New take on luxury

It's official. The cold, slick design ethos that has determined the minimalist look of many contemporary kitchens has sparked a backlash. Designers are reporting a gradual return to increased ornamentation and warmer colors as homeowners look to create more casual and comforting living environments.

Maureen McGeehan of DuPont Surfaces says this move has influenced the eight new Private Collection colors of Corian®, which bring together a variety of natural tones and textures.

"Cottage luxury may sound like a contradiction in terms. But it describes these earth-inspired colors that reflect the move towards a more casual, yet still elegant look for home interiors," she says. "Today, the idea of wearing your wealth has become passe, so interiors are designed solely for personal comfort and pleasure, rather than to impress someone. Entertaining at home is more intimate and family oriented."

In keeping with this latest direction, the new Corian collection has a textural quality, with surfaces presenting natural effects that have a geological reference.

"The new series of colors is a complex combination of natural base tones, with various tone-on-tone veins and a mingling of particle sizes and tonalities that create a sense of movement," says McGeehan. "The look is reminiscent of earth's strata layers, formed over millions of years."

The collection includes surfaces that take their color and movement from volcanic rock, clam shells and even aged copper coins and rain clouds.

As with all Corian surfaces, this collection offers modern convenience. Surfaces are nonporous and won't promote the growth of mold, mildew or bacteria. Surfaces are also renewable stains and scratches can be sanded out to keep the surface looking like new.

For more information or to view samples, phone 800 4 Corian (426 7426). Or visit the website: www.corian.com.

Story by: Trendsideas