By Catia Giorni
At the Cerbara showroom, materials and design are only part of the job. What really makes the difference is people: those who walk in with an idea of what their home could be, and those who help them turn that idea into something real every day. Alessandra Caroscioli, Federico Brugnoni and Carmine Aracri tell us about their work.
Before a home is made of floors, wall coverings and furnishings, it is made of ideas. Sometimes those ideas are very clear; sometimes they are little more than a sketch. Some customers arrive with folders full of images saved from social media, others have already imagined every detail, while some simply walk through the door and say four words that, for Alessandra Caroscioli, are almost an invitation: “Give me some advice.”
This is where the work begins at Edilgiorni’s Cerbara branch. Smaller and more intimate than the Sansepolcro showroom, it has strong ties to the local area and primarily serves private customers. It is a place where selling increasingly gives way to consulting, design and, inevitably, building relationships.
Alessandra has worked here since 2018, mainly specialising in bathroom sales and design. Over the years, she has seen a profound change in the way people approach their homes.
“Today, customers arrive much better prepared than they did in the past. They often already have a collection of images, measurements, a particular style in mind or even a first idea of how they would like their bathroom to look.”
Social media, inspiration websites and, more recently, artificial intelligence have multiplied the possibilities. But having plenty of ideas does not necessarily mean having found the right one. “Our work has become more complex: we need to interpret what customers bring with them, understand which ideas can actually work and find a way to make them fit harmoniously into a real space.”
Trends are changing quickly too. After years of bold decorative styles, Alessandra is now seeing a return to more natural atmospheres, stone effects, warm colours and textured surfaces. But following a trend is not enough.
“In the end, what matters is creating a space where people can truly feel at home.”
While Alessandra mainly guides customers through bathroom design, Federico Brugnoni, who has been with Edilgiorni for almost thirteen years, follows the broader renovation journey: from the initial welcome and design process to technical and administrative matters, as well as managing orders and deliveries.
“A renovation is not just about materials, orders and deliveries. It is a journey that begins with listening and ends with turning the home the customer has imagined into reality.”
It is a journey that can sometimes be difficult to navigate. Materials, costs, technical requirements, paperwork and deadlines all need to find the right balance. And according to Federico, this is precisely where the value of professional advice becomes clear. After all, every home, just like every family, is different. “Good advice does not offer the same solution to everyone. It starts with the people, the local context and the real objective of the project.”
Cerbara has its own identity and customers with specific needs. Over the years, tastes have changed, as has the way people approach their purchases. What remains unchanged, according to Federico, is the importance of relationships. “Renovating a home is a major decision and often a demanding one. Becoming a trusted point of reference for someone throughout that journey is incredibly valuable.”
Carmine Aracri knows a great deal about relationships built over time. He has worked for the Giorni group for twenty years, always at the Cerbara branch. He was there when the new showroom first opened and has watched it evolve alongside the products and the people who have passed through its doors.
“Over time, this place has become much more than somewhere I work: it is a family and a meeting point for people, projects, ideas and constant change.” His world is mainly that of ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware, for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Yet here too, the product itself is only the starting point.
“A single tile, on its own, is just one small detail. Its true appeal emerges when it becomes part of the right setting: a bathroom, a kitchen, a living area or an outdoor space.” The job, then, is to help customers see beyond that individual sample and imagine something that does not yet exist. Aesthetics, practicality and budget all need to come together, without ever losing sight of the people who will actually live in those spaces. And perhaps it is precisely when the project leaves the drawing board and becomes a real home that the work of Alessandra, Federico and Carmine comes together.
For Alessandra, it is in the customers who return to say that their bathroom is even more beautiful than they had imagined. For Federico, it is in the trust of those who place a complex journey such as a home renovation in his hands. And for Carmine, it is in the people who walk back into the showroom, sometimes years later, and tell him how pleased they have been with their choices.
Because behind a new floor, a bathroom or a renovated home, something remains that cannot be found in any catalogue: the relationship built with the people who will call that place home.
Info: Edilgiorni s.r.l. – Via Biturgense 124, 06012 Cerbara (PG) – Tel. +39 075 851147
