From the worktop to the fireplace: Dekton sets the look for a beautiful and functional home

A three bedroom house with lots of natural light. This was the brief given to Studio 40, an Australian-based architectural studio with more than 20 years of experience. The only problem was that the house was only five metres wide.

To overcome this obstacle and create a home that the customers could “breathe in”, the experts designed a new two-storey extension to the rear of the house, an existing heritage workers cottage in Melbourne’s South Yarra Heritage Precinct. The existing façade was therefore carefully and respectfully restored, while the designers created an innovative timber façade with a contemporary look for the new rear space.

“The overall feeling of the place is wonderful. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the project is the large steel-framed window in the open-plan living room, which opens out onto the terrace and overlooks the rooftops of the city,” says the studio. Details like this make the five metre width of the house seem more than enough.

“With its sculptural, angled shape, the fireplace clad in Dekton is also a beautiful design element. Its details and finish had to be very precise, and the fitters did an excellent job to achieve the desired result,” says the studio.

The surface chosen for this element was Dekton Entzo. Inspired by Calacatta Gold marble, this colour features a random golden veining that exudes realism and naturalness. “The biggest advantages we found were the light weight of the 4 mm Dekton slabs and the possibility of using them to clad the fireplace. Standard stone would have been too heavy to create this floating element and without Dekton it would have ended up with a flat, dull finish. But with Dekton, the fireplace looks stunning,” says the studio.

Cosentino’s ultra-compact surface perfectly withstands the highest temperatures, making it the perfect material for this element. The choice of Dekton Entzo also ensures a consistent look throughout the house, as it was also used for the worktops in the two kitchens, their fronts, a floating shelf, the bench in the bespoke furniture that houses the fireplace and the TV, and the small bench in the entrance.

“The customers wanted their kitchen to have a marbled look, but with the highest durability and ease of maintenance. That’s what Dekton offers, and the customers love it,” says the studio.

“We were already familiar with Cosentino and its excellent products and services, but in this case the owner had the final say in the choice of surface finishes. Our customer has a keen eye for interior design and we worked with her, the stonemasons and woodworkers to ensure the right products were chosen,” the studio further says. And they add: “The customers wanted the look of stone as well as durability, ease of maintenance and a stunning appearance. Dekton was the perfect product for them.”