Anchored in Earth Tones: A Conversation on Crafting aTactile Sanctuary

We speak with the owner of 'Casa Ocra' apartment about blending Mediterranean warmth with minimalist restraint, and the crucial role of large-format porcelain in creating a seamless foundation.

Located in a bustling coastal enclave, the Casa Ocra apartment feels worlds away from the street noise below. It is a space defined
by a muted palette of terracotta, sand, and cream, where texture takes precedence over ornamentation. The design is a sophisticated fusion of styles—a meeting point between the rustic warmth of Mediterranean vernacular and the clean, disciplined lines of Japandi minimalism.

The success of this interior lies in its rigorous approach to materials. The spaces are uncluttered, allowing the surfaces themselves to become the primary design language. We sat down with the client, Sarah Jenkins, to discuss the vision behind the renovation and how our large-format porcelain surfaces were utilized to achieve the project’s monolithic aesthetic.

Q: The atmosphere in the apartment is immediately calming. What was the foundational concept for the renovation?

Client: The brief was always about 'quiet luxury.' Not in the sense of expensive gold taps, but luxury in the sense of space, light, and silence. I have a stressful job, and I needed my home to be a complete decompression zone.

Stylistically, I was torn. I love the earthy, baked colours of southern Europe—the terracotta’s and warm plasters—but I also crave the visual order of Japanese minimalism. We called the design approach "warm reductivism." We stripped everything back, but ensured whatever remained had deep textural integrity. It had to feel good to walk on barefoot.

Q: The living area is expansive, and the flooring plays ahuge role in that perception of scale. Could you walk us through your choice ofthe main flooring material?

Client: The floor was the most critical decision. Because we were using textured walls—like the terracotta feature wall and the micro-cement finishes—the floor needed to be the quiet anchor. It had to reflect light softly without being sterile.

We selected your Venato Bianco porcelain. We fell in love with the honed finish; it has this beautiful, velvety sateen touch that looks incredibly akin to natural honed stone, but without the maintenance anxiety.

To maximize the feeling of open space, scale was vital. We opted for the largest format available, the 900mm by 1800mm slabs. It changes the whole architecture of the room.

Q: The installation is incredibly precise. It’s hard to see where one tile ends and another begins.

Client: That was non-negotiable! I didn't want a grid on my floor; I wanted a landscape. We have to achieve a seamless joint tiling of only 0.5mm.

When you look across the living room, past the travertine coffee table and the bouclé sofa, your eye doesn't catch on grout lines. The floor reads as a continuous, monolithic surface. It makes the furniture feel like it's floating.

Q: Moving into the bathroom, the drama kicks up a notch.How did you balance the striking vanity with the serene backdrop?

Client: The bathroom is my favourite room. It’s a piece of theatre. We wanted a strong contrast here.

To maintain continuity with the rest of the apartment, we wrapped the walls and floor in the same honed Venato Bianco used in the living areas. This created a calm, neutral envelope. Against this quiet background, we introduced the floating vanity crafted from the Breche de Benou porcelain.

The Breche de Benou is intense—it has deep reds, pinks, and chaotic veining. If we had used a busy floor tile, it would have been overwhelming. But set against the seamless, large-format Venato Bianco, the vanity becomes a sculpture. The look is finished with the Kaolin breeze blocks, which filter the light and tie back to the living room’s accent wall. It’s a perfect balance of raw and refined.

The success of this interior lies in its rigorous approach to materials. The spaces are uncluttered, allowing the surfaces themselves to become the primary design language. We sat down with the client, Sarah Jenkins, to discuss the vision behind the renovation and how our large-format porcelain surfaces were utilized to achieve the project’s monolithic aesthetic.