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The subtle texture of Dekton Nacre takes centre stage in the new kitchen of influencer Álex Sánchez de Mora
Estudio GAS (Gonzalo Aquerreta)
Location
Madrid (Spain)
Material
Dekton
Aplication
Worktop, shelf, washbasin
End date
2023
Architecture/Design
Estudio GAS (Gonzalo Aquerreta)
Colour
Nacre
Quantity
3 slabs
Creative director and content creator Álex Sánchez de Mora commissioned Estudio GAS, led by architect Gonzalo Aquerreta, to renovate his home. Aquerreta’s style is characterised by the use of stone textures and metallic finishes in spaces strongly influenced by the great masters of international style such as Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe or Richard Neutra. “Among my current favourites, I would definitely highlight the stark futurism of German studio AAS Gonzalez Haase and the warm sobriety of Swedish studio Halleroed. In my daily work, I also take inspiration from some of the great emerging talents in our country, such as Hanghar, Estudio Diir or BarrioBohrer,” he explains.
It then comes as no surprise that the kitchen he designed for the influencer is a geometric space, with no frills and just two colours: off-white and light blue. Most of the kitchen’s storage and appliances are integrated, and the focus is on the textures used throughout.
In fact, the metallic finish of the mushroom lamp and the roughness of the floor and worktop are the first things that stand out in such a colour-neutral room. “On the floor, we have combined stone materials with Dekton slabs that mimic a handcrafted stucco finish and blend beautifully with the shades of the stone and the dominant colours used in the project”, says Aquerreta.
Dekton Nacre to bring sensoriality and functionality to a unique kitchen
The floor is clad in Campaspero limestone, a whitish, compact and vuggy limestone from Campaspero, in Valladolid (Spain), while the worktop features Dekton Nacre, a cream colour that ranges from fine microcement to lime plastering and is characterised by subtle details and a degraded texture that give the space a high sensory value.
“Although it is a very technical material, it has a very artisanal, handmade look, which is very much in keeping with the rest of the natural materials used in the project,” explains the architect. But despite its textured appearance, Dekton is very easy to clean. A damp cloth is all that is needed to remove stubborn stains, such as acid stains, which will not damage its pristine appearance.
In addition, Dekton is scratch and abrasion resistant, allowing you to cut food directly on its surface and even place hot pans straight from the hob, as it can withstand high temperatures and even fire. Any other advantages? Both Campaspero limestone and Dekton are eco-friendly materials throughout their life cycle.
A very artistic shelf
Dekton was also used for the shelf that connects the two striking columns in the room. “My favourite element in the kitchen is the two columns ending in cornices, because we have tried to respect the aesthetics of the living room. They are connected by a shelf made in Dekton that aims to bring some of the art and fashion present in the rest of the house into the kitchen”, explains the owner of this home in Madrid’s Justicia neighbourhood.
“The main idea for the kitchen was to integrate it as much as possible with the aesthetics of the rest of the house. To achieve this, we chose materials that matched the tones used in the living room and the rest of the house,” Sánchez de Mora further says. And Aquerreta adds: “The goal was to maintain the classic essence of the building and adapt it to a much more modern and youthful language. We wanted to create a space between the kitchen and the living room that was well communicated, spacious and bright.”
Last but not least, Dekton Nacre was also used in the bathroom to ensure a consistent look throughout the flat. “We had the opportunity to visit Cosentino City with our customer. There he was able to see the full range and all the finishes, which made it much easier for him to make his choice and for us to make sure that Dekton would work perfectly with the rest of the materials in the project,” the architect says finally.