164 – #IwannagotoSpain with Kelli and Silvestre

XXIV International Architecture & Interior Design Exposition in Spain In the world of porcelain, stone and ceramic wall & floor design, there are two key international exhibitions that take place every year - Cersaie in Bologna, Italy during the close of September and Cevisama in Valencia, Spain. Earlier this year, The Chaise Lounge along with sponsor Porcelanosa visited the Spanish Group’s exhibition which ran concurrently with Cevisama. The following shows recap some of the highlights of the tour with guests sharing their individual and collective experience from the trip, the inspiration for which was the Chaise Lounge’s social media competition #Let’sGoToSpain. Silvestre Segarra Jr. Silvestre Segarra Soriano is the grandson of Porcelanosa co-founder Jose Soriano Ramos. Establishing the company 46 years ago, Porcelanosa began operations as a tile company. The vision of the business has seen the enterprise transform into a manufacturer of so much more than just their world-leading ceramics, with kitchens, bathrooms, KRION® Solid Surface material, and many other solutions for architecture and home heading the product assortment. Silvestre details the Porcelanosa XXIV International Architecture & Interiors Exhibition, an event that spans the course of two weeks and welcomes more than 14,000 visitors from over 100 countries. Attendees include architects, designers, customers, international branch staff, press, and media. Each of the eight Porcelanosa companies re-design their showrooms to feature product releases and innovations for their respective global audience. Nick expresses his astonishment at the scale of the organization, not least of which is the fact that Porcelanosa began as, and remain, a family owned and run business. Silvestre explains the special culture that runs through the company, the intimate involvement of the shareholders’ desire to drive perfection in product and customer service – he firmly believes this to be the biggest differentiator from the competitor set. Nick and Silvestre also discuss the distinct European style that Porcelanosa is known for and how their awareness in the US has grown over recent years. Nick pondered the question of the sustainable environmental manufacturing the group had witnessed during the visit and Silvestre confirmed that it had been a tenet from the very beginning of the company. Eco-friendly principles, modern cost-efficient production facilities, and cleanliness are core values which he believes translate into sound business and ultimately a product designed to enhance the end customer’s lifestyle. Kelli Ellis Kelli Ellis is working with Kym Johnson from Dancing with the Stars and her husband, television personality, Robert Herjavec. They bought the old Richard Simmons dance studio in Beverly Hills and Kelli will be doing the entire reception area with Porcelanosa products. She learned so much on the trip and is ready to parlay the materials and knowledge that she uncovered in Spain into her designs. In other news - Kelli recently wrapped up the first season of Design Therapy, which can be watched on The Design Network. She also created a new art collection with Leftbank Art, in addition to an exclusive licensing deal with a furniture company to be debuted at High Point. Kelli is planning multiple Design Mastermind events to talk about the business of design, marketing, and how to ramp up and ignite business. Classes are capped at 20 people to keep it a small, one on one format where Kelli personally gets to know and work with delegates. As a passionate educator, Kelli is a firm exponent of collaboration and aims for the goal of “Design Geek to Rockstar Chic.” Nick and Kelli reminisce about their trip and Kelli’s emotional connection to Spain. Her lasting memory is of the strong relationships she built with the traveling group members.