Opera Adds Organic Beauty to A Luxurious Kitchen Renovation

When interior designer Nicola Manning was asked to renovate a dated and impractical Auckland kitchen, she knew that form and function were going to be of equal importance. The owners needed the new space to be more functional and to flow, so Manning conceived a galley layout and a longer kitchen island with more workspace. She hid the pantry behind pocket doors and selected Dekton by Cosentino’s Opera for the waterfall kitchen island, the benchtop surrounding the cooktop, a splashback and a pantry benchtop.

“I wanted to create an aesthetic with a slight industrial edge and a contemporary twist,” explains Nicola of her plan for the almost-century-old home’s kitchen. “The cabinetry is now quite strong and linear, with vertical fluting on the back of the island bench, fluted glass and strong vertical lines of raw blackened steel, which I added as a key design element. The Opera is a lovely, fresh and soft counterpoint to these hard vertical lines and materials. I just love its organic curves and colour when paired with the more industrial elements.”

The Dekton surface also provides a functionality that makes life easier for the homeowners. “Being able to place hot items directly on the surface definitely played into our decision making for a surface,” says Manning. “Dekton doesn’t stain, it looks beautiful and there is such a great range of designs and colours.”

The grey-veined surface adds a luxe element to a space filled with other high-end features, including fluted, smokey glass inserts framed with blackened steel, sleek brushed matte black handles, and the beautifully fluted plinth that the Opera island sits on. The finished design has created a more spacious, light-filled kitchen, which fits seamlessly into the home.

In the owner’s ensuite bathroom, another of Manning’s favourite Cosentino products, Dekton Radium, has reinvigorated the decor. 

Explore the full range of colours across Dekton®, Silestone® and Sensa® here. For more on Nicola Manning and her interior design, read our interview with the designer here.