DESTINATION STORES
ITALIAN
STYLE IN
LONDON
With new flagship stores from
iconic furniture and interiors brands
opening across London, it’s easier
than ever to get your fix of la dolce vita
IRIS CERAMICA
What’s the story? This vast three-floor emporium
of ceramic and porcelain surfaces is the Italian
brand’s UK debut. Founded by Romano Minozzi in
northern Italy in 1961, Iris Ceramica has become
the go-to global leader in designing, making and
distributing luxury porcelain tiles and finishes.
Over the decades, Minozzi snapped up other
companies and opened production facilities in both
Germany and the US, so the group now encompasses
eight brands, all of which are on show in the new
Clerkenwell flagship. Still family-run, the group’s
CEO is Minozzi’s daughter, Federica.
What will I find inside? Interiors that are more
akin to a boutique hotel than a tile showroom.
The 600-square-metre warehouse-like space is
decked out in an array of samples that look like the
real thing – from marble and travertine to slate –
but are actually ceramic, making them more eco-
friendly, affordable and easier to maintain.
Why should I visit? The innovative ‘Design your
Slab’ technology enables you to apply any image to
ceramic tops, but you could just pop in to work there
over a coffee. Rethinking the traditional showroom,
Iris Ceramica has shaken things up, offering their
flexible showroom space for co-working, complete
with free wifi and a large meeting room. Private
single booths in the spa-like basement are arranged
around a water feature. It’s surprising how calming
it can be to work in such beautiful, zen surroundings.
61–67 Old Street, London EC1V; irisceramica.com