Salone del Mobile is known for cutting-edge furniture, lighting, and kitchen and bath products, but at this year’s show, some of the most important countertop surfacing brands had a presence.
Partnering with Cosentino and Italian wood furniture maker Riva1920, Daniel Germani created a beautiful credenza using solid American walnut and ultra-compact Dekton XGlass Spectra in black gloss for a project called “Madera Meets Dekton.” With sophisticated woodworking techniques and the unique application of the solid surface material, it was one of the showstoppers during Milan Design Week.
Germani was intrigued by the opportunity to design, play, and push the limits of the materials. “I love wood’s organic texture, shape-shifting abilities and perfect imperfections,” Germani said. “The softness and malleability of the wood and the hard, resilient, almost stubborn nature of Dekton made perfect sense together … almost like a hug or an embrace.”
“It’s an honor to collaborate with Riva 1920 to bring to life Daniel’s creativity,” said Santiago Alfonso, marketing and communication vice president for Cosentino. “The combination of solid walnut and the stunning crystalline shine of Dekton Spectra result in a unique piece of furniture that is a gift to the world of international design.”
During Fuorosalone, Cosentino also presented Dektonclay, a collaboration with Spanish ceramic atelier and design studio Apparatu. Studio lead Xavier Manosa explored the concept of the kitchen. Attracted by the idea of using the same material in every part of the kitchen, he presented a collection of table and kitchenware, furniture pieces and even a kitchen itself. The ovens, kitchen top, the structure and handles were created with Dekton raw materials.
Caesarstone made a showing as well. Spanish designer Jaime Hayon’s whimsical Stone Age Folk delighted visitors to Fuorosalone’s historic Palazzo Serbelloni exhibition space.
“When you think about Caesarstone,” said Hayon, “it’s almost like it’s asking creatives to think about new ideas—the novelty, the innovation through creativity. This is how the installation came about. It’s this combination of ideas from folklore to fauna, color, material, stone, and furniture.”
Hayon conceptualized tribal masks and his signature clown faces on large-scale Caesarstone wall panels. There were furniture pieces, too, featuring the designer’s playful vision of bird-like characters and animated faces.
“You realize that those tables, cabinets, and mirrors can be completely surreal, and they can be functional. ... It’s about the sculpture and the brightness of the material.”
American brand Corian teamed up with Cabana magazine to explore the concept of Maximalism in a sensory Alice in Wonderland exhibition.
Seven designers created a village of cabanas, with thatched roofs, each featuring clever uses of Corian. Cabana’s creative director’s dreams fueled the design of a giant doorway and tunnel made of Corian that had been cut into beautiful trellis and lacework patterns. These led into the main space with the seven vignettes, exploring different global cultures and eras, including a romantic 19th century Russian parlor, a Chinese meditation room, a Moroccan kitchen, and an English study.
The spaces showed the creative possibilities of the material, as it was used to create colorful shingles, fretwork, cabinetry, desks, shelves, fountains, and objets d’art.
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