In the Italian city of Taranto, Apulia, there is a legendary meeting place that is now coming back to life after the renovation carried out by the architect Lello Nigro. Caffè Tarentum is a historic café restaurant that has been run by the same family for 35 years. The owners want to freshen up this place that offers coffee, pastries and home-made ice cream.

This renovation, carried out by Scrimieri Lab under the supervision of Nigro, aimed to create a warm, welcoming, restrained but elegant space. Materials such as Canaletto Walnut, Dekton by Cosentino and an array of natural matt lacquered finishes have been used to add a sophisticated and very comfortable character to the café.

Casa Decor, the discovery that shaped a house

The owners of this house were very clear when they visited Casa Decor 2020: they wanted a kitchen with the White Macaubas quartzite by Sensa and they wanted their home to be designed by Gärna Studio.

The couple, with 3 independent children, needed an open plan home with spaces that flow and communicate with each other. A cosy house to welcome their children and grandchildren and spend time together. These were their requests to Laura and Enrique of Gärna Studio, an architecture and interior design studio that the couple already knew well thanks to other projects that the architects and designers had carried out.

The project had two clear objectives: to create versatile spaces that could be used at different times depending on the needs; and to achieve a sense of unity in its design, with little variation in terms of elements and textures. To achieve this, Laura and Enrique looked for materials that were easy to fit and that would serve as a guiding thread between the different spaces. “We also played with different ceiling heights and lighting to achieve a greater sense of spaciousness and functionality, creating a welcoming atmosphere”, says Enrique García, architect and project manager at Gärna Studio.

This house was literally designed for film and television stars to stay in while filming for a content production company that broadcasts in the New Mexico area. An ambitious challenge that Steven Storms, project manager and lead design consultant at Apex Homes, undertook with a complete refurbishment after finding the perfect house for this purpose. With a privileged location, stunning city and mountain views and plenty of privacy, the home was ideal for the project.

Storms managed to create a real oasis for celebrities, a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. And to all this he added luxury, sophistication and elegance in every detail. The design was based on the highest quality products and materials. Among them, Dekton and Silestone were two of the key features to add the perfect finishing touch. Both were chosen for their contemporary design and high consistency and can be found in the home in various applications.

This eight storey building, whose façade stands out in the landscape, is situated in the residential neighbourhood Aguas Férreas, in Lugo (Spain). For its design, “one of the basic premises of the developer, Dmanán Viviendas, was to design and execute an environmentally friendly building with an appearance that would stand out from its surroundings”, explains architect Patricia Montes from Aringal SL, the architecture and engineering firm in charge of the project. Therefore, from the very beginning of the project, Aringal’s work focused on combining the client’s objectives with the philosophy of its own company, which is very committed to incorporating sustainability into its projects.

The majestic appearance of the façades and their clean design gives this building a unique character. “The straight forms, terraces, window openings and materials used are its unique features”, says architect Patricia Montes. Two materials were combined in the façades of this building, creating a play of textures: Dekton Edora, a light grey shade with a minimalist look, and Corten steel.

Versatility as a home philosophy 

A house for everyday life with children, spaces for meeting friends and a vision for the present and the future in every corner. These were the requests of the owners of this house located in Madrid, whom Laura and Enrique of Gärna Studio accompanied throughout the entire process, from the purchase itself, in which they took into account the architectural potential of the house, to the final creative touch.

The structure of this large house fitted perfectly with the classic contemporary style that the family was looking for, which aimed to create versatile spaces with a vision for the future.

“We try to create homes and spaces that can easily evolve, with well-designed and timeless elements that serve as a base on which to add decorations that adapt over time: wallpaper, cushions or a lamp”, says Enrique García, project manager and architect at Gärna Studio.

The first floor is very spacious and bright and features interconnecting rooms. This area is devoted to daytime living and includes the living-dining room, which has a small bookcase on one of its sides and a fireplace clad in natural stone that helps to create a cosy and homely atmosphere.

Entente cordiale

The owners of this house, located in a privileged position near Madrid, had been living in the USA for many years. When they came back to Spain, they were very clear about three things: they wanted a house in which black tones stood out, both in the architecture and interior design, that reflected the North American volumetric codes and that was very well interconnected. They needed the architect, interior designer and landscape designer teamed up to give meaning to the project. “As they had been living abroad for a long time, they didn’t know exactly who would be able to meet their demands, so they decided to launch a tender”, explains interior designer Raúl Martins.

“Although we were given total freedom to propose different solutions, they were strict about the colour. Obviously, such requirements can make a project more complicated, but also much more interesting. I believe that an architect or interior designer has a duty to be empathetic with the customers and to look for the best solutions to meet their needs”. In the search for these solutions, the collaboration with architect Francisco Noguera was key. The design of the space was complicated at an architectural level, as it was necessary to minimise the impact of a black exterior in a sunny city like Madrid, but also at a volumetric level.

“It was very enriching working with Francisco. I love the architects’ view of scale, the importance they give to finishes and their concern for the interaction between materials”, says Raúl. This was especially important in the common areas of the house, where the architecture is sometimes more similar to that of a hotel, with ceilings of up to 5 metres. “The works were difficult. It took two and a half years to complete. But the result was better than the owners expectations. They were delighted with the integration between the shape of the building itself, which has a surface area of 2,200 m2, the interior design and the landscaping work by Fernando Pozuelo, which gave context to the whole”.

Denmark’s largest chain of medical aesthetic and plastic surgery clinics, CeriX, wanted to renovate the reception area of its Frederiksberg headquarters and give it a distinctly clean, Scandinavian, elegant and highly functional style.

“We liked the idea of having a reception counter with the look of concrete and found in Dekton Kreta the perfect partner as it is maintenance free, easy to clean and resistant to acids, stains and scratches”, says Rie Jensen, owner of CeriX.

Inspired by classic cement floors, the matt grey finish of Dekton Kreta blends perfectly with the Nordic style and its characteristic colour palette. Additionally, the Dekton Slim version, only 4 mm thick, is perfect for covering furniture, cupboard doors, shelves or walls.

‘Our architect, Michael Cardinale, wanted to reinterpret the style of typical European villas in a contemporary manner and planned to use marble as the main feature. However, he quickly dismissed this idea. The owners of the Izvor House are a big family with a very active social life and needed a much stronger material’, Kylie Petrou, Project Manager at Axon Homes, explains.

They found the right product in Cosentino’s materials: an extremely compact quartzite with unique stain resistant protection and a classic pattern. Sensa White Macaubas also fitted perfectly with the other finishes they wanted to use, such as walnut veneer, terracotta accessories and Japanese tiles in olive green or Mediterranean blue.