Why Italian Tiles Make Floors Wonderful

February 19, 2022

At Total Look Design, our commitment is to bringing you the very best products from around the world to make every room in your home look superb.

It is for that reason that Italian porcelain tiles feature so prominently in our range.

Italy’s porcelain industry has a rich history dating back centuries, with stylish designs and exceptional quality being exactly what one might expect from a country in which superb artistry, flair and style are at the core of its rich culture of creativity and expression.

Curiously, however, the Italian ceramics industry actually owes much to Middle Eastern influences, with a 9th century Mesopotamian style that spread first to Spain and then Italy – where it is known as known as Maolica because it was imported from Mallorca – providing bright colours and intricate patterns.

This tradition was refined in the Renaissance era as kiln technology was improved. Manufacturing took place all over Italy – which was not even a single country until 1870 – ranging from Umbria and Campania in the north right down to Sicily.

While the Maolica style mainly influenced items like tableware, the development of the ceramics industry and the technology and design skills that went with it could hardly fail to impact on tiling.

Before Maolica, Roman architecture was famous for its use of tiles, both in roofs and floors and often in artistic mosaics as well. Once again, this had Mesopotamian origins, and it can be seen in thousands of preserved buildings around the former empire, including in Britain.

Roman floor and roof tiles were themselves very functional, with matching patterns and straight lines characteristic of the architecture of the day. It was the addition of later stylistic influences that ensured a long history of Italian ceramics has featured a growing emphasis on artistic content.

The result of these merging and evolving traditions is there to be enjoyed today. It is no surprise that, as the product of so much historic development, Italian porcelain tiles are among the most timelessly classy, beautiful and durable options for your floor.