Elena Salmistraro’s universe is made up of animals and funny figures, textures and colours, fantastic shapes and unusual compositions.

“All of my ideas come from my drawings, they are all fantasies of mine which then become objects. […]. I want to have fun and do something that I like! I also tried to do minimalist design, really applying myself and trying to convince myself that true design was this, that it was functional, but then I cast aside that idea and I am now so much better for it... despite the fact that I always try to take function as my starting point,” said the Milanese designer in an interview with Domus.

Since winning the Salone del Mobile Milano Award as “Best Emerging Designer” in 2017, her colourful and multifaceted vision is in great demand by the most diverse companies. Her unmistakable style – combining illusion, fantasy, dream and utopia – is clearly present in the new collection of ceramic surfaces that she designed for CEDIT – Ceramiche d'Italia (Made in Florim). Salmistraro gives the new porcelain stoneware surfaces a great figurative and symbolic charge.

Unique feature of the large slabs is their three-dimensional pattern, which reproduces the seams and textures of leather and fabrics, creating an extremely tactile effect. This type of processing is made possible by the innovative technologies adopted by Florim.

“Chimera” develops four graphic themes (Empatia, Radici, Ritmo and Colore) with subjects that mix different codes of stroke and colour. In Empatia (empathy) clown faces are mixed with graphic Art Deco references; in Radici (roots) the textures of the leather and leather are used; Ritmo (rhythm) sees the dialogue between the texture of the fabric and the designs of Gunta Stölzl and Anni Albers; lastly Colore (colour) has a dotted base that approaches the dense presence of repeated silhouettes. The range of the collection is completed by a series of neutral resting slabs.

In Spazio CEDIT, located in the very central Foro Buonaparte in Milan, you can admire the new collection by the Milanese designer thanks to the ad hoc installation entitled Hotel Chimera.

Opening image: Chimera Collection by Elena Salmistraro - Wall tiles: decoro Radici beige; Floor tiles: Radici beige