Back to nature with natural stone surfaces
Tags: Cosentino, Natural Stone | 4 years ago | Written by: Cosentino
As humans we have an innate desire to be near nature, but modern living sees us spending more time indoors, so it seems only natural to incorporate nature into our interiors. With increasing access to natural stones like marble and dolomite, we can now enjoy a connection with nature, no matter where we live. Natural stone and nature-inspired benchtops are aesthetically and physically timeless with a raw, elegant appearance and durable properties.
Natural stone surfaces are innately beautiful and unique, with no two surfaces ever being the same. Their distinctive patterns have randomness, variation and texture, and their earthy colours bring a calming quality to kitchens and bathrooms. These organic properties allow stone to pair beautifully with other natural materials throughout one’s home.
Natural stone’s colour and veining easily see it becoming the star of the show, whether part of a tonal palette of neutrals and whites, or a more diverse palette as displayed in this space designed by Mint Kitchen Group. Cosentino’s Natural Stone in Super White is used for the benchtops, splashback and kitchen island, and teamed with pale green, black and timber cabinetry.
Mint Kitchen Group wanted the natural stone, with its intricate, mottled grey veining, to be the showpiece of the kitchen. A shadow-line detail beneath the Super White benchtop creates the appearance of it floating above the base, while the curved corners of the island showcase the exquisite beauty of the natural stone and required meticulous design and craftsmanship.
“The stone was cut into multiple strips and hand applied to a radius substrate, ensuring the veins matched all around. The two curved ends were assembled off-site and delivered and installed as complete pieces, which took four people to bring them in,” says Tommaso Capogreco, CAD Designer and Tech Detailer at Mint Kitchen Group.
The use of natural stone, particularly with a nature-inspired palette, such as this, also helps create a seamlessness connection between our homes and gardens. It brings a sense of the outdoors inside, and enhances the Australian ideal of the indoor/outdoor lifestyle.
While natural stone has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, it has long been used in architecture, design and construction, valued for its extraordinary resistance and unique appearance, from the soft greys of Carrara marble to the bold blues and greens of granite and onyx. Natural stone is non-combustible and can withstand extremely high temperatures, making it ideal for fireplaces. It is also UV stable, so colours are resistant to harsh rays of the sun and won’t fade over time. However, you need to take extra care when it comes to Natural stone, their wear and tear make for a unique aging process and a continuous changing design element.
For more information on natural stone and nature-inspired benchtops, click here.
Photographer: Damien Kook
Designer: Mint Kitchen Group
