How Quartz Materials Can Bring Beauty into Your Home-Compac Surfaces
I’ve used quartz countertops in kitchens and bathrooms for years and appreciate the durability, look, and easy-to-maintain properties of quartz. After visiting Compac Surfaces during my visit to KBIS with Design Hounds I am filled with new ideas for how quartz materials can bring beauty into your home. The collaborative way Compac Surfaces works with creative professionals from artists to architects is impressive.
In addition to the beautiful quartz materials from Compac Surfaces, we also were introduced to their terrazzo products which have custom mix options that have my mind thinking of creative ways to use terrazzo in a new way.
Collaboration with Arik Levy
One of the products I most loved from Compac was the Genesis collection. It was the outcome of a collaboration with artist Arik Levy and used nature to inform the modern, artistic take on quartz surfaces. The artist used three different perspectives on nature to create the unique range of quartz surfaces, one from a bird’s eye view, one from space, and one from a close-up view.
Genesis Ice in green was shown at KBIS as a book match installation. Imagine this as a wall in a soaring living space or as a large kitchen island. The display had me thinking beyond using quartz as a horizontal and practical surface to one that shows how quartz materials can bring beauty into your home in innovative ways. I loved the subtle green color of this quartz which is why I selected it as one of my Design Hounds picks for products from the show.
The Ice collection is based upon aerial views of arctic landscapes and brings a connection to nature into the home without trying to directly mimic a real stone. The bird’s eye view of the landscape creates a connection to nature in a unique way.
The Nebulous collection is based on the vastness of outer space and has a golden fashion-forward color. It reminds one of the interconnections of galaxies and has veining that feels soft.
The cobweb collection, is, of course, inspired by the intricate weaving of a spider web. The veining is lightly connected and denser in some areas. It feels like a natural stone without being an imitation which is a refreshing take on quartz.
One of the thought-provoking pieces at the show was a kitchen island designed to be a geometric reminder of a rock. I liked the way they broke the rules of a conventional island shape and create a more sculptural take on a kitchen island.
Terrazzo Can Bring Beauty Into Your Home
The other material I loved from Compac Surfaces was the terrazzo. This isn’t the stodgy terrazzo you find in schools and mid-century public buildings but had larger stones incorporated into the material and a fuller expression of color.
The versatility of terrazzo is impressive. It can be used both indoors and outdoors and can be used as counters, vertical surfaces, and flooring. It comes in a large variety of sizes (see details here). And a variety of thicknesses.
The outdoor island they had on display was designed by Elissa Ossino and used Pitt burners. The island was created from a block of terrazzo. The curved ends and deconstructed burners were a modern and fabulous look.
Visual Texture and Quartz
KBIS had a huge emphasis on visual texture from many of the manufacturers at the show. Compac had a beautiful range of textures that can be used with the quartz and terrazzo collections when used as a vertical material. The textures had me thinking about subtle sophisticated use as a fireplace surround or room divider.
This meditation space where quartz was used to create “drapery” and seating shows with the right creative mind how quartz materials can bring beauty into your home.
My blog on Westlake Building Materials has more on visual texture you may be interested in reading.
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4 March, 2023 at 8:32 pm
So many great ideas to expand quart beyond countertop use! The textured surfaces are beautiful!
5 March, 2023 at 6:16 pm
What an informative post, I learned a lot reading it. I also love that you included how people you can use terrazzo in new ways. Lots of great information here, thanks for sharing! .