Can a stand at Cersaie 2019 become the perfect location to celebrate a birthday? The answer is yes and the proof lies in the party for Ragno’s 70th anniversary which, from 23rd to 27th September, filled the spaces set up at the fair with colours, emotions and, naturally, ceramic.
The design of the stand, curated by Gianluca Rossi and completed by stylist Irene Arescaldino, seized the challenge of this important occasion and transformed it into a succession of fluid, airy and luminous spaces, which, crossing traditional domestic boundaries, the indisputable realm of Ragno’s collections, came to even include a hotel suite and stylish café, full of delights for the eyes and palate.
At the centre, there is an outdoor area – which can be accessed from every direction and used for short breaks in total relaxation – set up with greenery and stone (from the Realstone_PietrAntica collection), like a small square in a typically Italian neighbourhood.
The underlying theme of this series of private and public spaces, both open and closed, is ceramic, which, for the anniversary, takes on new meanings, which go far beyond its practicality and tactile appeal.
Indeed, the slabs in the Ragno collections seem to be able to tell a story which, starting back in 1949, subsequently developed, and, through the creation of the Ceramic District, arrived at the most recent technological innovations relating to porcelain stoneware and white body.
In the wake of the event in Bologna dedicated to ceramic – which this year was attended by over 110,000 people, confirming the positive trend in 2018 – Ragno is presenting many exciting new products to the public this October.
Here we will consider some of them that represent aspects of the same design philosophy linked to lifestyle and living spaces which, although not domestic, embrace, at least partly, the idea of the home’s warmth.
The first new addition is the wood-effect Woodsense collection, which plays with the beauty of imperfections and enhances, through small traces visible on the surface of the planks (available in three sizes: 25x150 cm, 19x150 cm and 20x120 cm), the preciousness of the passage of time and connection with local history. The inspiration comes from the old beams and planks of traditional roofs.
In the case of the 40x120 cm slabs in the white body ceramic Resina collection developed by Ragno, the surface is soft, silky and velvety. Unsurprisingly, touch is the most important sense when it comes to interpreting the qualities of this new range.
Did you know that, according to recent studies, the continuous movement of our fingers on the smooth screen of tablets and smartphones has made tactile sensory information even more important to us?
The relief texture of the three-dimensional Bee and Wall structures (respectively diamond and brick-shaped) thus becomes a tool to get to know the material that is as important as visual recognition of the botanical or damask theme of the Tropicana and Venezia decorations, which are all available in the collection.
Contrasti is the new Ragno collection for the 20x20 cm size, characterized by two specific qualities: a strong urban appeal thanks to the presence of the geometric decor, dusty colours and very accentuated matt surface, as well as to its great resistance to use-induced stresses, due to the adoption of StepWise technology, which also makes it easy to clean the surfaces.
