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The RiFRA world: materials and finishes

RiFRA only uses quality materials that are designed to be durable. In recent years, our in-house design and planning department, RiFRALAB, has gone to great lengths to test and offer the market innovative, high-class, mate­rial-based finishes.

The finish traditionally proposed as the basic finish in the kitchen and bathroom sector is undoubtedly laminate, followed by lacquer and wood.

However, RiFRA has totally eliminated laminate from its offerings.

But why? Simply because of a not a high-quality product and does not represent the spirit of RiFRA, an high-end Italian brand.

RiFRA, with its long tradition of high quality products, has chosen not to offer laminate and to invest time and money into research for the more efficient use of other materials.

RiFRA’s permanent research and attention to the market, to its stakeholders and to the needs and wishes of the final customer, has led to a series of exclusive materials and finishes that can be described as “exotic”.

Inside this careful selection of materials is a scale that starts with lacquered finishes, then moves on to wood, cement, clay, metal and Ceramic Stone. Finally, a look at the new 2021 finishes: contemporary decoration.

Let’s take a look at each group in more detail:

CEMENT

When we talk about cement, we are talking about a pro­duct of nature born of stone and fire.

Those who love contemporary style should not ignore the concrete finish, which is distinguished by its material charm, especially if it is a total look without any added colour.

This is thanks to a solid and distinctly minimalist elegan­ce that helps create spaces with a contemporary cha­racter.

RiFRA’s latest cement products are the result of raw ma­terials and industrial processes that, thanks to nanote­chnology, have developed unprecedented properties of reliability over time.

In particular, cement is perfect for use in kitchen and bathroom areas, where it is applied by hand to doors, tall units, islands and worktops to create strong, sculptural products.

The cement is available in three different colours:

METAL

One of the main characteristics of metals that prompted us to study their use in the world of furniture is definitely the reflectivity of metal.
Metals coming into contact with a beam of light almost totally reflect the light itself, giving rise to a metallic sheen.

This effect gives different shades in the material, depending on how much light comes in contact with the furniture, and exponentially increases its degree of uniqueness.

Our metal finishes are made from a liquid metal mixed with synthetic aggregates that make the mixture se­mi-solid.

In this way it is possible to spread it manually on our materials and obtain an unequalled result.

This process allows us to coat any object without any particular constraints, giving us the possibility to use all the characteristics of metals combined with the flexibility of wood, to obtain products that can meet any furnishing requirement.

The colours selected and offered are the result of diffe­rent percentage blends of the metals used.

The same blends can also be applied with three different types of finish: smooth, crackle or meshed.

The crackle finishing is a very special finish that recreates cracks in the material itself.

This particularity is achieved through a chemical reaction, so the size, number and depth of the cracks themselves cannot be controlled.

The mesh finish is obtained by inserting and then remo­ving a mesh while the product is drying.

We offer 6 metals with a smooth finish, 5 metals with a crackle finish, and 4 with a mesh finish:

CLAY

Clay is a natural material obtained from the earth and is formed by the runoff from rocks of various types. It is a natural material with numerous properties and is part of our building tradition.

Retracing its architectural history means retracing the history of humanity.

It is formed of soil, or a compound of clay and natural inert material, that has simply been left to air-dry without the need for firing.

Mixtures with added mineral or synthetic binding agents become continuous coatings offering mechanical, abrasion and water resistance.

The result is a healthy, pure and natural product which is pleasant to the touch and has a surprisingly extensive array of properties.

The available colours are:

WOOD | THE ESSENCE

Wood is usually associated with a traditional style, but today it is also widely used for more modern designs in combination with more textured materials and more advanced technology.

In the simplicity of their shapes and forms, wooden design furnishings showcase the pure beauty of this material, accentuating its nuances and the various species available.

If wood is your preferred finish but your spaces are decorated in a modern design style, then these solutions offered by RiFRA are sure to inspire you:

RiFRA’s special wood collection features ancient woods that we restore, brush and colour.

Their substantial thickness ensures that brushing and colouring can bring nuances that highlight the variegation of these species.

LACQUERED

Lacquering is a type of painting that uses lacquer, i.e. opaque coloured paint.

Wood and wood fibre surfaces can be lacquered.

Since this is an applied paint, the customisation possibilities are practically endless and cover the entire RAL colour scale, meaning any shade can be produced.

RiFRA offers more than fifty of its own specific colours, which can also be customised on request:

In addition, you can choose between glossy or matt lacquer, two sides of the same coin that can create a very different feel with the same colour.

Glossy: reflects like a mirror.

Matt: absorbs light.

Alongside its glossy and matt lacquers, RiFRA also offers:

  • Smooth metallic lacquer
  • Textured metallic lacquer

Lacquering means quality and sophistication.

New for 2021: CONTEMPORARY DECORATIONS

RiFRA’s new materials for 2021 respond to the need to customise the company’s products based on the context and design of the house in which they feature.

RiFRA’s contemporary decorations are modern products boasting today’s properties and technology but also with roots stretching back into the past, because the materials used are a combination of clay, raw lime and metal, which are then manually trowelled and decorated on panels and walls.

In addition, these materials have important technical properties already present in nature – for example, they help remove humidity and absorb odours.

The charm of these materials lies in the way they are applied, giving them a very textured look.

RiFRA has gone beyond the generic furniture finishing options on the market, exploring the use of materials never used in the same way.

From a lacquered finish to natural stone, each finish has a story to tell. Whatever your choice, it will be the right one for you!

It’s about innovation and emotion… but above all, it’s about quality!

To explore all RiFRA finishings visit the “materials” section on the website

https://www.rifra.com/it/materiali.aspx

REQUEST YOUR FREE CONSULTATION

Are you passionate about RiFRA? Are you in the process of renovation or have you bought a new house to furnish?

Get in touch with our designers and ask for your free advice.

See you soon,

The RiFRA team

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