By Silvana Longo
Do you remember when small-format tiles were the only option for your kitchen, bathroom, restaurant or boutique? Euro Tile & Stone co-founders Ben and Sandra Colasanti certainly do. Prior to their showroom opening in Ottawa in 1987 (the company was called “Euro Ceramics” back in the day), Ben was a tile sett er and identified and witnessed a bunch of gaps in the industry. Besides an overall lack of quality service, there was an extremely limited product selection at the time. Determined to increase the offerings and make the tile-buying experience more personal and less transactional, Ben and Sandra pushed the envelope. “They started importing bigger sizes and newer designs,” says Giancarlo Colasanti, the operations manager and Ben and Sandra’s son. “My parents knew what was out there and that it wasn’t being provided by the traditional players at the time.” Giancarlo says they looked to pioneer the industry and bring in products from Europe that the Canadian market didn’t have. In the early days, the bigg est tile size you could find was six-by-six or eight-by-eight — the Colasantis started importing 12-by-12 and 13-by-13 tiles. “People told them they were making a mistake, but they kept going.” Of course, with the sizes we see today, it’s surprising to think 12-by-12 was considered a big size at one time, especially considering the beautiful large slab trend that’s taken off and is here to stay — it’s a trend Euro Tile & Stone adopted early; they have a vast selection of tiles this size today. Citing this one anecdote of the company’s early days, Giancarlo reveals the DNA of the company. “We are always pushing ahead, not afraid of taking risks, and letting the market decide.”
Fast-forward 36 years, and the small showroom in west Ottawa with a staff of four has grown into four locations and a team of more than 100 — there are two in Ottawa, one in Montreal and a Toronto showroom on Dufflaw Road that opened in August 2020, after delays caused by the pandemic. On the horizon for 2024 Giancarlo teased there might be an announcement for a new location coming soon but couldn’t reveal any details. He did confirm that in 2024, Euro Tile & Stone will open a 120,000-square-foot distribution centre to support all locations and service clients and projects delivered nationwide.
This exponential growth is indicative of the all-hands-on-deck approach the second generation of Colasantis are bringing to the business — they’re all actively involved in the company and Giancarlo is well-versed in the tile landscape. In 2022, he spearheaded the launch of a porcelain countertop with built-in induction underneath the slab to the company. “Porcelain slabs for countertops is coming on strong, as it offers major advantages over quartz because it’s stain, scratch and heat resistant,” he says. It can also replicate natural stones such as marbles, limestones and quartzites much more realistically than other man-made surfaces (like we’ve seen with porcelain tile) and its strength and durability are some of the reasons behind its growing popularity.
When it comes to current industry trends, there’s talk of terrazzo, mosaics and chevron patterns. Giancarlo adds he sees a shift to natural, more organic looks that add warmth and comfort to a space after so many years of cooler tones. Softer, more elegant stones — like their recently launched “Ibla” and “Shale” collections — are growing in popularity. Their Zellige-inspired “Riad” collection is also a current favourite. He says terracott a seems to be making a comeback, and for those looking for something bolder, there’s no shortage of cool, more aggressive-looking marble options on the market.
One trend he can’t dispute is the company’s continuing growth. Giancarlo is ensuring that, while priming for the future, the company’s core values established by his parents remain intact. Beyond his deep product knowledge, the incredible number of high-quality products available and his innate desire to innovate, Giancarlo is particularly proud of the repeat customers over the years, which is the true testament to the service and quality they offer. “We treat clients and staff like family, sell only high-quality products we believe in and provide unparalleled service.” Both he and his sister, Mattia, look to the future by keeping the foundation of the company top of mind. From this angle, rest assured the Euro Tile & Stone legacy lives on and will continue to be built, one tile at a time.
