APE Grupo, a European leader in ceramic design and product marketing, will once again participate in the international Cersaie fair with new high-value-added proposals and collections. The company will be present at the world’s largest trade fair specialising in the ceramic and bathroom sectors, which takes place in Bologna (Italy). From September 23 to 27, with an innovative ephemeral space.
For this exhibition, APE Grupo has created an immersive experience that revisits the latest trends in interior design and architecture, while showcasing the latest designs from all its brands: APE best for you; XLINING, the large-format porcelain range; Carmen, decorative small-format ceramics; and Ilbagno, their solution for integral, cutting-edge bathroom design with limitless customisation.
Throughout the journey, visitors will have the chance to explore and delve into the findings of The New Habitat 25/26: How the spaces we live in are changing, an annual report driven by APE Grupo, which has become a reference for architecture and interior design professionals. The report, recently presented in Spain, explores emerging trends in homes, hotels, offices, and retail spaces, demonstrating how ceramics can transform and adapt these environments to meet the evolving needs of users.
Based on this premise, the ephemeral installation is organised into four main settings, showcasing the following ceramic trends and collections:
Neuroaesthetics and neuroarchitecture are emerging fields in design, aiming to develop tools that help optimise well-being and enhance human performance through spatial design. By leveraging innovative design principles, sustainable materials, and cutting-edge technologies, healthier living spaces are being promoted.
The porcelain tile collections Nox, Abyss, and Lun perfectly embody this new approach to humanising office settings. Nox speaks to our roots with its strong metallic textures and oxidised effects, full of life and movement in corten and graphite tones. In contrast, the sandy appearance of the Abyss collection transports us to calm marine spaces, as its design recreates the textures of seashells. Lun brings us back to our origins in a special way. This collection replicates the fine texture of woven bamboo canes with ceramic, creating serene, warm workspaces with its soft tones.
We are witnessing a context driven by purpose. Luxury consumers, for example, are looking back at brand archives and history to gain deeper insight into the products they purchase, seeking connections with brands and products that resonate with their values and lifestyle. It’s a way to find relevance and meaning in their consumption moments.
The Lotus and Nour collections allow for the creation of designs that reflect the personality of commercial spaces and their brands. Lotus harmoniously combines various stones, such as Cardosia limestone and Occitanie stone, complemented by the striking veins of Matarazzo marble. To connect and captivate clients, Carmen’s Nour decorative ceramic collection offers delicate, highly glazed pieces with a strong artisanal character, available in square and rectangular formats and 10 different tones. These allow for the design of spaces with a powerful and assertive presence.
In the current context, marked by a collective mental health crisis and an era defined by eco-anxiety and conscious consumption, there is a growing demand for indulgent escapes in places that still allow it, such as holidays. This trend highlights the importance of hotels, not just as places to stay, but as destinations in their own right – spaces of ultimate retreat.
In this context, APE Grupo offers various proposals during the ceramic journey to recreate hotel settings with its Genuine, Bellagio, and Greystone collections. Genuine by Carmen is an artisanal collection where each piece is unique. Its design is crafted to react with the glaze, creating subtle tonal variations that emulate the visual effects of low-temperature fired ceramics from ancient artisanal kilns.
Bellagio transports us back in time to a different world. This ceramic collection represents classic elegance, expressed through damask patterns, mouldings, designs, reliefs, and even skirting boards, often evoking the textile world. Arabesque motifs, natural elements, colours, and various damask patterns – anything is possible with this ceramic collection, transporting us to highly sophisticated hotels.
On the other hand, Greystone allows us to design hotels full of modernity. This ceramic collection replicates the unique Italian Ceppo stone, characterised by its large embedded pebbles in varied tones. It recreates finishes with natural graphic patterns and colour shifts of great beauty and harmony.
According to a Eurostat study, more and more young people aged 25 to 34 continue living with their parents, and in the United States, an Axios report shows that millennials are returning to their parents’ homes. This creates a new scenario for architects and interior designers, who must consider the needs of various demographic groups living in homes from the start.
The Antico Casale, Tetra, and Koi collections align with this new way of living. Antico Casale, a large-format flooring inspired by the artisanal work of 13th-century Montelupo Fiorentino in Tuscany, is available in natural colours and transports us to traditional family homes of shared living.
The new Tetra latticework, designed by Italian architect Luigi Romanelli, is also proposed. This three-dimensional piece in natural earth tones allows for the creation of shared spaces within homes, intermediate spaces, and environments of light and shadow. Latticework is considered the best natural regulator of light and temperature.
Finally, Koi by Carmen is a highly expressive material piece. This ceramic captures the essence of flowing water through its special glazing technique, creating a bold and random relief that resembles the gentle ripples produced by water currents, allowing residents of all generations to connect with nature in their homes.
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