Design | Wellness | Cabinetry
Corian has certainly had its time in the spotlight. In 2018 the company reintroduced itself under the new Corian Design brand name, moving from a traditional product-oriented business to a company dedicated to delivering design-oriented solutions that utilize a variety of different surface materials, in addition to other design elements and custom-made solutions, to help clients transform their spaces. Continue reading “3D Carved Corian Wall Panels”
His designs are famous for their natural soft lines and attention to detail. His work is globally recognized, as it speaks a universal language of beauty. Karim Rashid, a Canadian Industrial designer, is the designer behind the concept kitchen Kook for Rastelli Cucine. Rastelli Cucine is an international kitchen company launched in 2014 by ARAN Cucine owner Renzo Rastelli. Kook was first displayed at EuroCucine 2012 by ARAN Cucine. 
“I take a minimalist approach in my kitchens, preferring to create a clean striking surface that is punctuated by splashes of strong color. For the Kook kitchen I wanted to create an innovative design to turn even the most challenging culinary endeavors into pure aesthetic pleasure”.
Rastelli Cucine showed Kook again at Salone del Mobile 2014. Rastelli Cucine strives to create contemporary inspiring designs that are ergonomically, environmentally and emotively superior. Collaborating with designers like Kiram Rashid enables Rastelli to promote the best of Italian Design standards. 
The Kook Kitchen is strong in both design aesthetics and functional storage. The extra deep work surface incorporates a cooktop and a sink with matching cutting board that conceals the opening for a continuous surface. Motorized shutters hide kitchen clutter behind the angled face. Glass shelves are lit with LED edge lighting and a colored LED lit strip accents tip-on style lower cabinets. 
Ovens are placed in tall cabinets with pocketing Corian glass panel doors for concealment when not in use. The dishwasher is fitted with an angled front to match the slanted profile of the cabinetry. The refrigerator starts at counter height with storage below. 
I prefer the Kook Kitchen with the taller elements – blame it on my North American desire for storage. I’d specify the units not to be unfitted because dirt can collect in the gap between the units. 
Do you have what it takes to Shape the Future of design? DuPont Corian has established an international design competition that has been launched across the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Participants are invited to conceive an interior design solution (such as furnishing, tables, seating, vanities, vertical cladding, etc…) for one of the following with the new DeepColour blacks:
• home environment (kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom, etc…)
• public/commercial spaces (hotels, hospitals and medical facilities, shops, restaurants, bars, yachts, offices, airport and train stations, museums, banks, shopping centers, theaters etc…)
The contest excludes flooring and ceiling applications, lighting equipment, accessories and small objects. Entry deadline is June 15th, 2014.
The result is to give architects, designers and fabricators the confidence to experiment with the material through all manner of volumetric or surface treatments. “The newness of this technology and the depth of these colors offers designers something to play with that they haven’t had before,” says Mark Woodman, lead design consultant for Corian.
Consider the work of the Giles Miller Studio. I saw their amazing tiles at the London Design Festival last fall.
When the LDF needed a feature desk for the V&A entrance , the organizers approached Giles Miller for a solution that was the opposite of “off-the-shelf.” In response, Miller developed a system of intricately patterned, machine-cut panels that could be arranged volumetrically. The triangular panels, each uniquely grooved with a different surface treatment, were laid out in opposite directions, creating a dazzling effect of light and shadow.
Miller, who typically works with metals and other reflective materials was new to Corian, yet he was able to achieve the same, polished metal effect using only DeepColor solid surface. “Before we made the final desk, we laid the tiles out on the floor of our studio and saw the effect of the reflection,” recalls Miller. “We were blown away by the ability to make intricate profiles and have them all reflect light.”
For those who dare to use Corian as more than just sheet goods, you may have encountered “stretch marks” as you manipulated and formed the surface. DeepColor, however, now eliminates those unsightly lines and other imperfections, such as scratches, a constant issue with darker surfaces.
The new collection of solid surfaces is currently available in four dark, lustrous hues—Anthracite, Nocturne, Night Sky and Black Quartz. Still under wraps in DuPont’s labs, an extended palette of colors is about to be added to Corian family of colors.
Through a partnership with the Power Matters Alliance (PMA), DuPont Building Innovations will soon begin embedding Powermat’s wireless charging technology within its Corian solid surface material.
Powermat displayed its own tabletop charging concept at CES but this step is an innovation first in Building Materials.
I imagine this will very popular in public spaces such as airports, bars, coffee houses and hotels. (Powermat already has a European alliance that includes wireless charging at cafes, hotels airports and select McDonaldsEurope.) It may lead to a new surge of Corian use in the home. I can think of many ways I’d incorporate it into an office area or the laundry room and mud room which are so often the catch-all area for many homes.
