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It all began with a move. The Silva family, consisting of Laura, her husband and their two children, left their rather sombre old building in search of some place more contemporary, where brightness is the common element throughout each living space. Then they encountered the charm of a splendid, 170-square-meter Milan-style flat in a building with 20 brand new homes.
Once they got settled, Laura started meeting with kitchen designers and checking out the latest ideas with a certain goal in mind: to treat themselves to THE kitchen of their dreams and finally be able to enjoy it. During one of her excursions in search of the ideal kitchen, she discovered a new material: AVONITE® solid surfaces.
"I would like to make my kitchen a true living space, pleasant, functional and well-lit, where there's a place for everyone and everything. To do so, I needed an extremely high-quality product, and AVONITE® unites into one all the features we require from a high-end material. This solid surface is completely adapted to a high-traffic area used every single day," Laura comments.
Therefore, every detail of their kitchen was chosen with great care, starting with the white colour of the AVONITE® solid surface, a shade decidedly fitting for this universe imbued with simple elegance. The AVONITE® Porcelain shade was a real favourite, bringing brilliance and light to this room, which was originally conceived as an attic. And, with a high ceiling 4.8 meters up, they needed a material capable of spreading the light without dazzling, and of conveying a modern style to the room, without a hint of austerity.
The comfort of this beautiful contemporary kitchen doesn't just stem from the cupboard storage space or the brightness of it. Another great asset is the fabulous island in the centre of the kitchen, made entirely by AVONITE®. "We decided to make that island the pièce de résistance of our kitchen. So it had to be unique and tailor-made. To design it, we only ordered one sheet of solid surface, 3.2 meters long, 1.2 meters wide, and 12mm thick. The objective of this extremely innovative lay-out was to prioritise a very large work surface, giving rise to multiple functions: a counter top for dining, room to create delicious culinary concoctions, a family gathering place, … And to take full advantage of this space, we have decided to keep it empty of any object or utensil, so we can get down to all these activities as soon as we feel like it," Laura explains enthusiastically.
Each drawer has a specific purpose and has been fitted with custom-cut AVONITE® parts. The solid surface has the unique ability to be cut just like wood, and with the same tools.
The family preferred a very big sink, totally adapted to their needs and quite deep, but their search was unsuccessful. Then Laura and her husband had the idea of opting for the solid surface once again. The many characteristics of this supple, innovative material make it a surprising product that's proven to be perfect for designing the sink that meets their requirements
One of the properties of solid surface is the fact that it is thermoformable. Shape, size and style: it's all possible, especially the rounded angles needed to form the sink. A real plus!
But that's not all, AVONITE® Solid Surface is also environmentally friendly. It's made of a mix of bauxite (mineral powder), high performance acrylic resins and natural pigments. Its smooth surface naturally prevents the growth of bacteria and mould and stands up to common household products and even the most aggressive disinfectants. Its seamless construction from AVONITE® panels chosen for this particular kitchen facilitates easy cleaning.
On the design side, the minimalism of this kitchen has been enhanced by the choice of a solid oak parquet that graces it with a touch of colour and contrast. The placement in the length of the floorboards is an excellent idea. It warms the room and disrupts the perspective by giving the illusion of a larger surface. "Everything in this room is well thought-out.... That's what makes it so convenient in the day-to-day. I fall in love with it again every morning...." Laura Silva concludes, smiling.
Colours: AVONITE® Porcelain Completed in 2016 Location: Milan, Italy Manufactured by: SILVA Photography: Gabriel
AVONITE® - WIDE MATERIAL FOR WIDE IDEAS
AVONITE® is a Solid Surface material made of acrylic, minerals and pigments, designed and developed by the American company Aristech Surfaces LLC. With one of the largest production capacities in the United States and particularly flexible production lines, Aristech Surfaces LLC offers bespoke programmes which allow it to adapt to the most demanding projects.
Its balanced palette of timeless colours and trends, as well as its thermoforming and seamless jointing properties make it particularly appreciated by architects and designers.
AVONITE® has therefore already been specified by renowned architects such as the office of American architect Gensler, and in prestigious places such as the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
Appreciated for its solidity and outstanding aesthetics, offices, shops, and public buildings such as museums, hotels and restaurants have chosen AVONITE® for their reception desks, displays and bathrooms. Its seamless jointing and non-porosity make it a perfectly hygienic material, to the point of being used to build laboratory benches and furniture in operating rooms. AVONITE® is equally a hit as a kitchen counter top. ETA certified, easily repairable and fire resistant (B1), AVONITE® is the material of choice for any type of facade.
About Aristech Surfaces LLC
Aristech Surfaces® produces and markets a broad range of surface and design materials under its flagship brands, Aristech Acrylics® and Avonite Surfaces®. Aristech provides quality, cost-conscious, and high-end aesthetic solutions sought by OEMs, architects, designers, and fabricators for industries around the globe. Aristech’s corporate headquarters is located in Florence, KY with its international office in London, UK. Manufacturing facilities operate in Florence, KY and Belen, NM. To learn more, visit www.aristechsurfaces.com.
Cathie Becker cbecker@aristechsurfaces.com Tel.: +41 78 888 64 53