LAMINATES & SOLID SURFACES
When searching for the perfect choice of solid, surface material in the residential design sector there is much to consider. Homeowners not only want benchtops, vanities and counters that look the part, they also need the material to be durable, easy to maintain and fit in with their lifestyle and budget.
Manufacturer of quartz surfaces, Caesarstone, champions the benefits of quartz for kitchen benchtops, bathroom vanities and counters. Quartz surfaces are created from approximately 90 percent natural quartz aggregates, organic pigments and enhanced polymer resins. The end result is heat, stain, scratch and chip resistant. Caesarstone is available in 48 quartz finishes, each of which has the authentic look of stone or marble.
The design flexibility with quartz is another benefit of the product. Caesarstone’s brand manager, Linda Hannah, says when it comes to the latest trends in solid surfaces, more and more customers are leaving the stark white kitchen and bathroom behind and moving over to darker tones. This desire for darker colours has seen Caesarstone’s ‘dark rituals’ collection of quartz surfaces highly sought after.
Global trends forecaster and frequent collaborator with Caesarstone, Li Edelkoort, notes that kitchens are traditionally very white, but in a dramatic shift they are now making a move to the dark side, featuring black quartz, charcoal granite and black cast iron.
“While at first, the choice of black for the kitchen seems surprising, it is actually logical and connected – it is as stylish as the black bowls and plates we are now choosing to present our food on,” she says.
Another trend that continues to build momentum as a top choice for floors, walls, benchtops, vanities and splashbacks alike, is the concrete look.
“We saw the concrete decorative trend beginning to emerge about five years ago and launched Australia’s first concrete quartz surface finish, Sleek Concrete, in 2014,” Caesarstone’s brand manager Linda Hannah says.
“Since then we have released eight other concrete finishes and have seen both the commercial and residential sectors embrace them.”
Caesarstone’s concrete-inspired finishes take influence from unique materials such as oxidised steel, weathered cement and handpoured concrete. For a more refined look, Fresh Concrete, Raw Concrete and Sleek Concrete offer choices from the white, grey and taupe colour palettes. Meanwhile, Topus Concrete combines mineral formations found in nature with the rugged patinas of industrial materials.
“The concrete-look collection is suitable for benchtops, splashbacks, vanities, walls and furniture,” Hannah says.
One of Australia’s favourite cooks, Maggie Beer, is already on board with the concreteinspired trend. The kitchen in her new Adelaide city apartment by kitchen designers, Farquhar, features Caesarstone’s Rugged Concrete.
“When I first walked into Farquhar and saw the stone display, this stone [Rugged Concrete] was on it, and I never deterred from it. I just loved it. I love the graduation of colour; it’s not all matte, it’s real. It feels like concrete,” Beer says.
Another material that no doubt comes to mind for solid surface choices is laminate. Laminates have been a popular option for