Mexico Suite: interview with Cerriva

The Mexico Suite, located within the Van der Valk Hotel Houten and designed by Cerriva, was the winner of the Creativity category of the Emilgroup Project Awards 2025. Conceived as a destination in its own right within the hotel, the suite surrounds the guest in a warm and evocative atmosphere inspired by Mexico thanks to the shades and finishes of the Forme by Emilceramica collection.

We met Gerrit van het Oever, founder of Cerriva, to talk about his design approach and the underlying concept of the project.

1. What was your design vision?

For us, design is about finding the right balance between sizes, colours, atmosphere and the space in which one works. It is about creating a harmonious aesthetic, a project that is both visually beautiful and enjoyable to experience.

2. How would you describe the project in three words?

I would describe the project as “out of the box”, i.e. original and innovative. The suites are designed to offer guests a special, out-of-the-ordinary experience, which is why we chose particular solutions that blend tradition with innovation.

3. What impressed you most about the Emilgroup products?

For us, the Emilgroup products offer an excellent balance of sizes and colours, and even in periods of transition, when fashions change, they continue to provide new and innovative solutions. That’s why we like them so much.

4. How valuable is this recognition for your work?

Receiving this award is really special because it is the first time that we have won a prize in the world of ceramics. We have been developing brilliant projects since 2007 but till now we had never won an award of this kind, so it was a real surprise. It’s a prize that means a lot to us.

Discover the project