The Porcelanosa stand at last month’s Design Joburg show caused a wave of interest. Like bees to honey, visitors gathered to see (and feel) the Spanish brand’s wood-look tiles. Although the ceramic-tile manufacturing company has grown to encompass eight brands that specialise in everything from bathrooms to architectural building solutions in nearly 150 countries, Porcelanosa is little-known in South Africa. 

“Porcelanosa has supplied products to artists in Hollywood and even royal families around the world and we we’d like to be the luxury reference for construction materials in South Africa,” says export manager Manel Roig. He goes on to say over 46 years, Porcelanosa has developed the ability to supply all the internal and external materials for construction projects from ceramic tiles, sanitary ware, kitchens and wardrobes to natural stone products and technical solutions for external façades.

From just a meter away, the Starwood tiles look like real wood with a matt, textured finish but when you touch them (as so many find themselves doing), you realise they’re ceramic. Thanks to a manufacturing process that imitates hand craftsmanship, their realism is uncanny, presenting the same texture, tones and colouration as authentic wood, but offering the convenience and practicality of a ceramic surface. “We have actually worked the ‘ceramic wood’ by hand, just like a natural product, keeping it as authentic as possible,” Roig says.  

The Starwood range is available in four designs and 12 colours and can be applied to floors and walls.

The design that stole the hearts of all who laid eyes upon it at Design Joburg was Noa, a ribbed wood-look tile installed vertically in a herringbone pattern. What impresses us most is the ability of Starwood tiles to bring warmth and interest to just about any environment, from bedrooms to shop interiors.

Porcelanosa’s products are available in South Africa through a number of partners but, for Starwood in particular, you can contact Lifestyle Ceramics and Classic Trading.

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