Quiet Luxury

When Gwyneth Paltrow took to the stand in her much-broadcast trial in March, we were all “That’s some impeccable style she’s wearing... is it Prada? Well, it’s certainly cashmere.” But we couldn’t discern a label anywhere. Eagle-eyed style mavens scrutinised one particular look she curated and listed the logos: olive coat and cream turtleneck {The Row}, camel-coloured boots {Celine} and aviator sunnies {Ray-Ban}. Unsurprisingly, the olive coat sold out shortly after. {Thank you, Town and Country Magazine for spilling the beans!}

Around the same time, we all experienced perfect-slicked-back-bun lust when we beamed our envy headlamps upon the Goop Goddess’s sleek, understated hairstyle during a recent awards ceremony. We were, without doubt, in the presence of Quiet Luxury. No drama, no theatricality, just the gentle hum and purr of tastefulness.

Have you watched Succession yet? Well, apart from the fact that it features an unapologetically awful and frightfully badly-behaved family of borderline sociopaths, it showcases some pretty lush interiors and elegant couture. The family might have yelled at each other, but their outfits and décor whispered. Rich browns, organic fabrics, neutrals of every hue, with touches of deep burgundy, chocolate brown, forest green, and of course, immaculately tailored navy and black. The cream silk shirt rules. As do time-worn wood grain, antiques, marble, velvet, Irish linen, priceless art and tasteful statuary. Heritage and legacy, baby.

These are the folk who casually open an envelope with an antique letter opener. Their shutters open onto manicured lawns, clipped boxwoods, mathematically exact pavers spaced with aromatic herbs. Indoors, festoons of white flowers, or at the wildest, pale pink, drape in antique urns or Baccarat crystal vases and perfume the rarefied air. All deceptively unassuming but curated by an unseen set of craftspeople backstage and hidden in the wings. It is an aesthetic that has become known as “Succession-core”. AKA Quiet Luxury.

Have you picked up what we’re putting down? You’re probably way ahead of us here! OK, but no shame if you’re not. Quiet Luxury is nothing new. It may be swelling into a macrotrend right now, but for as long as there has been Old Money, there has been unassuming elegance and tailored, logo-less luxury. It is the opposite of fast fashion. The opposite of Kardashian and Met Gala. The opposite of screechy, rapper-style logo mania. It’s the thoughtful curation of investment pieces handcrafted by masters of their art for ultra-luxurious brands who don’t need to assert their superiority. Their ranges murmur for themselves. If you know, you know.

Italtile style is all about Quiet Luxury. It’s an aesthetic we’ve been behind for over half a century. And we’ve been telling the story of timeless style since our doors opened. We watch the trends and pick the looks we just KNOW are going to last.

Or keep coming back. Like subways, modern marbles, terrazzo, screed-cement compilations. And, of course, wood looks. Contemporary classics that will add eye appeal to EVERY look. Our 300 x 1800 Barkwood Tiles will bring all the warmth of rich, natural wood grain to your floorspaces, with the silky texture of finely sanded timber. 

There are certainly pops of bright colour in our showrooms – patterns, patchworks, mosaics and pure pigments – but you’ll find layers and layers of textural neutrals.  “Wow, but you’ve got a lot of beige tiles”, said a competitor once. Thanks for noticing, we thought quietly to ourselves... because although “beige” was used there as a stealth bomb, we took it as a huge compliment. If Quiet Luxury was a country, Beige would be its capital.

Beige. The Lead Colour of the Quiet Luxury Palette. Once used to describe dull interiors and boring people (“She’s lovely, but isn’t she a bit... I dunno... beige?!), beige has risen to take its proper place in the colour pantheon. Every interior and fashion mag will concur. Beige is the new grey; from oatmeal and wheat, to cream, mushroom, taupe and milk chocolate, to caramel and greige, and it is unutterably chic. Check out our “new neutrals”: Parsel Perla, Caph Savona, Pienza Avoria and Quios Cream. Magnificent examples of beige in all its lush moods.

Craftsmanship. Think bespoke couture, pinned upon the person by scores of seamstresses or tailors. Have you seen Phantom Thread? The carefully tailored life of Daniel Day Lewis’s fastidious character, who creates exquisite hand-stitched couturier magic for his muse. Handcrafted. Hand-finished. Limited editions and one-offs. Rather like our exclusive fireclay Shaker Sinks by Shaws of Darwen. Beautiful classics that take time to shape, mould, finish and fire. Each one carries the date and signature symbol of the artisan.

Another stunning example of hand-finished craftsmanship is the Palomba Collection by Laufen, a fusion of modern sculptural art, technology and artisanship. Italtile’s exclusive pieces from the Collection carry the signatures of the designers: Ludovica and Roberto Palomba. High design, craftsmanship, functionality and quality. The pillars of Quiet Luxury.

No conversation about craftsmanship would be compete without mention of V&A baths and basins. Sanware of the highest quality, handmade from a unique material developed by V&A called Quarrycast, which gives each V&S bath and basin a smoothness that is warm to the touch. Our exclusive V&A Warndon Bath has that unmistakeably silky feel and is endlessly elegant. A timeless classic that doesn’t have to try too hard to be fabulous.

Deceptive Simplicity. You know you’re in the presence of perfection when

a décor piece has minimalist, pared-down design, with no need for complicated ostentation. It is in that bare-bones beauty that true designers, artists and architects speak to their audience. Michelangelo, when asked about how he achieved his astonishing marble sculpture of David, said “I created a vision of David in my mind and simply carved away everything that was not David.” (Of course, that simplicity took him 3 years to achieve.) We’re not saying that our exclusive Laney Matt Black Shower Waste is quite in the same class as a Michelangelo, but it’s a sleek and stylish little work of art, with hidden details and finishes that quietly get on with the job of completing your luxe look. #lessismore

Timeless. Quiet Luxury has a sense of heritage and legacy about it. Pieces (like granny’s pearls that still get compliments when paired with your LBD) that never date. Unlike Fast Fashion, which shines for a fleeting moment, Quiet Luxury is long-lasting. A classic example of timeless style is our Subway Tile Collection. Called “The Eternal Child’ of the interiors world, the metro tile or subway is truly the Comeback Kid, returning year after year to the trend lists of the world, each time with a slightly different attitude and personality. Our Metro Blanco Subway is the ultimate classic bevelled Subway, which you can install in a retro brick pattern if you’re a traditionalist; or take it up a notch with a horizontal or vertical stack, or even a herringbone. Then, there’s our gorgeous Vogue Subways, exclusive to Italtile, which are the epitome of a reimagined classic, with their lustrous artisanal-style glaze and unusual colours – Denim, Esmeralda and Greige.

Our Modern Marbles need a spotlight here, too, as arguably the most timeless look of all, next to wood looks. It would be a sin to single out any one range here... so may we respectfully ask you to view our vast range of fabulous marble look tiles here.

True luxury is about quality, not quantity. It is evident in small batch, artisanal offerings, like our extraordinary 3D Embossed Tile Range; also, in Italtile’s carefully curated and limited selection of Wallpaper Pattern Tiles by Ceramica Sant’Agostino, which has just hit our shelves. Limited Edition Luxury. And another example of how timeless patterns like florals and botanicals, which have been around for centuries, keep reinventing themselves and returning to delight our senses.

A last word on Italtile’s Quiet Luxury. Vivienne Westwood said “Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity.” And she was right. Investing in Italtile’s signature LiveGreen style is a mindful, thoughtful, sustainable action. The tiles, taps, baths, bathroom furniture and sanware that we represent with pride have been designed to last for a very, very long time, and will offer many years of gentle joy and quiet delight. (Browse our promises and guarantees.)

Go hush-hush lush with Italtile and Live Beautifully!

Ciao.