Cement tiles the order of the day in the Maldives of Salento

The coastal town of Torre San Giovanni in the heart of the Salento boasts wonderful crystal waters and a very fine white sandy beach and is also the location of the Al Fico d’India holiday home.

A home dominated from top to bottom by the colours and decors of Ceramica Faetano’s London cement tiles. These small 20x20 cm tiles are decorated with symbols and colours highly reminiscent of those of the traditional local cement tiles, explaining why the owner of the home, Annarosa, fell in love with them. As well as the kitchen and bathroom floors and the wall of one of the showers, the symbols of London have also been embroidered on the cotton toilet roll holders. Cement tiles have the great virtue of going with all kinds of surfaces and can be laid both on the floor and on the walls because they are made of porcelain stoneware.

The refurbishment project was overseen, in every last detail, by Annarosa herself, who wanted to create a relaxing space that transmitted the authentic spirit of the local area and its inhabitants. The name “Al Fico d’India” (the Prickly Pear) is inspired by local traditions and the fact that children used to play a very important role in the cleaning of these fruits. While the adults removed the outer skin, children extracted the fruit with their little hands and placed it in a bowl that would soon be bursting with wonderful colours and fragrances.

Once the floors and wall tiles had been chosen, the home, with its visible beams, was furnished in a very simple yet stylish way. Large, welcoming tables, artisan furniture, decorated earthenware plates, straw pergolas enveloped in beautiful bougainvillea on spacious balconies from which to enjoy the spectacular sunsets over the Ionian Sea. And, instead of impersonal wardrobes, the skilful use of tree branches smoothed by the waves and deposited on the beach by the tide. To communicate to travellers the home’s close bond with the local area and its traditions.

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