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While for years the design and architecture world has shown a preference for simple lines and a minimalist style, recently the Italian tradition has made an impressive comeback.
One of the clearest expressions of this trend is the return to fashion of Venetian Seminato, a covering of great visual impact with options to satisfy a wide range of tastes and moods.
Marazzi plays its part in this trend by offering two porcelain stoneware collections that emphasise and celebrate the beauty of this Venetian flooring: Frammento and D_Segni Scaglie, two collections that look to the past to achieve a blend of art and craftsmanship in a floor covering of timeless beauty that has retained its appeal down the centuries.
So let’s take a more detailed look at how Venetian Seminato is produced and how to use this style effectively in interior design, to enhance the prestige of any location.
Introducing Venetian Seminato History and characteristics
Also known as Venetian Terrazzo, Venetian Seminato is a type of floor with a long and fascinating history. Although it had been used since the ancient Roman age, it was only during the Renaissance that Seminato became widespread, adopted as one of the main symbols of luxury and prestige amongst the Venetian aristocracy.
It consists of fragments of marble, granite, other natural stones or glass set in a lime or cement mortar and then polished to obtain a smooth, glossy surface.
The techniques of Venetian Seminato evolved over the centuries, with changes above all to the installation method and the materials used. However, Venetian Seminato has always retained its peerless appearance, with its ability to offer complex patterns and variegated colours, making it easy to incorporate in many styles of architecture, both indoors and outdoors. Its versatility, durability and beauty have won it great popularity, from its historic use in religious and aristocratic contexts down to modern residential or commercial buildings, where its distinctive characteristics still exert a strong appeal.
Differences between modern and traditional Venetian Seminato
Venetian Seminato has undergone many transformations over the centuries and a distinction can be made between the most traditional and the most modern versions.
As already mentioned, one of the main differences lies in the materials used: while traditional Seminato incorporates fragments of marble, granite and glass, the latest versions, including those in porcelain stoneware, are even more sustainable. The appearance is still that of historic Venetian Seminato but with added advantages such as greater strength and unrivalled ease of care.
In terms of production methods, traditional Seminato required painstaking work by skilled craftsmen, as the fragments were laid and polished by hand. The most recent techniques have transformed the procedure, offering much faster processes with much higher productivity.
The design of Venetian Seminato has also changed over the centuries: the geometrical and concentric patterns, motifs drawn from nature or intricate Baroque flourishes have gradually been simplified over the years, abandoning the most elaborate designs (such as those featuring the heraldic crests and coats of arms of noble families) in favour of simple lines and understated colour schemes.
Types of Venetian Seminato floors
Traditional Venetian Seminato floors were used above all in the aristocratic palazzos, churches and public buildings of the Republic of Venice, where this material’s timeless beauty and exquisite aesthetic made it a great favourite.As we’ve already seen, modern Venetian Seminato, produced in contemporary materials like porcelain stoneware, is widely used in residential and commercial contexts such as offices, hotels and restaurants and is very popular for both indoor and outdoor settings.
The main benefits of its use in indoor locations such as living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms relate to its refined, classical appearance, able to combine elegantly with even the most modern design schemes and give rooms an understated simplicity that still conveys a unique character.
Outdoors, Venetian Seminato is the ideal choice due not only to stylistic considerations but also to its durability and its resistance to weather and other atmospheric factors.
So versatile Venetian Terrazzo offers a wide array of options for decorating your spaces and for giving an added touch of sophistication to any type of flooring or paving.
Benefits of Venetian Seminato-effect stoneware tiles
One of the main differences between using traditional materials and opting for modern alternatives such as porcelain stoneware to reproduce the look of Venetian Seminato relates to the durability and resistance of the end result.
Venetian Seminato- or granulated marble-effect porcelain stoneware tiles offer many advantages that make them an excellent choice for anyone seeking an elegant yet low-maintenance floor.
Its durability is one of the main strengths of this material, with its outstanding resistance to scratches, impacts and abrasion. In even the most heavily-used and exposed locations, Venetian Seminato-effect porcelain stoneware will retain its impeccable appearance and require minimal routine care.
Another benefit to bear in mind is the fact that modern stoneware Seminato is made from more sustainable materials and using more eco-friendly processes.
Last but not least, in terms of appearance granulated marble-effect porcelain stoneware is amazingly versatile: the latest technologies have made it possible to reinvent the traditional patterns with fresh colour shades and decorative motifs in line with contemporary taste.
D_Segni Scaglie, available in six colour variants and seven decors, is a small-size stoneware that evokes the antique beauty of cement tiles but with glossy and matt chips added to the surface: the result is a decorative effect that references the warm, enticing shades of Venetian Seminato in a modern solution perfectly attuned to the latest interior design trends.
The distinctive granulated marble effect of Venetian Seminato is also accurately reproduced by the Frammento collection, which deploys reflected light and the subtle shades of its decorative patterns to evoke moods of elegance and refinement.
Choosing Venetian Seminato tiles
If you’re considering using Venetian Seminato tiles in your design schemes, there are some factors you should bear in mind to achieve the very best aesthetic result.
First and foremost, the choice of the pattern and colours: this effect’s typical motifs are a decorative feature in their own right, so it’s fundamental to opt for a combination that offers an attractive match with the rest of the furnishings and the other areas.
With the vast range of options available from Marazzi you’re sure to find the perfect solution to fulfil all the potential of any location. For example, Venetian Seminato can easily be combined not only with wood-effect stoneware but also with effects such as terracotta and concrete to generate fascinating, eclectic contrasts.
Comparison with other types of floor coverings
We’ve already discussed the benefits of using a porcelain stoneware flooring. Compared to marble, stoneware provides better resistance to stains and chemicals, a factor that makes it particularly suitable for locations requiring frequent, intensive cleaning, such as bathrooms and kitchens.
When it comes to a comparison with other materials such as parquet or laminate, the major benefit of Venetian Seminato-effect stoneware is its ability to withstand damp without warping or deteriorating over time.
Last but not least, compared to traditional ceramics the variety of design options and patterns is a major consideration, as this material can cater uncompromisingly for all architectural tastes and preferences.
To conclude, Venetian Seminato-effect porcelain stoneware tiles combine the classical beauty of traditional Venetian Seminato with the superior technical properties of modern materials. This combination of aesthetics, durability and easy care makes them an excellent choice for any residential or commercial flooring or paving project.Elegance, refinement, tradition, warmth: explore the beauty of Venetian Seminato in the Marazzi collections inspired by Venetian granulated marble floorings and traditional Italian cement tiles.
