ABK is an innovative manufacturer of ceramic tiles and porcelain slabs in the Emilia region of Italy, producing products inspired by interior design trends and the latest trends in graphics. Italian designer, architect, and art director Paola Navone partnered with the leading Italian brand for a long-term collaboration titled Poetry House. This collection distils Navone's artistic experience and history for a more modern application. The project also demonstrates the importance of the design process and confirms ABK's role in the world of design, marking the beginning of a journey that will continue for many years to come. Poetry Stone and Poetry Colors are an integral part of the Poetry House project, the creative material, and the surface design concept developed as a collaboration between ABK and Studio OTTO - Paola Navone.

Poetry Stone

Poetry Stone is a poetic composition inspired by stone. It features a wide range of patterns, textures, and decorative motifs that vary according to the size of the tile, from 60x120 cm up to large format slabs. It has a clean, essential, and vaguely tribal look in keeping with the visual style of Studio OTTO - Paola Navone, which fits in perfectly with ABK’s aesthetic vision. A kind of ‘stone box’ created especially for use in architecture and interior design, that combines ABK’s technological expertise with the aesthetics of the renowned Milanese design firm.

Exploiting the unlimited potential offered by the world of stone, three visually appealing varieties with different textures and colours were selected for the Poetry Stone collection, all of which are open to experimentation in keeping with ABK’s stylistic vision. Piase is inspired by veined stone, Pirenei stands out for the presence of small pebbles and Trani recreates the calcareous inclusions of limestone. The collection comes in a total of seven colours in a palette dominated by neutral, contemporary tones.

Studio OTTO - Paola Navone used the stone effect to create handmade decorations with a slightly imperfect look featuring white brushstrokes or raku-style metallic designs. The vaguely tribal look of Traces, the sinuous and romantic appeal of Stamp, and the artistic dripping effect of Lines – all in a 60x120 cm size – are complemented by the 60x60 cm and 120x120 cm Carpet decorations inspired by the iconic whitewashed surfaces typical of Paola Navone’s most famous designs. The decorative proposals also include carving surfaces made with 3D technology, which offer a minimalist interpretation of engraved stone.

In the Poetry Stone collection, ABK combines design with innovation thanks to Fullbody3D technology, an advanced raw material mixing technique that recreates the natural look of stone across the entire thickness of the tile. Poetry Stone won the prestigious Archiproducts Design Awards 2022 in the Finishes category for design quality, product graphics, and semantics.

Poetry Colors

Poetry House enhances the expressive language of ceramics with the Poetry Colors collection, six intense, evocative surfaces that convey the character and personality of each space. The key element of this collection is colour, which emerges through watercolour effects and marked variations in the shade on small glossy tiles reminiscent of irregularly handcrafted majolica.

The Poetry Colors palette comprises the Blue of oceanic depths, the Turquoise of tropical waters, the soothing touch of Sage, the shimmering radiance of Pearl, the elegance of Smoke and the spicy palette of Blush. The colours are inspired by nature, the southern regions of the world, and the encounters with different cultures that have always been a part of Paola Navone’s stylistic journey.

Poetry Colors, available in 10x10 cm and 7.5x15 cm sizes, are intended exclusively for use on walls. They are the perfect complement to the ceramic tiles already present in the Poetry House project, such as Wood and Stone, and are ideal for bold, stylish combinations.