The CERSAIE fair is held every year in Bologna, Italy.   This year’s fair, in October 2006 was the most innovative plumbing and hardware show or fair in history.

Julie Koch and Richard Humphreys of Elegant Additions attended the five day event.  The fair was spread out over nine buildings, five of which contained plumbing or hardware.  Booths at the fair rivaled some of the beautiful fashion showrooms in Milan and Florence.  Every detail was accounted for including beautiful lighting, accessories, coordinating rugs, bath furniture and so much more.

This year’s show featured COLOR!  Lucite colors of red, green, orange, pink, yellow and more were made into counters, sinks, showers and accessories.  Glass bowls that looked like swirled carnival glass were shown in blues, greens, pinks and yellows.  On a more conservative note, matte black was everywhere.  There were matte black tubs, sinks, and water closets.  Water was falling from the ceiling in the Gessi booth, into the shower from shower heads that looked like punching bags and into the bathroom sink from poles and square rods.  Dornbracht offered a rain environment that included water, light, and aromas.  Italbrass offered leather in every imaginable pattern.  Anyone for a zebra vanity with coordinating rug?  And the Bertocci family’s latest designs were blasted colored glass front cabinets that can be hung, stacked, set or just admired.  Such environments would be perfect in that beautiful new wet bar.

Stop in either showroom to see some of these things.  If the products are not in yet, we have the preliminary photos to share.