Dezeen promotion: Italian porcelain tile manufacturer Ceramiche Refin has unveiled a collection that authentically references metallic surfaces.
The stoneware Foil tiles are available with the finishes aluminium, burnish, titanium, corten and verdigris and are designed to complement a range of living spaces, including kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms.
Ceramiche Refin describes the collection as having "textures with great aesthetic potential, which exploit the charm of natural materials worn by time".
The porcelain tiles appear as though they have visible wear, similar to metals that have become rusted and scratched.
The small irregularities create an authentic appearance and a post-industrial "retro charm" – one of the current trends in furniture design, according to the brand.
The collection is the result of thorough research by Refin Internal, Ceramiche Refin's material laboratory that the brand describes as "the beating heart of the company".
To produce Foil, Refin Internal have devised two research pathways, resulting in different tile types within the collection.
To make the metallic grey colours – aluminium, burnish and titanium – the brand first analysed traditional craft techniques. This includes the creation of hand-moulded metals created by the panel beaters of the Italian automotive industry whose work is "particularly renowned in the Italian Motor Valley, " according to the brand.
Traditionally, Italian automotive artisans use hammers, cutters and their hands to sculpt a car into shape. Refin Internal have analysed their process and produced a styling effect that enabled them to create a metallic aesthetic from porcelain.
The process involves a combination of high-tech machinery, artisan research and the company's contemporary ceramic production technique.
"The new ceramic surface of Foil has a modern personality that conveys authenticity, manual skill and a wealth of handicraft tradition," said the brand.
"A gentle shifting texture, where scorings and bright engravings are discreetly revealed in an ever-changing and consequently unique harmony. Processing leaves its mark, reinterpreting the craft of legendary panel beaters."
Corten and verdigris are the brighter colours in the collection and replicate the appearance of oxidised metals. Here, Refin Internal used a different research process, examining how metals age and change with oxidation and time.
"The colours are brightened up for high-impact settings, gradually shifting in shade towards unprecedented orange hues or in blue-green elements with warmer, golden hints," said the brand.
The tiles are available in different sizes from 30 by 60 to 120 by 278 centimetres. They are also resistant to scratches, acids and stains, and can withstand extreme weather conditions, including high temperatures or direct sunlight.
"Foil is perfect for giving commercial or residential interiors a modern, hi-tech, industrial touch or a more 'lived-in' vintage look, yet at the same time being extremely contemporary and in line with the latest interior design trends."
To learn more about Foil, visit the Ceramiche Refin's website.
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Ceramiche Refin as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.