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An Insider’s Look

April 2, 2014

                                          Photos Courtesy of Cearsarstone

In his partnership with Caesarstone, designer Mick de Giulio of de Giulio kitchen design created a booth at KBIS showcasing both the product and his unique style.

The exhibit, which was shared by Bosch and Caesarstone, contained three sections: the Caesarstone booth, a demonstration kitchen and the Bosch booth. “It’s all connected by the floor and metallic elements like bronze and polished stainless steel,” said de Giulio. “They wanted a partnership but also a division at the same time.”                                    

To accomplish this, he kept everything open so people could flow in from the hallways and not feel enclosed. Instead, de Giulio used an origami screening to provide a hint of closure and shade.

“The word that I was using to myself was layering,” explained de Giulio. Along with the shading from the origami, pergolas made the space seem like both an indoor and outdoor area. The countertops shown around the exhibit were often framed in metal, as any countertop material is most susceptible to chipping at the edge. De Giulio’s studio works often with metal and considers it natural to mix materials with metallic elements. “It’s something that I just see as practical,” he added. “I call it piping. It protects the edge but also gives a new look to the whole piece.”

Taking this opportunity to mix materials, he even chose to use two different stones within the same family on the same countertop. He divided them with a metallic piping to pull out the colors and accentuate the material. “It’s like piping in leatherwork or fabric,” said de Giulio. “I think everything comes together with the curve and the detail.”

He also worked to put things with texture in the space, such as the floors and the dragged cabinetry. One wall featured Caesarstone as tile rather than a slab. Rather than wasting leftover pieces from a countertop, de Giulio suggests cutting it into tiles and saving the pieces for areas like walls.

                       
                                           Photos Courtesy of Ceasarstone

As for his upcoming work, de Giulio opened up about the opportunities in design and how even ancient objects like a sink can still be improved.

“Trends can be a thing that you can chase,” he said. “The trend that’s important is lifestyle.” People are more often choosing to live in their kitchen and use it more as a living area. “The question is how do you translate as a designer with furniture, finishes and layouts that make it more conducive to lifestyle?” he asked.