Dezeen promotion: ageing Italian dwellings provided the inspiration for this ceramic slab range, designed by Studio Zanellato/Bortotto to make walls appear old and worn.

Italian designers Giorgia Zanellato and Daniele Bortotto designed the Storie collection for CEDIT – Ceramiche d'Italia, a prolific Italian ceramics brand that has recently relaunched.

The duo were interested in how the appearance of buildings changes with the passing of time. This led them to explore a range of old villas, historic palazzos and run-down farmhouses.

By closely studying the aged colours, shades and textures they found, they were able to design a range of wall coverings that create the illusion of age.

"This collection originates from a nostalgic journey to discover a series of Italian domestic ambiences which time has profoundly altered," said the pair.

The slabs are available in six designs, each based on a different type of ageing building: Palazzo, Cascina, Masseria, Villa, Castello and Casale.

They incorporate a variety of effects, from the faded paintwork of traditional frescos, to rust-marked masonry and damp-stained plaster.

"Technological innovation enables us to reproduce on large-sized ceramic materials all the effects of wear and stratification that normally only time is able to create," said the designers.

The colour palette includes pale tones of white and grey, and washed-out shades of teal and brown.

The slabs can be applied to indoor or outdoor surfaces, and are crafted as large panels to cover entire walls.

CEDIT – Ceramiche d'Italia was a hugely popular brand in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. It was recently relaunched by Florim Group, and has been working with a range of prominent designers, architects and artists, including Martino Gamper and Formafantasma.

Storie is the first collection that Zanellato and Bortotto have designed for the brand. The pair met while studying product design at Swiss university ÉCAL, but are now based in Treviso.

To find out more about the Storie collection, visit Cedit's website.