Bathroom Accessories
Basins
Baths
Cabinets
Mirrors
Showers
Bathroom Taps
Toilets & Bidets
Wall Tiles
Floor Tiles
Feature Tiles
Taps
Kitchen Sinks
Floor Tiles
Mosaic Tiles
Outdoor Tiles
Swimming Pool Coping
Natural Stone Cladding
Swimming Pool Mosaic Tiles
Tiles
Showers
Accessories
Vinyl Flooring
HOW IT STARTED. HOW IT’S GOING. WHERE IT’S HEADED.
We’ve always been guided by the same design principles. In the search for exclusive luxury home finishes, we have always looked first for design excellence and build integrity; for craftsmanship and durability. When that beautiful product offers innovation, technological acumen and inspiration, when it represents the zeitgeist, we know we’ve got a winner in the contemporary luxury stakes. An investment in long-term luxury living that will hold its value.
Whether the aesthetic leans towards classical style, urban edge, modernist minimalism or rustic naturalism – a beautifully functional piece will always speak a timeless design language and withstand the crosswinds of change and the endless fashion typhoons that blow across the design landscape. And together with those immoveable design principles, our service ethic stands tall.
Our Italtile showrooms are the embodiment of high design and excellent service. So how did it all start?
HOW IT STARTED.
Alberton, 1969. Giovanni Alberto Ravazzotti left his native Italy, travelled to South Africa and opened a small tile shop in Alberton, offering quality Italian tiles to South Africans looking to smarten up their homes. The 60s had brought with them those “with-it” shades that blossomed in the 50s; bathrooms and kitchens were redolent with pastel pinks, blues, as well as burnt oranges and avocados, along with accent tiles and decorative borders carrying bright mid-century patterns. But a new age of homeowners was looking for more sophistication, and Mr Ravazzotti’s small shop was poised to answer the need with quality Italian porcelain tiles and mosaics that he felt would stand the test of time and offer lasting value. He also drilled into our ethos the value of personalised service, an elevated customer experience and the building of longstanding relationships with both suppliers and customers.
- Italtile’s first Cape Town and Durban showrooms open.
- Italtile’s first Johannesburg store opens.
- Italtile moves into new premises in Alberton.
- After 19 years of operation, Italtile lists on the stock exchange.
- Italtile appoints an Environmental Office to drive sustainability, and the LiveGreen label is born.
- Italtile’s Foundation trust is established to support the communities in which we work and the wilderness habitats that surround us. In the same year, we start the rollout of our new generation stores.
- Italtile crosses the border into Botswana and opens a store in Gaborone.
HOW IT’S GOING.
2021 – 2024. The rollout of new generation stores continues, and we become proud members of the GBCSA (Green Building Council of South Africa)
Of course, many other exciting milestones were reached, including partnerships with outstanding sustainable suppliers and the extraordinary joint venture we call the SharkWise Project with supplier ITD/ TIVOLI and Dr Sara Andreotti (the inventor of the SharkSafe Barrier).
These leaps on our timeline – of which we are enormously proud – are not just cause for celebration. They serve as a compass for future activity, and underscore the principles guiding the planning, design and fitout of all our new generation stores – innovation, a superior customer experience, remaining relevant yet future-facing, with sustainability built in from the ground up.
Today we operate 15 bricks and mortar showrooms that we continually upgrade and revamp and redevelop. With our customer shopping experience top of mind, we have stayed ahead of the curve with the design, display and layout of our stores, working ergonomically to create optimal navigation through the aisles and displays and spark delight.
New showrooms take months to plan; from structural design phase, into layout ideas, shop fitting builds, and the final execution with all finishes. Our latest showrooms reflect our new-gen design thinking: Italtile George, Italtile Gaborone, Italtile Walmer, the Italtile Umhlanga revamp and the new-look Italtile Cape Town. Each showroom has been crafted with a contemporary blend of neutral tones and textures – timber and soft greys – with a space flooded with natural lighting. Environment preservation informs every possible touchpoint, from construction to fitout: lighting, clean energy, paperless operations, JoJo tanks, grey water systems and recycling. Our goal is an unparalleled experience for our shoppers, in an inspirational green space.
Digital screens have been introduced, to ensure seamless connectivity with our online platform for our customers, bridging the bricks and mortar/digital divide. These mini-portals allow us to share the latest digital tech with our customers, showcasing product information and detailed product spec, as well as opening doors to our design tools: The Visualiser, u-View and our Digital Showroom.
All our staff are design-certified and attend regular training updates hosted by Chapters Interiors CEO Melanie Ewing, to stay ahead of the interior design trends and our new product lines. The best part of our day is working with customers to create mood boards and advising on the best possible products to bring their design visions to life.
WHERE IT’S HEADED.
In spite of enormous online restructuring to deliver the optimal luxury digital shopping experience (more of that in the next blog post), our bricks and mortar stores are here to stay. In a fast and furious world with remote everything, luxury design takes time to create, and it deserves the respect of time and space to be seen, touched and experienced. Design, after all, is quintessentially human. It touches the heart and uplifts the spirit.
When it comes to service, Bots and AI are here to stay, and no doubt they’ll be great tools and useful assistants once finessed. But in our world, nothing compares with the physical presence of people who care, passionately. We’re prepared to bet that even in the year 2050 – whatever the future holds – Italtile’s signature eco-chic style will always, always be supported with good, old-fashioned, personal service.
That’s a promise.
Live Beautifully.
Ciao.
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