Stoneware as a furnishing solution

Large porcelain stoneware slabs are becoming more and more popular in interior design and in the world of furnishing. Not just as floor or wall coverings but also as kitchen countertops and backsplashes, tables, kitchen unit fronts, doors and infinite tailor-made furnishing options for both residential and commercial locations. The large slabs in the Marazzi  The Top collection are a source of inspiration for architects and designers, such as the Elli Design brand, which combines stoneware slabs with sustainable 3D printing. However, they also stimulate the creativity of furnishing companies, which are increasingly using ceramic material in standard catalogue products, as in the case of dining and occasional table tops for indoor and outdoor use.

There are many benefits of applying this material in standard-production furniture: porcelain stoneware slabs are resistant to impacts, abrasions, cuts, heat and detergents; they have a waterproof, non-porous, non-toxic, easily sanitised surface; and they are easy to care for because they are quickly cleaned without smearing. Produced with amazing marble, stone, resin and concrete effects, The Top slabs are also a sustainable design option.

This is the thinking behind the Shangai table by Riflessi, with aluminium frame and fixed or extending porcelain stoneware top in the most widely varying shapes - rectangular, square, oven and round. The top is in glass stratified bevelled stoneware, in 12/15 mm thickness and with rounded corners. The variants available include Marazzi The Top Marble Look slabs in Sahara Noir and Sodalite Blu colours.

Here is some background to the two companies’ partnership. “Our work with Marazzi”, Luigi Fammiano, President of Riflessi, tells us, “is based on great mutual respect. What’s more, the superlative performances and wide range of colour variants Marazzi offers dovetail perfectly with the Riflessi approach, which is one of tailored furnishings which purchasers can customise to their requirements. With the large slabs, we have been able to produce tables of particularly impressive size and offer a very rich assortment of finishes, an important factor in both contract and residential markets, and which is proving very popular with both private customers and architects. Last but not least, Marazzi tops’ performance enables their use for many different purposes, combined with the highest standards with regard to the environmental quality of the entire production process.”

How do you see the future of porcelain stoneware for furniture? “For Shangai, we are expecting more and more original versions that can give personality to interiors, like the latest version with shaped top in finishes inspired by the most exquisite marbles, Sahara Noir and Sodalite Blu. In more general terms, we believe that porcelain stoneware will be more and more widely used in the home and elsewhere, to create dialogues and combinations between different features and give a touch of originality to design schemes. At the moment, we are offering coffee and console table, sideboard and dresser tops, and we are also considering its use in other types of furnishings and design items.”