The couple chose Neolith Estatuario sintered stone, not just for its beauty, but its durability, eco credentials and the endlessly inventive ways it can be used in the kitchen and beyond.
“We wanted our kitchen to be the hub of the house – somewhere we could cook up a storm, entertain and gather with friends and family,” says Jarrad. “We love the look of natural stone, but needed something that wouldn’t stain, scratch or require a lot of looking after.
“It was always going to be porcelain for this kitchen, but it was important that it looked as much like natural stone as possible. Neolith was recommended to us by our kitchen manufacturer, Häcker Australia, as having the best quality, range and colours. We looked at alternatives, but nothing else came close,” he says.
The fact that Neolith is a carbon-neutral product, made from all-natural materials and fully recyclable impressed the couple too, allowing them to design their kitchen to sit lightly on the earth.
It also allowed them to find creative uses for offcuts, which meant nothing went to waste. “We were amazed at how versatile Neolith is and how many different ways you can use it, inside and out,” says Jarrad. “It meant no piece, however small, had to be discarded.
“We customised a huge TV cabinet in the adjoining lounge room with offcuts from the kitchen benchtops and splashback, which creates a nice sense of connection between the two areas. We also looked at creating an outdoor dining table and built-in barbecue but ended up not having quite enough to make those. Instead, we ended up making a great little coffee table for our place in the city.
“To create some contrast in the kitchen, we framed the doorway opening in a slightly heavier pattern – Neolith Arabesque. Everyone that comes into the house loves this little feature. Even the stonemason asked us Are you sure it’s not real marble? We then used offcuts from this piece to create a display plinth in the adjoining dining area,” he says.
