The mimetic capacity of Listone D

Using the same floor covering for an entire hotel suite is not an obvious choice. Nevertheless, this was the solution adopted by FZI Interiors and architect Elisabetta Compagnoni. The team had to search through thousands of different products to find the right one, capable of combining all the relevant technical, stylistic and interpretative requirements and creating different yet unified areas within each suite. The chosen material also had to valorise the various furnishing elements, from light fittings to furniture and from colours to leisure and private areas like terraces and bathrooms.
A floor material suitable for covering every part of an entire suite must also have the right technical specifications. It must be able to resist wear, abrasion, stains, thermal shock and the many chemical substances that can damage its appearance. It must also be able to create the desired atmosphere in each area and give all guests the same sensation of welcome. In the case of the Milan Suite Hotel, located between the city’s two exhibition centres, the choice fell on Italgraniti’s versatile Listone D in Canyon colour (format 15×90 cm). This material gives all the areas of the room a delightful, lived-in feel with an emphasis on style, warmth and comfort. Neutral colours and a «shabby» finish enhance under-foot comfort and guarantee an intimate dialogue with the other materials present in the rooms, including the leather of the sofas, the metal of the bathroom washbasins, and the fabrics of the beds and cushions.
The trend towards smart, diffused cities in modern architecture is also having an effect on interior design. In the latest hotel refurbishment projects, the adoption of just one floor material throughout gives suites a more striking horizontal dimension and an underlying theme that unifies and valorises the entire space. Light is refracted and softened, highlighting the colours of the furnishings and creating a sense of balance, wellbeing, relaxation and suspension of time in which guests can feel completely at home. Application of the same floor material to indoor and outdoor areas creates a sense of continuity.
Thanks to excellent technical characteristics, porcelain tile keeps its original colour even in direct sunlight, is perfectly weather-resistant and easy to clean — essential requirements for hotels that attract a large number of business clients. Listone D exemplifies the mimetic capacity of ceramic tile and the research undertaken by Italgraniti. It certainly represents the perfect floor covering for this kind of hotel application, giving rooms a feeling of closeness to nature otherwise impossible to find in the centre of Milan, and creating unity between indoor and outdoor areas.