Cosentino’s color-rich Le Chic collection adds sustainability to hardworking surfaces
Partnership | Aug 17, 2023
With its Le Chic collection, Cosentino is setting the trends in material hybrid surfaces—through intense, inimitable colorways, yes, but also an all-new, more eco-conscious composition and manufacturing process. The first expansion in two years of the global, Spain-based brand’s Silestone portfolio, the series of six stunning styles offers Cosentino’s signature scratch- and stain-resistance and easy cleanability while perfecting the aesthetics via rich rivers of veining embedded with glittering metallic bits. The creative possibilities of the collection are enough to make a designer le freak out.
“Le Chic is inspired by natural stone, but with expressive veining and crystalline encrustations to give it a character all its own,” says Patty Dominguez, vice president of business development for Cosentino in the Americas, speaking from the company’s offices in Coral Gables, Florida. In the months leading up to the collection’s launch, she hosted some 50 North American designers at Cosentino headquarters in Almería, Spain, to tour the facilities and provide feedback on the styles. “What we heard was excitement about color,” she says.
All of Cosentino’s Silestone hues, including Le Chic’s pale neutrals and dark grays and blues, are the result of the company’s innovative HybriQ+ Technology, which combines premium minerals with recycled materials while also reducing the percentage of crystalline silica (the dust of which can be toxic) for a safer and more sustainable formulation. “The goal was to adopt a more eco-friendly manufacturing method through the use of renewable sources and recycled water without sacrificing the beauty or performance of the end product,” says Dominguez. The new protocol utilizes 99 percent recycled water, 100 percent renewable electric energy, a minimum of 20 percent recycled materials such as glass and less than 50 percent silica. An inventive molding system accounts for the intricate interlocking veining and placement of metallic particles of varying sizes.
“Cosentino has always taken pride in its range of colors, and with Le Chic we wanted to offer something elegant, timeless and one of a kind,” says Dominguez. From Victorian parlors to Parisian palaces, she describes the inspiration behind each of the unique shades in the collection.
Eclectic Pearl
References to precious stones abound in the Le Chic assortment, as seen in this style, perhaps the palest of the six. “It’s modern but can also be very classical because of the colors. There’s such a subtle elegance to the pearl tone and the delicate diamond-dusted veining. The metallic accents make any application special,” says Dominguez.
Versailles Ivory
Reflecting the French influence on the collection, golden metallic flecks invoke the famed Hall of Mirrors. “Imagine walking through that amazing palace: The glow-up. The luxury. So much gold, everywhere,” says Dominguez. Defined veining and a subtle gradient marbling effect also mark this style. The warmest of Le Chic’s tones, Versailles Ivory lends itself to a “jewel-box bathroom,” she continues, and so much more: “I’ve been getting a lot of comments from designers about using the Le Chic collection, and specifically Versailles Ivory, outside of bathrooms and kitchens—in high-end accent table designs in hospitality spaces, for example.”
Victorian Silver
In contrast to the warm vibes and veining of Versailles Ivory, Victorian Silver is indubitably cool—and therefore the perfect canvas for the argentine sparkles that run through its elegant gray rivers. “There’s a depth to the two-tone marbling,” says Dominguez. “I picture this in a gorgeous walk-in closet space, decorating dressers, a vanity table and the drawers underneath.”
Parisien Bleu
A dramatic standout in the series, this seductive blue imbues a room with a tranquil wash of nuanced color. “The moody blue tone paired with the fine ochre veining totally makes a statement,” says Dominguez. “With each passing year, blue becomes more and more popular while still providing something different, and the color is as calming as the ocean.” Build a kitchen around it, then start baking croissants—and blueberry muffins.
Bohemian Flame
Inspired by glowing flows of lava and the smoky volcanic terrain they leave in their wake, the name alone conjures up a crackling fire and flickering candlelight in the darkened hearth of a temptingly louche lounge. One designer who previewed the style in Spain suggested it for a bachelor’s home barroom—island, countertops and backsplash. “The touches of inlaid copper punctuating the matte gray finish is what makes the difference,” says Dominguez.
Romantic Ash
Le Chic’s darkest option, Romantic Ash rounds out the collection with silver and crystal details that shine like constellations in the deep blue-black firmament. “For kitchens with white or light-colored cabinets, it provides such a grounding contrast,” says Dominguez. As with all Le Chic styles, Romantic Ash gives designers new aesthetic selections with the assurance of Silestone’s durability and sustainable construction. “Designers asked for more choices. We want them to know that we as a company, Cosentino, heard them loud and clear,” she says. Le Chic’s daring palette throws down the gauntlet: Now it’s up to the pros to embrace the challenge and run with it.
This story is a paid promotion and was created in partnership with Cosentino.
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