Confindustria Ceramica (the Italian Association of Ceramics) has announced the winners of the 2025 Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition, marking another record year of exceptional projects that push the boundaries of Italian tile design. This year’s competition follows the successful merger of two historic initiatives; the Design Competition in North America and Europe’s La Ceramica e il Progetto, which now operates in alternating cycles between continents. In 2025, the focus returned to North America, celebrating architect and design firms that demonstrate exemplary use of ceramic and porcelain tile from Ceramics of Italy member brands.
Spanning three categories – Residential, Nonresidential and Design & New Applications – the competition drew a highly competitive pool of entries, with the international jury ultimately selecting five winners and three honorable mentions as recipients of this year’s awards. The jury is chaired by Louisa Hutton, architect and founder of the Berlin-based practice Sauerbruch Hutton, and includes Domitilla Dardi, historian and design curator at MAXXI in Rome; Luca Molinari, architect and Professor of Architectural Theory and Design at the University of Campania; Steve Clem, principal at the Atlanta- and Tampa-based firm TVS; and Emilio Mussini, Chairman of the Promotional Activities and Trade Fairs Commission of Confindustria Ceramica. Projects were judged on overall design, sustainable attributes, the degree to which Italian tile enhances the setting, the amount of ceramic or porcelain tile from Ceramics of Italy member companies used throughout the project, and the quality of the tile installation.
On the residential side, a sustainability-driven hillside home by These Architects is enriched with colorful hues and expansive porcelain flooring, while Secter Architecture + Design’s hotel-inspired bungalow, Living Lounge, features clean, contemporary tile surfaces while blurring the line between indoor comfort and outdoor entertaining. Additionally, 2020 Stradella, a Bel Air luxury property by DI Group and Adeet Madan Home Design, impressed judges with its extensive, innovative tile applications such as a cascading porcelain-clad pool waterfall, a porcelain induction cooktop, tile-wrapped islands, and unified flooring that flows from the interior to exterior.
Together, these winning projects reflect the latest design directions and technological advancements in ceramic and porcelain tile – from exterior cladding and ventilated facades to 3D textures, handcrafted aesthetics, bold color palettes, through-body veining, large-format materials and a strong emphasis on indoor-outdoor living.
“As a juror, it was a pleasure to review and award some truly outstanding design submissions. I was inspired by the many ways these designers and architects embraced the extraordinary attributes of the Ceramics of Italy materials in the creation of their innovative solutions. All the winning projects are worthy of a visit to appreciate their beauty,” said Steve Clem, principal at TVS and competition juror.
The 2025 Tile Competition winners were announced during the Ceramics of Italy Press Conference at Coverings, the largest tile and stone exhibition in North America, held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Each winning firm presented their projects in front of an audience of design and trade media, tile manufacturers, and industry professionals. As part of their prize, winners will also receive an expense-paid, CEU-accredited trip to Cersaie, the leading international exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings, taking place in Bologna, Italy from September 22–26, 2025.
Residential Winners
Living Lounge by Secter Architecture + Design
Tile Manufacturers: Laminam, Mirage; Distributor: Julian Tile; Installer: Harris Builders LTD
Nestled along the Assiniboine River in Winnipeg, Living Lounge is a hotel-inspired bungalow that blurs the line between indoor comfort and outdoor entertaining spaces. Designed by Canada-based firm Secter Architecture + Design, the residence centers on a sprawling open-plan living, dining, bar and lounge space, oriented to capture optimal light during evening gatherings. The interior flows effortlessly into exterior entertainment zones, including a sauna and an alfresco kitchen with serene river views. As a unifying element throughout the home, Mirage’s Glocal collection lends a clean, contemporary surface to the main entrance, laundry, and powder room floors, while the brand’s textured Quartziti line adds depth to the powder room walls. In the kitchen and dining areas, Laminam’s Pietra Grey porcelain surfaces wrap the backsplash, buffet, island face, and countertops, creating a refined, cohesive visual thread throughout the home. Photo credit: Lindsay Reid
House in the Hill by These Architects
Tile Manufacturer: Emilceramica, Mirage, Marazzi; Distributor: Stone Tile Canada, CIOT, Centura; Installer: DB Custom Homes
Tucked into the wooded hillside of Ontario’s Fonthill Kame, House in the Hill is a reimagined residence that reconnects the home with the surrounding Carolinian forest. Designed by These Architects, the new structure builds on the original foundation, balancing preservation with a bold new architectural identity. A curved, north façade contrasts with orthogonal volumes reaching south toward the forest, linked by a central spine. Throughout all three levels, large-format Italian porcelain flooring from Emilceramica’s Tele di Marmo Reloaded collection seamlessly unifies living spaces, kitchens, hallways, and bathroom, while the brand’s Tele di Marmo Revolution series adds dramatic, marble-look veining to the kitchen backsplash, island, and appliance garage. Marazzi’s Lume collection complements the kitchen walls and animates ensuite bathrooms throughout the home in hues of blue, green, and white, while the brand’s Essenziale White Flora 3D tile brings added texture to the gym bathroom – contrasted by Mirage’s stone-look Norr tiles on adjacent walls. With sustainability central to the design, the project features high-performance glazing, passive ventilation, and a tightly sealed envelope that exceeds code requirements. Photo credit: Scott Norsworthy
Residential Honorable Mention
Hidden Pond House by Mojo Stumer Associates
Tile Manufacturer: CEDIT; Distributor: Florim; Installer: Jon Bijari Custom Homes
Set within the lush landscape of Old Westbury, New York, Hidden Pond House reinterprets the classic barn structure through a modernist lens. Designed by Mojo Stumer Associates, the home balances raw materials – featuring washed grey wood, concrete, and exposed steel – with refined architectural elements. A defining material throughout the home is the Matrice series by CEDIT, a large-format porcelain tile used on both the exterior and interiors. On the facade and rear elevation, the tile contrasts against dark wood slats, creating a striking rhythm, as bold, triangular roofs and distinctive windows invite light and frame the surrounding greenery. Inside, CEDIT’s Matrice tiles appear on a dramatic double-height entry wall, accent walls in the halls and stairways, and above the fireplace, where its ability to reflect light and enhance spatial depth powerfully draws the eye upward. The tile’s consistent presence – including moments in bedroom entries and alongside the owners’ art collection – unifies the interior palette while strengthening the home’s seamless relationship with the outdoors. Photo credit: Mark Stumer
