The same geological inspiration can tell different stories: it can reveal an essential balance or unleash all of its material power. From this dual interpretation of the original quartzite comes Grace Lithos, the new Porcelain tile collection from Ceramiche Keope that offers a fresh and sophisticated take on stone-inspired design, capable of engaging with diverse design sensibilities and harmonizing with the rhythms of contemporary architecture.
Grace Lithos joins the Grace Atelier collection, the cross-cutting and integrated material system through which Ceramiche Keope crafts a fascinating journey through Europe’s geological masterpieces. Three distinct lines—Grace (French limestone), Grace Fossil (a fusion of Portland and Jura Stone), and Grace Lithos (inspired by quartzite)—come together in a cutting-edge collection designed to offer architects and interior designers a comprehensive solution.
The synergy of the collection, the progressive evolution of its graphics and textures (from minimalism to extreme textural richness), the versatile color palette, and the signature “Fragments of Grace” mosaics, designed by Margherita Rui, define a unified aesthetic that combines the visual appeal of the original stone materials with the extraordinary technical performance and durability of contemporary Porcelain tile.
For Grace Lithos, inspiration comes from Villeneuve quartzite, a metamorphic rock of rare beauty sculpted over time by the immense pressures of Alpine orogenesis. Quarried in the Aosta Valley at the entrance to the Gran Paradiso valleys (between the towns of Villeneuve and Aymavilles), this stone stands out for the richness of its texture, crisscrossed by stratifications and mineral inclusions.
Ceramiche Keope translates its bold character into Porcelain tile, exploring its various expressive possibilities through two complementary and perfectly coordinated designs:
· Essential Design: conveys the pure essence of the material, creating balanced and refined surfaces where the background is enlivened by delicate, elegant split effects and subtle tone-on-tone variations. It offers a subtle elegance, ideal for enhancing wellness oases and contemporary living spaces that evoke a profound sense of tranquility.
· Wild Design: expresses the most textured, intense, and bold character of Alpine quartzite. It unleashes bold contrasts, deep veins, and primordial hues that give spaces the visual thrill of an unspoiled landscape, ideal for wellness areas and outdoor projects with great character.
The latest-generation technologies developed by Ceramiche Keope further enhance the extraordinary aesthetic depth and realism of the surfaces. The use of lustrous materials recreates on the surface the evocative sparkle of the mica microcrystals typical of Villeneuve quartzite, which gently capture and reflect light.
This innovation is complemented by ULTRAmatt, Keope’s proprietary finish (Patent Pending), which eliminates reflections from both artificial and natural light and creates an incredibly matte surface that is soft and smooth to the touch, while ensuring excellent, certified slip-resistant performance (available in R10 and R11).
The collection features a color palette designed to harmonize seamlessly with the Grace Atelier universe. The shades White, Ivory, Beige, Clay, and Smoke interpret the Essential pattern with a pure, luminous, and ethereal aesthetic. The shades Sand, Pearl, and Anthracite, on the other hand, express the wilder, deeper essence of the Wild pattern.
The wide range of sizes (from the large 120x120 cm down to 30x60 cm) and the availability of 20 mm-thick slabs for outdoor use ensure perfect visual and design continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces, without any stylistic disruption
Enhancing and unifying the entire project is “Fragments of Grace,” the Déco Mosaic Laboratory conceived by designer and creative director Margherita Rui for Ceramiche Keope. Built on a mosaic module common to all the Atelier’s collections, this high-end mosaic system skillfully balances the rigor of Modernism with the geometric and symmetrical richness of Art Deco.
Through four distinct variations—Tressé, Domus, Avenue, and Pince—the interweaving of materials, metallic details, and precious glossy enamel backgrounds transform the ceramic cladding into a true element of architectural language.
With Grace Lithos, Ceramiche Keope expands the boundaries of Grace Atelier, offering the world of international architecture and design a new, comprehensive, and reliable vocabulary of surfaces in which material, color, and technology interact with absolute naturalness.
