Around the house: Tapping into new design veins

An unmistakable rise in rich design details like muraled ceilings, deeply-curved sofas in lush fabrics, neoclassical architectural touches, saturated colours, and burnished metals reveal a growing taste for decorative flourish.

It’s not unexpected — who can blame us for being equally tired of both sparse minimalism and fussy farmhouse looks? Happily, those drawn to luxury will find it easier than ever to get the look of high-end materials for less money, and with fewer maintenance headaches.

There are, for example, beautiful factory-made replicas of opulent marbles and other natural stones. Among the most handsome come from Minnesota-based Cambria, which just released an Alloy Collection of quartz slabs with warm brass tones. Cambria says a new alloy creates subtly tactile surfaces, injects a hint of mineral glimmer into veining, and contributes to more life-like stone patterns.

Its Berkshire Brass Smooth has artfully meandering golden veins and delicate gray accents against a marbled white background, while Berkshire Steel Sculpted has cooler silvery veins with gray accents.

Brittanicca Gold Cool is a more assertive pattern. It creates concentrated drama in small spaces, but also works as an anchor in longer expanses of counter-tops and backsplashes.

Designs come in high-gloss and matte finishes, and pieces can be customized with 19 edge profiles and several thicknesses.

Caesarstone made news this year by adding porcelain to the quartz portfolio it’s been known for since the late 80s. An expanded line of more than 100 colours debuted in January of this year. For it, Caesarstone captured the visual qualities of natural stones, including marble with heightened veining, palpable textures like concrete, and burnished metals. Beauty is bolstered by performance; the material is stain/scratch/extreme heat resistant. Because it’s also non-porous, it’s easier to clean and maintain than real marble, and is suitable for outdoor use.

If you go looking for the new line, keep in mind that for now, it will appear in select markets around the country, and that stock may vary from location to location.

Wisconsin-based producer of kitchen and bath products Kohler introduced the handcrafted Aureus Vessel Sink, inspired by the ancient Asian art of Kintsukuroi or “golden repair”. Here, the historical craft is reflected in a graceful sink detailed with gold veins and accents—a tiny, perfect focal point in any small bathroom.

Not stone, but equally stunning, is Kohler’s glass Salute vessel sink, whose shape is  inspired by a Champagne coupe glass. Exterior ribbing casts enchanting radial reflections in the surrounding countertop, and the bowl has a delightful scalloped rim. At just 15 inches, it has a jewel-like quality, which is only added to by the seven heavenly shades of blue and sandalwood it’s available in.

London-based HanStone Quartz  has a reputation for making a reliable product with tremendous flexibility in kitchen countertops, benches, islands, peninsulas, bathroom vanities, shower walls, bath and tub surrounds. In keeping up with this year’s trends, it offers  its own elaborately-veined entries.

Matterhorn is a striking design inspired by super-white quartzite, executed in grey, warm white, and earthy brown tones. Le Blanc has a grey translucent base with warm white hues, threaded with espresso-toned marking. Its pattern is the quieter of the two, but it has a sense of lightness and movement that would open up and elevate any design.

Just arrived in Canada is Platean Italian maker of ceramic  surfaces for façades, wall cladding, indoor flooring  and interior furnishings.

Its Verdi Alpi design reinterprets one of Italy’s most refined marbles. A vivid green background criss-crossed with white evokes the trees and snow-capped peaks of the Valle D’Aosta, the area from where the actual stone originates.

Slabs can be made in large sizes, with minimum thickness surfaces. Placed side by side, continuity of pattern forms a seamless effect.

I’ll focus on this interesting newcomer in an upcoming column. In the meantime, go to www.aroundthehouse.ca for more on manufactured stone.