Meet Marc and Dijana, the internationally inspired couple behind MAREDI Design, experts at creating design narratives inspired by their multicultural lifestyle. These creative minds helped a young couple achieve their dream kitchen in this 100-year old home in Milwaukee, WI. From the onset, they sought to preserve the historic character of the home while implementing modern conveniences.

MAREDI was looking for a specific shade of white countertop that would complement the kitchen’s green accents and the custom white oak cabinetry created by local craftsmen. They specified Silestone Statuario to brighten the space, a color which bounced off the natural light. “Thanks to this crisp white countertop, we were able to create a refreshing, cozy and inviting space open to the rest of the house,” said the designers.

Sustainability was a key factor in the design process. “Cosentino stands out when it comes to its environmental practices, including the energy efficient product offerings, and the emphasis on a circular economy. That is a particular aspect that aligns with the ethos of MAREDI Design,” they shaded. Additionally, the duo incorporated vintage pieces, prioritized local artisan and fabricators, and preserved the historical charm of the home.

Joann Kandrac & Kelly Kole, the creative minds behind the Atlanta-based interior design studio Kandrac & Kole Interior Designs, Inc. are experts in all things residential and commercial design. The duo has partnered with Cosentino for many projects in the past and love Silestone for its incredible properties and beauty. For this home in Marietta, GA, their client wanted to create an addition to their residence which included a master bathroom, powder room, large closets and laundry room.

When designing the master bath, the designers wanted it to truly be a space for wellness that exudes luxury and elegance. They achieved just that by pairing Silestone Dor vanity tops with rich brass fixtures and a tiled backsplash. Dor features a silky white backdrop with striking gold veining creating the perfect cohesion with the fixtures and achieving that spa-like sensation they desired.

They also specified Silestone in the color Lyra for the countertops in the laundry room. The color features a wide chromatic range of gray, brown, and beige tones that pair beautifully with the gray cabinetry and allow the unique wallpaper to shine. Additionally, Silestone’s superior technical properties ensure that the beauty of the product will remain untouched through time and use.

When planning the perfect kitchen, worksurfaces have a huge impact on the overall look and feel. As well as strong aesthetics, they also need to be durable, hardwearing and tough enough to cope with everyday wear and tear. That’s why kitchen designers piqu selected Cosentino for this stunning open-plan scheme in a family home in Hayes, near Bromley, Kent. The contrasting surfaces are the perfect mix of light and dark, neutral and dramatic, with all the qualities a busy kitchen and lifestyle needs.

Architect Paul Hasling from Range Property Consultants had created a light-filled kitchen-dining space by removing an internal wall and replacing the window to make it lower and in line with the new worksurface. The owners wanted a modern style with a monochrome colour scheme, choosing 20mm Silestone Kensho for the main worksurfaces and 20mm Sensa by Cosentino Nilo for the island, which includes a mitred leg to the floor and a stunning waterfall finish. They felt that the simplicity of the Kensho contrasted well with the natural beauty of Nilo and the result is a beautiful blend.

The main run of worksurfaces is fabricated from the durable, stain resistant Silestone Kensho from the Zen collection. Available in polished, suede and volcano finishes, this silky surface is a hybrid mineral surface made with HybriQ technology for a truly sustainable solution. This is because this high-performance blend of premium minerals is produced through a sustainable manufacturing process with 99% recycled water and 100% electric energy from renewable sources. The sink area includes integrated drainer grooves for a seamless look and the overall effect is one of calm and simplicity.

The headquarters and showroom of the fashion brand Jane Chuck in Malaysia features a design that is as vibrant as it is playful and inspiring. ‘We were drawn to the brand from the start, as well as to its vision, which embodies a spirit that is both vibrant and nostalgic,’ explains Jung Ong from POW Ideas, who was responsible for the design. ‘Inspired by suburban shopping centres and mid-20th century houses, we conceived Chuck’s headquarters as a space for aspirations, coexistence and self-care,’ he adds.

‘The heart of the space revolves around an oval-shaped and mosaic-tiled counter featuring a water fountain, the “fountain of youth”,’ explains Jung Ong. The piece, which integrates a worktop and a sink, takes centre stage in the showroom and is the key feature of the project. ‘Jane was looking for a dressing table and sink somewhere in the space and we thought it would be fun to make it part of the centrepiece of the project. The first idea we came up with was to create a multifunctional island with a dressing table, display shelves and a planter, all around a water fountain,’ he continues.

‘The Casa Brasileira Itaim represents a new architectural landmark in the city of São Paulo. The project draws on the masters of modern Brazilian architecture, using elements such as exposed concrete, Y-shaped columns and a ramped entrance. The building features cutting-edge solutions in terms of sustainability, automation, cladding, accessibility and security,’ explain Lucio Engenharia and Omar Maksoud, developers of this innovative residential building in one of the best areas of the city.

But that is not all: the common areas of Casa Brasileira, a building that will be a turning point in the country’s design scene, are designed by the award-winning Jader Almeida. His pieces of furniture can be found in all the rooms, including some designed by him exclusively for the project.

Almeida has also opted for Cosentino products as raw materials for his work. ‘We chose Dekton surfaces for the project because they offer unique technical features that are different from those of other materials, such as high UV and stain resistance and low porosity, as well as excellent durability in high-traffic areas,’ explains Jader Almeida. ‘In addition, the range of colours, textures and finishes presented by Dekton influenced our decision, since this range fitted perfectly with the idea of the project, which brings back the concept of “Brazilian houses” and the value of national architecture,’ continues Almeida.

For instance, Dekton Strato has been used for the flooring of all common areas, as well as for the cladding of the sauna, the ballroom, the bathrooms and the gourmet space. It also served as the main cladding material for the 25-metre long swimming pool. Among the most important reasons for this choice are Dekton’s high UV resistance and colour stability, but also Grip+ technology, a state-of-the-art treatment that provides the ultra-compact surface with non-slip properties, making the bathroom a pleasant and safe space for residents.

Carlos Rossi, the architect behind such high-profile projects as the new luxury terminal at São Paulo airport, has been in charge of the interior design of the first completed unit in this development. To add the finishing touch to these refined spaces, Rossi has also turned to Cosentino products, for example, with the Dekton Strato flooring.

In addition, Dekton Sasea, a colour inspired by the popular Sahel limestone, in cream and grey tones and with a design full of nuances, has been chosen for the floor and wall cladding in the kitchen and the bathroom.

‘Our aim was to bring a contemporary language to the spaces, and the Sasea pattern features a neutral tone that suits all styles and blends in perfectly with the natural oak cladding used in the décor. As a result, it adds even more elegance and allows us to maintain our minimalist style,’ says Rossi.

Another colour that caught the professional’s eye was Dekton Rem, used in the two main bathrooms.  ‘This Dekton colour is also very stylish and fits in the same range of neutral tones that we were looking for, but with an ochre hue that adds dynamism to the space and was completely in keeping with the woodwork we had proposed,’ he explains.

Anissa Pâtisserie is more than just a cake shop. Its founder, Anissa Sadaoui, has been working for years to create healthy treats and cakes suitable for diabetics, people who are on a strict diet or those who simply want to watch their blood sugar level. “In 2016 I took part in the M6 culinary competition 'Le Meilleur pâtissier' and then partnered with the Bastide medical group to develop cakes with a low glycaemic index”, she says. She now has two shops where she creates sugar-free pastries with half wholemeal flour “to answer the demand for healthier and low-calorie pastries”.

For the design of these spaces where everything exudes good taste and a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, the pastry chef and entrepreneur decided to use Cosentino surfaces. “I came across Cosentino at the Ixina shop, where they showed me the product. I immediately fell in love with it”, claims Anissa Sadaoui.

Nidum is a lively and modern centre where lovers of interior design, design, art and lifestyle can enjoy showrooms, events and temporary exhibitions. A warm “nest” (that’s the meaning of the Latin word “nidum” in English) where you can be inspired by shops offering innovative and thoughtfully designed objects, enjoy the delicacies of the Ovum restaurant and relax in its boutique hotel.

In this old but homely mansion of more than 4,000 square metres, which was renovated over two years after being empty for more than 15 years, is Architectenlab, a place where the best brands in the world of interior design come together to make you fantasise about your dream home. Naturally, Cosentino has a small showroom in this exceptional space, but not only that, it is also part of the design of the Nidum centre itself. 

This is thanks to Lonneke van der Weyden and Aard Keijser of Keijser&Co, a company specialising in beautiful custom made furniture. The two are behind Nidum, a project that they have worked on together with the architectural firm Feran&Hugo. This very talented team decided to use Cosentino’s ultra-compact surfaces for different applications in the design of Nidum.

In the shop, where visitors can take home a souvenir of the Nidum experience (the olive oil used in the restaurant, its decorative cushions and the coffee table books displayed in the showroom, for example), Dekton Bergen has been used on the bar counter. Inspired by natural Portobello stone, Bergen strives for perfection in tone, structure and depth. The beauty of its greyish veins, with sculptural pattern on a whitish background with delicate filigree, makes it a trendy design full of character and elegance. 

Dekton Bergen is also present in the restaurant. Specifically, it has been used on one of the bar tops. The other one, together with the wall behind it, has been clad in Dekton Khalo. This colour is inspired by Patagonia natural stone, a type of granite widely popular all over the world for its genuine formation and nuances. In addition, its subtle black, pale gold and coffee brown spots give it a unique and innovative appearance and the Dekton XGloss finish provides a spectacular gloss and depth, which fits in perfectly with the look of the place.

A five-star resort surrounded by sand dunes interspersed with coastal vegetation and an exclusive view over the Atlantic Ocean and the Óbidos lagoon. That is West Cliffs, a hotel, golf course and residential complex all in one, located in one of the most unexplored and exclusive areas of Portugal, the Silver Coast.

Located just one hour from Lisbon airport and yet in a natural setting, the complex has been designed to ensure balance between the built and natural environment. As such, its design concept is completely in harmony with the patterns of nature, which, according to its developers, functions almost as a natural extension of the unique landscape of this region.

The architectural firm Sua Kay, led by the renowned Mario Sua Kay (who has designed major projects for shopping centres, banks, stadiums and high-tech industrial complexes), was responsible for the design of the innovative houses for the West Cliffs project. Each house has its own style, halfway between pure contemporaneity, with glass claddings and cubic shapes, and a sort of new Portuguese tradition, with façades featuring local stone and shapes reminiscent of the typical houses of Óbidos.

If there is one thing the whole complex has in common, it is the highest certification in terms of sustainability. In fact, Sua Kay believes that this aspect should go further, revolving around not only energy efficiency, but also the quality of the construction and the materials used. “It gives me great pleasure to return to the buildings I built more than twenty years ago and find them in the same condition in which they were delivered to the client”, he says.

All this has led the studio to choose Dekton and Silestone (carbon neutral products throughout their life cycle with a 25-year warranty) for this project, as we will see in one of its most recently completed homes, which we will explore below.