November 5, 2026

Words: Edie Cohen

Cersaie 2026 Reveals The Next Evolution Of Tile Design

Come late September, design world thoughts inevitably turn to Cersaie and its charming host city Bologna, steeped in history, culture, portici (some 38.5 miles, 26 in the center), freschi, and arguably the country’s best food as it is called La Grassa. In the two decades that we’ve been covering this ever-growing exposition for ceramic and porcelain tiles along with bathroom fittings and ancillary events, we’ve been privy to the growth and development of an industry. We never cease to marvel at aesthetics celebrating graphics and patterns, from super-scale to minute, and painterly techniques, much as we would view artwork at galleries and museums. We’re in awe of the technology producing increasingly complex 3D-like textures, sometimes bas relief, sometimes several intertwined in one tile, and always begging to be touched. This year, we were struck by edges appearing rough and hand cut. Structural qualities, like building with blocks or Legos caught our eye, especially during a factory-showroom visit to Mirage. Can large format slabs grow to greater heights? Currently reaching five feet, they appear as building materials in lieu of surface treatments.

Top Product Picks From Cersaie

  • Three black ceramic bowls and a cylindrical grey vase arranged on a textured beige surface.
    Shiki by Milan-based Studio Makio Hasube shows the subtlety of tatami mats interpreted in porcelain stoneware.
  • A fireplace surround featuring a geometric pattern of cream-colored tiles with repeating deep red rectangular accents, positioned above a black firebox with firewood.
    Grace, as conceived by designer Margarita Rui, is a comprehensive mosaic module drawing on Modernism and Art Deco influences to give designers a tool for material, color, and decoration.
  • A modern bathroom featuring a wall-mounted stone sink, a circular red-framed mirror, and a red pendant light above, with green and pink tiled walls and a small metal stool holding folded towels.
    From the Del Conca Group, Faetano’s Capricci collection shows the charm of decorative cement tiles through color, particularly in this year’s prevailing verde.
  • A tall, angular wooden chair in a modern bathroom with a long vanity, two sinks, and tiled walls.
    The warmth and textures of terra cotta and rammed earth characterize Ceramica Sant’Agostino’s Mediterra.
  • A stylized line-art illustration of several tulips in shades of pink, yellow, and orange with green leaves.
    Ronald van Hilst’s delightful super graphic, Tuli Poni for Gruppo Bardelli stretches to almost 2 feet by 4 feet tall.
  • A minimalist stone structure stands behind a pool of water as rain falls.
    Kengo Kuma interpreted three natural elements in hand-painted majolica for Ceramiche Francesco di Maio. Rain shows the fall of water.
  • A room with a textured green tiled wall looking out onto a sunlit, misty forest.
    Kengo Kuma invokes delicate Mist in his collection, Three Elements, One Matter for Ceramiche Francesco Di Maio.
  • A tall, rectangular white monolith standing on a rocky cave floor.
    Earth is the third element in Kengo Kuma’s painterly collection for Ceramiche Francesco de Maio.
  • A grid pattern of rectangular tan stone tiles with light-colored mortar joints.
    With its rough edges Civitas porcelain stoneware for Casalgrande Padana evokes hand-cut travertine.
  • Overhead view of a teal-toned bathroom with a pedestal sink, matching bathtub, and patterned floor tiles.
    Whether inspired by children’s drawings or historic hieroglyphics, Cir’s Marmette presents a fresh look at graphics.
  • A long marble console table stands against a tiled wall, topped with two books and a small bowl, with a lantern light fixture hanging above.
    Cerasarda interpreted fashion’s rich brown in a combination with pure white in glazed and galouchat surfaces for its Porto Rotonco collection.
  • A tiled bathroom with purple walls and a yellow arched shower area featuring a glass stool and chrome fixtures.
    Few do vibrant color like Cerasarda with its Sardinian hand-glazed tiles as exemplified in its Nouvelle Deco collection.
  • Two green ceramic vases sit before an arrangement of various rectangular tile samples in shades of red, blue, green, yellow, and white.
    Fluted texture and this year’s popular colors in glazed and crackle surfaces come together in Vivia’s mood board for Atlas Concorde.

Trends are always a tough call. Tiles are long-lasting materials. We took note of what we prefer to term tendencies.  Given the current global climate, it came as no surprise that introductions tended toward warm and embracing, suggesting a sense of well being rather than an emphasis on the ‘wow.’ Color was a big story with tones of chocolate, taupe, tan, and ocher prevailing over cooler hues. Obviously, fashion colors were big, too. Think browns and greens. Terra-cotta came on strong. We’re always delighted to see name designer collabs. Of course, Interior Design Hall of Famer Paola Navone and Studio Otto made a recurring appearance with expansion of their Poetry House for ABK Group. Kengo Kengo interpreted nature in serene painterly fashion with Rain, Mist, and Earth for Francesco de Maio. Karim Rashid delighted folks with the fluid forms and unanticipated shades of his bathroom collection for Simas.   

A first for Cersaie? Until now, press conferences had been simultaneously translated. This year, AI took over. In our humble opinion it still has a way to go. Grab an espresso or pour a glass of Prosecco and take a look at just some of what caught our eye.

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