Tropical porcelain

An oasis of luxury for guests who can afford every comfort in the midst of tropical nature, the Sheraton Mirage resort overlooks the famous Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas. Once a quiet northern Queensland fishing village, Port Douglas is now a chic resort and a popular setting-off point for cruises to the Great Barrier Reef or for expeditions exploring the rainforest of Daintree National Park. Set amongst breathtaking natural scenery, the resort can boast splendid artificial landscapes of its own, dotted with gardens, lounges, swimming pools, themed pavilions, golf courses, tennis courts, spas and fitness centres.
Along with 300 fully-appointed hotel rooms, it also offers about 100 independent residential villas, available in three different types with 2 to 4 bedrooms. Each villa has its own fully-equipped kitchen, spacious living rooms and private terraces. The luxurious yet familiar atmosphere of these residential spaces reflects a search for a balance between excellence and sobriety in line with the trademark style of the Sheraton brand, founded in the United States in 1937 and now part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., the world’s top luxury hotel chain.
Built in 1989 and at the time considered the most luxurious resort in Australia, the Sheraton Mirage in Port Douglas is due to undergo remodelling beginning in 2015. In the meantime, some individual villa owners have already embarked on private renovation projects, such as the one carried out in 2014 in partnership with the interior desigan firm Island Point Interiors.
The most important aspect of the project was the choice of ceramic tile for the bathroom floors and walls.
Interior designer Janet Mackay was keen to create a seamless material surface that would enhance the sense of visual continuity and make the interiors look larger while blending perfectly with the colours and materials of the nearby beach. Impressed by its affinity with sand and crushed shells, Mackay chose the Jorstone beige glazed porcelain tile from the Italian firm Verde 1999, which has used digital inkjet technology to reproduce the colours and tones created by the age-old stratification of sediments.
This was the precise result sought by the client and the designer: a look and feel similar to natural stone. This impression is further reinforced by the honed finish, which creates an organic, earthy consistency and a non-slip grip effect.
Ideal as a backdrop to the balanced colour compositions of beige, ivory and wood selected for the furnishings and walls, this tile so impressed the owners of other villas at the resort that it has been chosen for use in further remodelling projects during 2015.