If I could have one odd design-related curiosity/fantasy granted by the would-be genie of A&D, this would certainly be near the top: spending the night in the cavernous Ceramica Flaminia showroom in Rome, an environ in which—if you believe the visual proof from the Flaminia website—I could luxuriate in the post-shower splendor of an over-sized lounger of velvety black; or shave behind the latticed screenwork of artificial bamboo, so green in its splendor; or just sample the good sense of the Albero Shower. This dual shower unit and stall designed by Massimiliano Abati is lightweight and low profile—slim in aspect and slimming on the mind—as it eschews the overwrought complexity of some showers in favor of an essentialist design that’s easy on the eyes.

Albero Shower. Designed by Massimiliano Abati for Ceramica Flaminia.

Shower Beneath the Thin Bowers of Albero

Abati’s design focuses on simplicity, and Albero is simple, indeed, but neither should that belie the allure of its aesthetic. Modeled loosely after the look of a sparsely-branched tree, Albero features a pair of hooks in place of limbs, one to hold the detachable showerhead and one to provide the fixed version of same, though “showerhead” is a misnomer in this case, since Albero’s fittings resemble wands more than heads, small spouting projectiles more than cavernous fountains. That’s not to say that copious rain-style showers don’t have their place, but Albero’s diminutive dimensions are a nice change. The deft touches of green and the non-stick ceramic base/mat furthers the organic theme, as the shower’s central shaft rises elegantly from same, as if it were a root-bound trunk.

About the Manufacturer: Ceramica Flaminia has six factories across the length of one country in the vicinities of three provinces—three in Viterbo, two in Civita Castellana, and one in Rome. These six locales dedicated to the manufacture of bathroom fittings of Vitreous China and Fine Fire Clay collectively comprise an approximate dimension of 80,000 square meters, which alone should give you some sense of the company’s breadth. Ceramica Flaminia is a major player in international bathroom design. Their roster of collaborative designers includes Massimiliano Abati, Fabio Novembre, and Ludovica and Roberto Palomba. Their aesthetic ranges from severe modernism to contemporary tom-foolery and everything in between, always with a focus on innovation, imagination, visual appeal, and quality control: “only the most intricate articles undergo a special manual process in order to guarantee the best quality possible.”