Ceragran: Sea, sand and stoneware.

With the summer holidays fast approaching, our thoughts are turning to the beach and seaside escapes. With this comes the inevitable question of how to decorate a beach house: what items and finishes are both beautiful and durable enough for coastal conditions?

According to Ceragran, a leading commercial finishing contractor in South Africa, porcelain stoneware is one of the best options for seaside homes as it is not only available in a wide variety of designs but also very durable with little maintenance requirements.

That’s because porcelain stoneware tiles are incredibly resistant to wear and tear, weather and thermal shock: they are also non-absorbent and anti-slip.

“Full-body porcelain tiles have a colour and pattern that extends through the whole tile – not just on the surface,” explains Ceragran. “This gives them the advantage of not showing wear .”

“While the glazed porcelain tiles that we import have a powder glaze that is baked in with the porcelain raw material, making the glaze durable and less likely to walk off or scratch.”

That means sand and seawater will not affect your tiles.

Fit for use inside or out, porcelain stoneware is a great option for floors, walls and outside kitchens and showers at the beach.

From wood-look floor tiles for a shabby chic coastal vibe to large-format Grainstone or concrete-look tiles for a more contemporary take on seaside living, Ceragran is sure to have a flooring or wall solution for your holiday home.

This summer, we’re especially loving concrete-effect tiles for a cool, contemporary feel underfoot that can extend throughout the house to outside entertainment areas. Plus, the design pairs perfectly with wood-look tiles or stone, as well as colourful mosaics.