She burst onto the scene scooping out orecchiette shells at her kitchen table. Next we saw her hand-stitching lace on sun-drenched pavements. And then before we knew it, the world became obsessed with the one, the only, Italian Nonna. But what has got to do with the world of interiors you ask? She’s played a huge hand in tile inspiration, let us tell you that. From rich and rustic kitchen vibes to charming (but not chintz) cloakrooms and main bathrooms, read on to learn a lesson or two from the Nonna you never had and 2025 will have you living la dolce vita and then some.

THE TREND FORECAST - WHY 2025 IS THE YEAR OF THE NONNA TAKEOVER

The simple life – it’s a philosophy and a look that much of the world has been yearning for.. While interior design trends are often informed by the catwalks and both their colour and print crushes, so too are they a response to what’s going on in the world and how our homes can cocoon us from it all.

ENTER NONNA.

“We’re calling it ‘The Nonna Effect’, because with her as your muse, your decor is guaranteed to feel tried and true, rich and layered, familiar and comforting, but also totally on trend,” explains Grazzie, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra. “Out of every trend we’re forecasting for 2025, this is the one that’s head and shoulders above the rest, and that translates to every part of the home. A Nonna-style kitchen is inviting and invigorating, a Nonna cloakroom is sweet and charming, and a Nonna hallway makes a home feel like everyone is welcome and can come in at any time. Nonna? She’s the heart of the home.”

THE QUINTESSENTIAL ITALIAN CUCINA - THE STYLE AND THE SOUL

Figures like Nonna make us feel safe, as does the embrace of her interior design aesthetic. Nonna’s home is simple and it’s honest. There’s a back-to-basics air to it where the materials are from the earth, the styling is unfussy, and the whole vibe is wholesome. Her colour scheme is likely a mix of terracotta and timber tones, whites and blues, a dash of green, and even a splash of pomelo yellow. There might be religious artifacts thrown in, antique pots, stacks of well-thumbed recipe books leaning on a primitive-style shelf. Nonna’s kitchen makes you want to cook more, it makes you want to have a pantry full and fresh herbs always within reach, and it’ll have a kitchen table filled with food and people to eat it every day of the week.

NAILING NONNA - STYLE NOTES TO BRING THE LOOK TO LIFE & THE TILES TO DO IT WITH

Because of those heralded pasta grannies and the likes of Giuseppe Federici and his Nonna, the kitchen is the first place minds go when decorating, Nonna-style. But that’s only the beginning of this Italian tale. We asked Grazzie to share her Dolce Vita daydreams for her pick of four rooms in the home and the tiles she’d use to Nonna things up a notch.

In the kitchen: “When it comes to embracing Nonna’s style in the kitchen, go for a mix of an antique wooden island, painted cabinetry. If space allows a larder section, with beautiful curtains. Rows of old and rickety farmhouse-style vegetable racking, with a rustic floor. You could go for terracotta, whether it’s reclaimed ones or the Marlborough Terracotta collection in the square format, or any other that you adore”.

In the downstairs cloakroom: “interior designers typically suggest going big on colour and/or pattern in the downstairs cloakroom – a room that’s typically bijou and can be dramatised. With that in mind, I'd look for patterns to really set the scene. Weave in vintage basketry whether that’s via a wastepaper bin or toilet roll holder store, and then a pretty loose-covered lampshade in embroidered cotton”.

In the master bathroom or ensuite: “A café curtain billowing on an antique brass rail by the window, a vintage-style bath tub, plenty of cream scallop towels hanging from wooden towel rails and classic and timeless tiles set against plaster walls. Nonna’s bathroom would also have an alcove for storing lotions and potions, as well as reclaimed brassware – Nonna’s bathroom needs to be a tale as old as time after all. Flooring wise, I could also imagine her having something a bit kitsch like the Folly Porcelain tiles in Sand or a classic Italian choice, the Rialto Terrazzo in the Santa Croce shade”.

Discover our full Nonna’s Kitchen tile collection HERE.