Between international consolidation and new developments: a review of the 43rd edition of the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings at BolognaFiere and the new design directions for the bathroom environment
Silver Root by RAK Ceramics
In addition to confirming its status as a showcase for products and trends, Cersaie has reaffirmed its nature as a space for dialogue and growth for the entire sector. The 43rd edition of the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings closed on September 25th at BolognaFiere, reasserting – even in a complex economic context – its role as a global platform for the dialogue between Italian production and international design.Despite a slight decrease in overall attendance (-2.4% compared to 2025), international presence essentially held steady (-0.9%), underscoring the event's global reach. The impact of the exhibition is measured by its numbers: 145,000 sqm of exhibition space across 16 pavilions and 595 participating companies, including 314 for ceramic tiles, 96 for bathroom furnishings, and 185 for installation, raw materials, and services. A notable 233 exhibitors were from abroad (39% of the total), representing 24 countries.Hasu by Flaminia, design Giulio IacchettiGuiding the reflection on design quality were conferences for industry professionals, the Lectio Magistralis by Alejandro Aravena and Annabelle Selldorf, and the ADI Cersaie Design Award and ADI Cersaie Exhibit Design Award, aimed at celebrating excellence in product and exhibition design.With the project Where Architecture Dissolves, Arbi received a special mention from ADI for its stand design, by Studio Meneghello Paolelli with set design by Beppe Mangia Studio. "The setup is distinguished by a symbolic and poetic use of color, capable of evoking dawn and dusk through the dual interpretation of the enclosure, and for its particular visual permeability of the interior, thus expanding the experience of the exhibition space," reads the citation.Bliss, the new collection designed by Annabella Hevesi for Rubinetterie Treemme, awarded the ADI Cersaie Design Award 2026, reinterprets the traditional four-pronged handle. Made of steel, a durable and recyclable material, it is also offered in PVD finishes, which expand its customization possibilities.Also awarded the ADI Cersaie Design Award 2026, the Hasu family of washbasins designed by Giulio Iacchetti for Flaminia was presented in countertop and freestanding versions. Its shape is inspired by the lotus flower and is offered in the natural tones of Miele, Castagno, and Tundra, as well as in the other colors of the Flaminia palette. The ability to combine the basin and column in two different colors multiplies its compositional and customization opportunities.Bliss by Rubinetterie Treemme, design Annabella HevesiWenice by Azzurra Ceramica, design Marco ZitoThe trends
Looking at what emerged from the pavilions of BolognaFiere, the design of the bathroom environment and architectural surfaces continues to break free from a purely functional dimension to embrace an expressive and tailored language. The macro-trends of this edition can be summarized in three main directions:Light and material
The effect of light on material as an element capable of redefining volumes and enhancing transparency and texture, for a bathroom environment with essential and geometric lines.With the Wenice washbasins by Azzurra Ceramica, Marco Zito brings the techniques and experimentation typical of Murano glassworks to artistic ceramics: "The affinities, the affective relationships between glass and ceramic can produce unexpected values capable of generating projects where material, color, and surface tell new stories," explains the designer. Thanks to the expertise of the company's master ceramists, unique pieces are born that interpret and enhance the material, marking a true difference from purely industrial production.Xo by ProgettoGroup, design Bruna RapisardaPalladia by Ceramiche RefinThe Xo family of accessories by Bruna Rapisarda for Progetto Group stems from a reflection on the versatility of metal. Here, a laser-cut and bent metal sheet allows for forms devoid of superfluous elements. The system consists of shelves, towel holders, hooks, a toilet paper holder with a shelf, wall containers, and various shower solutions, as well as a small countertop mirror. The fixings, intentionally visible, become an integral part of the design; the shelves feature shaped spaces for a toothbrush holder or soap dispenser. Xo is offered in total black or white.In a dialogue between material and gesture, nature and design, perception and transformation, L’Essenza della Materia (The Essence of Material) is the concept with which Ceramiche Refin presented its new products at Cersaie 2026. Palladia recomposes fragments of marble into dynamic and unrepeatable surfaces, reinterpreting the traditional Palladiana laying technique with a contemporary sensibility. There are three chromatic identities: the luminosity of Luce, the iridescent vibrations of Iride, and the warmth of Aurea.Four Season by Rak Ceramics takes inspiration from the changing charm of the seasons and is part of a versatile system that transforms surfaces into an expressive language, capable of telling a story of beauty, material, and creativity.Four Season by RAK CeramicsPalestro by Effebiquattro, design Matteo Thun & Antonio RodriguezVisual continuity
The boundary between the different areas of the home, as well as between the building envelope and the furnishings, is increasingly fluid. Integrated systems – doors, partitions, closing and storage solutions – promote visual continuity, creating a perception of spaciousness and tactile comfort.The transparencies and finishes (lacquered, fabric, cathedral glass) of the Palestro door by Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez for Effebiquattro are based on a design language capable of amplifying space and enhancing its depth.The Controluce flush-to-the-wall swing door by Egidio Panzera for Scrigno, which received an Honorable Mention at the XXIX Compasso d’Oro ADI, was presented at Cersaie 2026 with the new metallic finish Laccato Officina Peltro Cenere. "With Controluce, I wanted to work on the archetypal theme of the threshold and the idea of light as an emotional presence in space," comments the designer. "The light filtering around a slightly ajar door is a deeply evocative image, capable of generating intimate, silent, almost ascetic atmospheres. In this project, technology disappears to make way for perception: light does not invade the environment, but accompanies it with discretion, transforming the wall into a narrative element."Controluce by Scrigno, design Egidio PanzeraWell-being and technology
A guiding principle of product innovation, visual and ergonomic well-being is achieved through research and technology, translating into high-precision production solutions designed to combine sustainability, weight optimization, and ease of use.Made from recycled PET, the Petra Eco bathroom furniture collection, Design Artesi_Lab and Enrico Cesana, gives the furniture new materiality and resistance. It is available in five shades and two wood effects, in a smooth version and the new Vertis finish with a wavy effect that lends depth and dynamism to the furniture.The new Rak Ceramics collections explore different expressions of material through color, veins, reliefs, and graphic depths, made possible by the work of the Innotech Lab, the company's research and development center. Silver Root interprets the elegance of forms shaped by nature: thin brown branches cross its background, celebrating the bond between nature and material.Kallia by Simas, design Karim RashidPonte GiulioSoft forms are the common thread of Kallia – from the Greek kállos, beauty – the sanitary ceramic collection designed by Karim Rashid for Simas. The washbasin with a soft basin is available in three sizes (100, 70, and 40 cm) and can be wall-hung, countertop, on a column, or semi-column. The bidet and toilet, with the Green Vertigo vortex flushing system, are offered in both wall-hung and back-to-wall versions. The back-to-wall toilet also has a shifted outlet to facilitate any type of renovation without invasive interventions. The color palette includes the shades Aliseo, Laguna, Duna, and Ibisco. The collection is completed by a line of colored ceramic accessories.What Ponte Giulio brought to Cersaie is an idea of a bathroom environment designed to accompany every person through the different stages of life and to be used with simplicity by the greatest possible number of people. Because, as Ponte Giulio's research shows, the most evolved inclusivity should not be perceived as such, but should make the daily experience more natural.The curtain thus falls on an edition of maturity and vision, already setting the date for next year in Bologna from September 27 to October 1, 2027.
Silver Root by RAK Ceramics
