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Cersaie 2026, the five-day tile and bathroom-design trade fair in Bologna, drew more than 90,000 visitors and 600 exhibitors from 24 countries. Design Milk’s report identified six visible directions: saturated color, green and earthy palettes, dimensional effects, natural-material looks, large-format tiles and intricate digital printing.
Cersaie 2026, the annual ceramic tile and bathroom-design fair in Bologna, showcased six prominent directions in surface design, according to a report by Design Milk: richer color, green and earthy palettes, dimensional surfaces, natural-material effects, large-format tiles and intricate digital printing. The five-day event drew more than 90,000 visitors and featured 600 exhibitors from 24 countries, giving manufacturers, architects and designers a broad view of products entering the market.
The clearest visual shift was toward deeper, more saturated colors. Design Milk reported seeing burgundy, browns, terracotta, red and yellow across collections and Bologna storefronts. Manufacturers paired bold shades with warm whites and neutrals, while some expanded the number of colors or offered several intensities of a single hue. Examples cited in the report include Atlas Concorde’s Boost Hux, which combines natural tones with green, red, blue and ember accents, and its vivid glazed Vivia range.
Green and natural palettes formed a related strand, spanning forest shades and pale sage as well as terracotta and stone-like colors. The report describes products such as Gardenia&Ariana’s Eterea, which includes onyx-inspired tiles and a fluted three-dimensional wall option, and Sartoria’s Plinth tiles in green tones. Gloss and varied finishes add another layer, changing how color reads under light.
Other products emphasized texture, visual depth and material imitation. Design Milk points to digitally applied glazes and relief, decorative surfaces that appear three-dimensional, and porcelain made to resemble stone, slate or limestone. Large-format tiles and detailed digital printing were also among the show’s reported trends. These are observations from the fair and examples selected by the report, not a measured ranking of sales or evidence that every direction will become widespread.
Color and Surface Expand Design Choices
The trends matter because tile is being presented not only as a durable covering but as a visible architectural surface. Stronger colors can make a wall or floor a focal point, while relief, gloss and print can create variation without relying on separate decorative materials. For designers and homeowners, that expands the options for setting a room’s mood and coordinating finishes.
Porcelain that imitates natural stone also offers a way to achieve a similar visual effect where a project’s budget, durability needs or installation conditions make natural material less suitable. The report describes this as a product capability, not a guarantee that ceramic will suit every application. Performance, finish, size and installation requirements still depend on the specific tile and project.
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A Trade Fair for Surface Design
Cersaie is held annually in Bologna and brings together ceramic manufacturers, architects, designers and bathroom-furnishing businesses. Its 43rd edition ran for five days at the end of September 2026. The reported attendance and exhibitor count establish the scale of the event, but do not indicate how many visitors were buyers or how products performed commercially.
Several directions highlighted this year build on existing capabilities. Design Milk notes that ceramic imitations of stone and marble have been present for years, while advances in printing and surface technologies have made some effects more detailed and realistic. The report also records manufacturers’ comments about growing confidence in color and ceramic’s changing role as an architectural element. Those comments reflect industry perspectives rather than independent consumer research.
““Warm, moody colors dominated the aisles of Cersaie 2026 and the windows of almost every storefront in Bologna.””
— Danielle McWilliams, principal at Novità, the communications agency for Ceramics of Italy
natural stone look porcelain tiles
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Trend Visibility Is Not Market Proof
The report documents products and design directions at the fair, but it does not establish which trends will last, become widely specified or sell at scale. It provides no sales figures, consumer survey, or comparison with previous Cersaie editions for the six trends. Nor does it define a formal ranking: the list reflects the report’s account of what stood out, not an industry-wide vote.
Specific product availability, pricing and technical suitability may vary by market and project. The source material also does not provide comparable performance data for the different finishes or manufacturing processes, so claims about durability or environmental impact cannot be drawn from the trend examples alone.
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From Show Floor to Projects
The next test will be whether architects, interior designers and buyers specify these collections in completed projects and whether manufacturers continue expanding the ranges. Readers comparing products can look for technical specifications, finish and slip information, dimensions, installation guidance and local availability rather than relying on appearance alone.
Further reporting on sales, project use and consumer demand would help show whether the Cersaie directions represent lasting changes or a snapshot of the 2026 show floor. No such follow-up data is included in the Design Milk report.
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Key Questions
What were the six tile trends reported from Cersaie 2026?
The report highlighted saturated color, green and earthy palettes, dimensional surfaces, natural-material effects, large-format tiles and intricate digital printing.
How large was Cersaie 2026?
The five-day Bologna fair drew more than 90,000 visitors and included 600 exhibitors from 24 countries, according to the source report.
Was green the only natural color trend?
No. Green shades appeared alongside terracotta, warm neutrals and stone-inspired colors. The report describes a broad palette rather than a single dominant color.
Do the trends show what will sell most?
No. The report describes products and visual directions seen at the fair, but provides no sales data or consumer research to establish which styles will be most popular.
Source: rss
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