Travel Journal: My Trip to Spain Visiting Porcelanosa
Last month, I was invited to visit Spain to tour and learn more about Porcelanosa… a stone, tile, and fixture company. They’re a brand I had heard of, but wasn’t very familiar with. To be fair, their presence here in the US is just gaining momentum. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I never want to stop learning- in my profession, in creativity, in life… growth and education always feels important to me. This felt like a really fun opportunity, so I immediately agreed to go and was excited to meet & learn alongside some of the world’s most talented designers & architects. Click through for a journal of my travels, to learn more about an amazing (new-to-me) design brand, for a peek at the hotel I stayed in, and a glimpse into the beautiful city of Valencia… during a special time of year- their Fallas festival.
Porcelanosa
Funny story, I first heard of Porcelanosa when reading about George Clooney’s newly designed home. It’s one of the main material brands used throughout, and as you might imagine- it’s gorgeous. Aside from that tidbit, this trip was a totally new learning opportunity, as I’m always on the hunt for beautiful construction materials, home decor, fixtures, lighting, and textiles to use in our own house.
There was a LOT of info packed into two full days of touring, so I’ll give you my best snippets, takeaways, and share the products that felt most exciting to me… though they have hundreds- something for every aesthetic or application.
Porcelain (Natural & Realistic Looking) Stone
For me, the most exciting product was their gigantic porcelain slabs that look identical to marble and other natural stones. Their Xtone materials looked incredibly realistic, are vein matched (so there are no weird repeating elements that give it away), and are much less expensive than natural stones- like the viola marble in my basement bar. This would make a great budget-friendly countertop alternative, and these all looked fabulous in person!
Tile, Wood, & Mosaics
I was also really impressed with their single tiles and mosaic options… from wood looking tile to brick and natural stones (real marble, limestone, etc)– there were some really classic looking options in their library.
Outdoor Tile Systems
One thing that got me really excited was their outdoor tile system. Having a backyard with drainage issues and multiple levels- their RAFx system offered really smart solutions for tricky exterior spaces and patios. I also noted their oversized outdoor tiles… ideal for covering concrete. I’d love to cover our patio someday, giving it a more stylized look. This showroom definitely had my wheels turning.
Smart Fixtures
I also asked a hundred questions about their smart toilets. Having just visited Japan (and having Crohn’s), a smart toilet is high on my list for our primary bath renovation someday. We just have an aftermarket bidet and it’s just not the same. Seriously, I could talk toilets all day… heated seats, bidet options, smart features, etc.
Designers & New Friends From the Trip
Many of us were invited on the trip to see this year’s Porcelanosa showroom exhibition. While there were a lot more of us, but these talented people were in my primary group. It was truly wonderful getting to know everyone. I’ll link their Instagram accounts below, if you’re looking for fresh content and new designers to follow:
- Hannah (The Otto House)
- Courtney (Right Meets Left Interior Design)
- Raquel & Dankmar (husband & wife duo behind Aldara Studio)
- Susan (Room by Room Dublin)
- Micaela (Micaela Sharp Design)
- Mariana (Diseñadora de Interiores)
- Tay (Beep Boop)
- Geraldine (Little Big Bell)
- Lucy (Lucy Alice Home)
- Anna (Iaorana House)
- Karim (Segments Architects)
- MarÃa (MarÃa Alcocer Studio)
Palasiet Thalasso Hotel
We all stayed at the Palasiet Thalasso Hotel in Castellón, which is a gorgeous location- right on the sea. It had charming character and we ate dinner as a group at the hotel twice, which was delicious each evening.
Valencia & Fallas Festival
We were lucky to be visiting during Valencia’s Fallas Festival, which is two week celebration of spring. They build huge monuments of wood, cardboard, and paper maché… these monuments (or fallas), consist of figures, many of which are caricatures that portray current events, celebrities, or pop culture. It’s celebrated with daily parades, fireworks, fiestas, and ends with the burning of hundreds of fallas- which apparently signifies the renewal of spring. It was pretty incredible to see! Aside from the excitement of Fallas, of course I also walked around gawking at architecture, and eating along the way.
FAQ
My top three spaces would be our primary bathroom, future laundry room, or our patio!
It was a press & design trip, so occasionally- I’ll be asked to visit a brand or manufacturer, to either learn more about it or share along the way. This trip was a learning trip, and no sharing was required- but I always think it’s fun to blog about these things and bring you along!
No, but I haven’t spent much time in Spain and would love to come back for a longer visit!
While not my typical blog post, I hope you enjoyed a peek behind-the-scenes with this one! I feel very lucky to have been invited on such a fun trip with the most wonderful people. I came home with many new friends from all corners of the world. I was also thrilled to learn more about some really cool design products. Hopefully I can install some of it in our house someday!