Themed “a space for architectural design,” Cersaie 2025 shone a light on the important role tile plays when it comes to interior spaces. The exhibitors that showcased their wares in Bologna, Italy, reinforced this idea, with a plethora of unique textures, bold and glossy colours and contemporary takes on classic patterns. Here, we’ve rounded up five collections that stood out with transformative, one-of-a-kind personalities. For a more in-depth exploration of the trends spotted at Cersaie 2025, watch for our January/February issue.  

1

Nesting Room by Moooi for ABK

Launching its first-ever tile collection – Nesting Room – with ABK, lifestyle brand Moooi steps into the world of surfacing with “an antidote to a world in constant motion.” Drawing inspiration from animal forms, including extinct ones, the collection features three charming motifs – Hypnotic Owl, Reiki Rhea and Cloistered Dove – that tell a dreamlike story with a quiet sophistication. Debuting in a three-room multisensory installation by Moooi’s founder and creative director Marcel Wanders that offered moments of introspection and renewal for weary tradeshow-goers, the coloured-body porcelain collection left a lasting impression.

Influenced by a moonlight forest, Hypnotic Owl features swirling geometric patterns with a mesmerising effect; while Reiki Rhea brought a mythical dancing ostrich to life with a symmetrical pattern that mimicked its imagined footprints in sand; and Cloistered Dove captured the quiet grace and flowing lines of the elegant bird’s anisodactyl footprints. A number of coordinating accent tiles are available for each pattern and palettes include tones that reference natural settings like deserts, dunes, tropical beaches and more.  

2

Stories by 41zero42

One of four releases by perennial favourite 41zero42 that referenced both historical and urban influences, Stories is a playful collection of porcelain tiles organized as “four stories from the same book.” The individual patterns – Eddie, Dance, Costiera and Caravan – each feature 50 different and lively illustration-like icons, figures, symbols and shapes that can be combined together like a puzzle, revealing unique narratives every time. Offered with a matte or glossy white base, the 10-by-10-centimetre tiles are a cheeky alternative to conventional patterns and offer the ultimate in creative freedom. 

3

Cerchio by Tonalite

Marking its 50th anniversary this year, Tonalite celebrated with a wonderous explosion of colour and style with the release of its poppy, vibrant and distinctive Cerchio series of ceramics – along with five other new collections and the evolution of existing lines. Delivering wow-factor impact, Cerchio features a 15-by-15-centimetre black or white square format (in glossy or matte) with a round cut-out that can incorporate a 10-centimetre waterjet-cut ceramic circle in energetic shades of orange, red, blue, green and more (also in glossy or matte finishes). Presenting an opportunity to play with the visual effect of solids and voids, the series allows for near-endless layouts and combinations limited only by imagination.   

4

Forever Color by Cir Manifatture Ceramiche

An exploration into how colour can characterize a space, the Forever Color collection launched by Cir (a Gruppo Romani brand) offers a portfolio of mix-and-match options to create impactful and vibrant interiors. Solids in shades of White, Ivory, Beige, Brown, Grey, Black, Pink, Blue, Red, Green and Yellow (in matte or glossy finishes) can be used alone to form monochromatic installations or paired with the similarly toned terrazzo-like surface called Pepper for a more nuanced look.

Adding to the creative range are three decorative elements – Terrazzo, a modern-take on the iconic Venetian material, Gemstone, which combines geometric patterns in a jewel-like high-gloss finish, and Bubble, a circle-in-a-square that plays with reflected light through the combined glossy and matte surface – that can be interspersed in dynamic arrangements. Available in a 20-by-20-centimetre square and six-by-25-centimetre brick, Forever Color porcelain stoneware tiles are expressive, captivating bursting with bold personality. 

5

Midollino by Francesco De Maio

Designed by architect Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva for Francesco De Maio, the Midollino collection reimagines an iconic material of Mediterranean craftsmanship – woven rattan reed stems – into a precise and textured tile. Evoking sun-drenched terraces and breezy interiors, the tiles mirror skilled weaving techniques with a delicate interlaced geometric pattern that engages with light and shadow in interesting ways. Offered in six lovely hues – Handmade Terracotta, Milky White, Ramina Green, Sun Yellow, Powdery Blue and Absolute Black – Midollino has a strong artisanal identity that creates a bridge between tradition and innovation by introducing the “poetry” of hand-weaving to the timeless quality of Italian ceramic surfaces.