What a relief that maximalism is now well accepted within the design community. For the past decade or so, the renter-friendly ‘beige-ification’ of homes, decor, and even children’s products is pervasive as much as it is dreary. Color is biologically pleasing to us, and can have incredible mental benefits. The new Tivoli Tech tile collection by designer Cristina Celestino for OUTERclé encourages us to bring some color to our outdoor spaces as well, highlighting the need for joy throughout all parts of our homes.
Clé is a go-to design brand for luxury surface treatments. OUTERclé is their outdoor counterpart, taking the party outside with their new line of tiles with Milan-based designer Cristina Celestino. As funky and fun as it is technical, these tiles are heat and UV resistant, freeze thaw rated, and slip resistant. Not to mention, they can also be used with radiant heating systems for underfloor warmth. Welcoming historical influences readily into her work, Celestino pulls from a long history of Italian tilemaking to design this stunning collection.
“I think there is nothing more homey, traditional, and reassuring than an earthenware floor. Our objective has been to play with the basic values of the material – Italian identity, excellent quality, durability – and to forcefully bring out its aesthetic connotations, preserving its typical materiality. I have conserved the material’s authenticity, shaping it with references to forms and geometry deeply rooted in the Italian cultural imaginary. We have achieved a result that is totally original, but continues to be reassuring, finding a balance between nostalgia and progress in design,” explains Celestino.
Cristina Celestino at Fornace Brioni Headquarters \\\ Photo: Valentina Sommariva
Celestino is a multidisciplinary designer, spanning the breadth of interior design, furniture, and tile. Serving as the creative director of Fornace Brioni, storied Italian tile maker, Celestino dives deep into the technical specifications of the product. Originally only for indoor use, the Tivoli Tech collection employs state-of-the-art material technology to take these tiles outside. This splash of color plays off the organic hues in the landscape, a harmonious addition to nature’s oldest and most enduring designs.
Verde Grigio + Verde + Arancio Salmone
Marrone Caffè + Beige + Marrone Fango
Blu Verdastro + Bianco Perla + Turchese
Turchese + Blu Verdastro + Bianco Perla
Fornace Brioni is a tiling powerhouse, founded in 1920 and still family owned, four generations later. With a specific focus in restoring traditional floors, the firm specializes in handmade tiles with historical ties. Crafted with the utmost care paid to the longstanding Italian tradition of tilemaking, the cotto used for the tiles is made from simply rainwater and clay, sediments slowly deposited along the Po River. Clay is an astounding material, able to be used and reused at basically every stage of the firing process. This makes production circular and sustainability built into the natural qualities of the material. The Tivoli Tech collection is available in 4 colorways, each balanced in a way that adds interest and joy throughout the plane.
Cristina Celestino \\\ Photo: Sara Magni
For more information on the Tivoli Tech collection, visit outercle.com.
Photography by Mattia Balsamini, except where noted.
