able to reduce consumption and energy waste and to make life simpler by teaming comfort with improved safety. The dry interlocking laying system for porcelain stoneware floor tiles is quick, technically complete and aesthetically appealing, and is able to interact with smart home automation systems.

Wiring and electrification is made smooth and simple, thanks to the variable cable ducts and electric boxes flexibly installed under the ceramic tiles.

Dedicated to well-being and relaxation, the bedroom is one of the most important places for home design to devote close attention to. The restful environment par excellence, a minimal style in the bedroom focuses on simplicity and order. The neutral tones and soft shading of the stone-look ceramic floor tiles complement a linear, no-frills furnishing style, composed of a bed with an ultra-light frame, shaping a rigorous, modern look.

A discreet, subtle style focusing on simple, functional furnishing choices is also ideal for the bathroom. The minimal style is evident in the bathroom fittings, often suspended, and the wall cupboards, which create a contrast between solids and voids that helps to bring a light, airy sense of space to the whole setting.

The minimal-style kitchen (one of the rooms we spend the most time in) is furnished with a few essential, linear elements in neutral colours, with unencumbered surfaces, practical compartments and shelves, and open wall cupboards and accessories. The stone-look or concrete-effect tiles team an attractive furnishing function with the important purpose of protecting the walls from sources of heat, humidity, grease, and wear and tear.

Minimal style is all about open spaces, so in the sitting room, visual contact should be maintained with the rest of the living area, furnishing it with a small number of objects with a clean-cut design, and a single, large, comfortable sofa in a neutral colour fabric.

In outdoor areas, whether we’re talking about a patio, a veranda, a terrace, or a garden with a swimming pool, minimal style demands an orderly, simple look. This requires a small number of functional, comfortable furnishing accessories.

For the outdoor area, Casalgrande Padana offers Extragres 2.0, with a wide range of stone-look, wood-effect or concrete-effect colours. Perfectly squared and rectified, with a thickness of 20 mm and an anti-slip surface, Extragres 2.0 porcelain stoneware tiles are versatile, resistant and functional, and can be glued on screed, guaranteeing excellent load resistance, or laid directly on gravel, sand or grass, for paving that can be walked on immediately.

A timeless furnishing style and an excellent solution for loft apartments, large open-plan settings or small flats. A must-have approach that embraces practical, tidy and functional solutions to bring an elegant, sophisticated look to living spaces.