Interior Design Sense

With the warm look of wood and the practicality of tiles, the Ironwood wood effect ceramic tiles by Fondovalle bring you the best of both worlds. Boasting a gorgeous antique wood effect, these ceramic tiles showcase a soft grain and a solid structure that’s made to last a lifetime. And the timeless elegance of these wood effect tiles gives them double the staying power. Available in Black Burnt, Oak, White, Walnut finishes, plain or with lovely scrolled and floral detail, it’s easy to achieve a modern minimalist look or a richly opulent space to suit your style. The Ironwood collection of tiles comes in two dimensions: 36 by 6 inches, and 36 by 8 inches, with ideal application on walls, floors and as accents to enhance every room in your home. Visit Italian company Fondovalle for more details.

It’s the ultimate in clean, minimalist design – the One disappearing bathroom by Rapsel puts all the bathroom essentials at your fingertips without sullying the style of the space. This sophisticated solid larch wood bathroom collection designed by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez won the Italian company the 2009 “Best of the Year” Interior Design Award, and rightly so! Concealed under the guise of these cool, contemporary wood shelves, the One disappearing bathroom includes a stainless steel washbasin, white ceramic toilet and stainless steel shower tray for use when you need them, and when you don’t it conceals them beneath its folding wood shelves and benches – out of sight, out of mind! Doing double duty, this stylish bathroom suite offers added storage for small and large bathrooms alike. Check out this modern bathroom innovation at Rapsel.

Talk about illuminating design innovations! The Asami Light LED lighted sofa by Italian company Calico is transforming furniture from a fixed decor element to a versatile style feature that changes to suit your mood. Blending modern technology with fashion-forward design, this hot-seat features a classic couch shape adorned in contemporary graphics and highlighted by LED accent lighting. With the simple click of the remote control, you can change the color of the LEDs to take your living room, lounge or home theater from subtle to splashy, essentially letting your furniture do the decorating for you. Whether the LEDs are turned on or off, this sleek sofa is sure to turn you on! Adding another level of versatility to this cool couch, the Asami Light sofa features a modular design that lets you go as big or as shapely as you need to. For more information on this modern LED lighted sofa, visit Colico.

Bringing a little luxury to the everyday, Italian company Fap Ceramiche has introduced its latest collection of modern wall tile for the kitchen and bathroom. As the line’s name suggests, Futura boasts a blend of tradition and innovation to deliver the latest looks. These contemporary diamond-cut wall tiles come in a trendy horizontal subway style measuring 15 by 56 cm, and feature a chic satin finish atop a range of cool colors to bring a fresh face to your space. Looking for an easy update? Start by highlighting your home’s best features. Draw attention to the kitchen work area with a sophisticated modern tile backsplash, and frame your bathroom’s shower and tub with just the right color combinations to set your mood. For some added interest, incorporate matching mirrored tiles into the pattern. There truly is an expression for every style and personality – discover yours at Fap Ceramiche.

Wall tiles are a luxurious and lasting way to finish your home – they’re not just for bathrooms and backsplashes anymore! Neobarocco is the latest classic contemporary wall tile range by Italian company Iris Ceramica that’ll make a splash in every room. The Imperiale collection is a classically inspired large-scale tile measuring 30 by 10 inches and featuring a stunning damask pattern in a range of the hottest hues. This traditional motif goes modern as a wall tile, and it’s just the thing to bring your home to the cutting edge of cool. The Rose Rosse collection is another blooming trend in tiles – flowers in the flesh. This sumptuous tile would look amazing as an accent, or go bold and create a feature wall that’ll grab everyone attention! For more information on the latest classic contemporary Neobarocco range visit Iris Ceramica.

Very modern and cool, the Loto coffee table from Italian company Com.p.ar is a real space saver, ideal for compact city homes and urban lofts where spare room is hard to come by. The sleek style of this designer coffee table features a modern-looking base of aluminum finished in a bright-white lacquer. Topping it off is a circular black-glass tabletop with white serigraphy detail. But there’s more to Loto than meets the eye. It blends fashion and function, designed with a fixed or opening tabletop with storage concealed beneath that allows you to keep even the smallest spaces trim and tidy. The Loto table measures 96d x 30h. For more details check out this elegant European living room essential at Com.p.ar.

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A European design, the wall hanging Link 1 TV stand is from Italian company Com.p.ar, and is a fabulous contemporary showcase for your sleek new plasma or LCD flat-screen TV. This cool television stand is made of lacquered MDF with eight side shelves to store movies, electronics and accessories out of the way and out of sight, leaving your modern home entertainment center clean and clutter-free. Ideal for small lofts and urban homes, the Link 1 TV stand actually opens up more space for living by taking the TV off the floor. The stand comes complete with a bar for wall-mounting, and multiple outlets. This wall-mounted piece measures L140xP15xH105. Check out this stylish home entertainment essential at Com.p.ar.

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The new Axis modular kitchen from Opinion Ciatti is for those who relish flexibility. The modular parts of the kitchen are autonomous – meaning you can place them however you want. This highly flexible approach is an antidote to the staid fitted kitchen that always stays the same! It’s rare to see an oven or a kitchen sink installed in such a minimalist setting – not obscured by blocky storage units – but rather within a table element. The two appliances are surrounded by a rectangular worktop and contrasted by a circular table. If you require more storage, look to the independent unit (shown in gold) that is on rollers and can be placed between the modular parts. This daring, modern design is by Marco Duina and Bruno Pozzi for Italian company Opinion Ciatti.

Undulating waves make these tactile tiles so easy on the eye: this is the Hyperwave stone tile collection from Testi Fratelli. A brilliant blend of art and function, the modern 3D designs are achieved with CAD/Cam technology. Contemporary Hyperwave stone panels offer six alluring, rippling patterns – Breeze, Dunes, Moon, Tide, Flower and Stream. The natural inspired collection has a “spazzolato patinato” (brushed coating) which makes it feels pleasant to the touch. This makes it ideal for intimate settings – such as a stunning shower or Jacuzzi backdrop. Testi, an Italian company, have been international specialists in stone supply and design since the 1920s. Precious in marble or granite, the Hyperwave designs are memorable designs to make an impact in your home. Contact Testi Fratelli to find out more about their customisable line of Hyperwave stone panel surfaces.
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Enhance your outdoor living space with a fabulous, modern wall-mounted fireplace. The G. Flame fireplace, designed by Giulio Gianturco for Italian company Dimensione Disegno, will help heat things up at your next al fresco fete. Mount a single G. Flame for a fine focal point, or mount three or four fireplaces to your wall for a stunning showpiece in the garden, on your patio, surrounding the deck – virtually anywhere with a wall to mount it to. This cool, contemporary design features an easily installed, anodized aluminum tray that mounts to your wall, raising the flame to the desired height. A stainless steel fire mechanism and glass ceramic enclosure finish this elegant outdoor essential with style. Check out this modern wall mounted fireplace at Dimensione Disegno.