Features & Advantages of Porcelain Kitchen Sinks
A new generation material with a mineral look: HIMACS solid surface, in the Volcanics finish, was used for the spectacular countertop at “Attimi,” the new casual dining restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck in Milan’s CityLife district. A luxurious natural stone-like HIMACS solid surface Volcanics Collection perfectly reflected the exquisite and elegant atmosphere of Attimi dining restaurant.
“We do not remember days, we remember moments”, wrote legendary Italian author Cesare Pavese. Architect Fabio Novembre used these words as the basis for his new restaurant, “Attimi by Heinz Beck”. Attimi, which means “moments” in Italian, is designed for bistro dining at any moment of the day, from breakfast to dinner.
Located in CityLife, a redeveloped district in the heart of new Milan, Attimi offers authentic and unique gourmet experiences conceived by Heinz Beck, a German-born chef and recipient of three Michelin stars, and has already become a benchmark for food and wine in the Lombard capital. The premises were created thanks to a collaboration between Beck & Maltese Consulting and Chef Express (Cremonini Group).
Large, eye-catching restaurant countertop made possible by using HIMACS solid surface
The casual dining restaurant – a forest of chairs, sofas, stools, and seats with various table configurations – is arranged around columns that separate the space into different areas: Cocktail, Dining, Aperitive, and Bistro. The furnishings come in a wide range of neutral colors, predominantly greys, with some splashes of brighter colors.
Owing to HIMACS’ rich color portfolio, developed through more than 25 years of research, Attimi restaurant was able to realize their restaurant interior design ideas into reality. Along with the wide range of its color palette, HIMACS solid surface has excellent compatibility with furniture and lightings which adds a touch of luxury to the dining space designs.
The center of attention is unquestionably the large, eye-catching bar and restaurant countertop. First impression of the restaurant is made within few seconds of the first encounter. The entrance of Attimi Restaurant plays a pivotal role in making the customer’s first impression of a restaurant, thus a well-managed, eye-catching entrance will do its job as an invisible salesperson of the restaurant.
Although it appears to be mineral agglomerate, in reality the restaurant countertop was created using HIMACS solid surface in the frosty finish, part of the Volcanics collection. Made from minerals, natural pigment and acrylic, unlike stone, it is a perfect choice of material to reflect luxurious atmosphere of the dining space.
Fleur de Lin Restaurant Turns into a Stylish Restaurant with HIMACS Solid Surface Material
Another beautiful example is the Fleur de Lin restaurant in Belgium, which opened at the end of 2013. The luxurious and eye-catching restaurant interior design is turning heads in the city. The owners, Chef Lode De Roover and his partner Barbara Dhondt decided to work together to open a stylish restaurant with a touch of nostalgia.
The location chosen was the site of a former office in the old mill Van der Eecken, located strategically close to the city center and within the triangle of Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels. The owners appointed Design office KLETZ and HIMACS solid surface countertop fabricators SAAM to run the project.
As the visual appearance was so important, much attention was devoted to the restaurant interior design and the materials used – they needed to be compliant with a series of strict requirements in terms of hygiene, endurance and easy maintenance but at the same time bring a classy, warm and elegant feeling to the dining area design.
In fact, sanitation management has become a top trend in F&B industries owing to the outbreak of COVID-19. According to the survey conducted by a global restaurant booking platform ‘Open Table’, 43% of the respondents selected the existence of safety measures at an offline dining area as the most important factor for making restaurant choices in the future.
The result implies that the dining space design and interior materials need to be replaced with hygienic and safe materials that can provide ‘reassurance’ to the customers. Here are some reasons why HIMACS solid surface material was a cut out for Fleur de Lin restaurant interior design project.
HIMACS solid surface – The first choice for restaurant countertop design
Naturally HIMACS Solid Surface was the first choice for the fabrication of the bar countertop – choosing a mix of different colors from the available range. Also, a non-porosity of HIMACS solid surface was a perfect option for dining spaces where sanitation management is a top priority since it does not allow infiltration or absorption of moisture, dust, viruses, harmful bacteria as well as various chemicals.
Most importantly, easy-to-clean quality of solid surface material is suitable for heavy-traffic dining spaces. HIMACS solid surface countertop maintains sanitary condition even in a crowded restaurant environment thereby preventing the pollutants from permeating into the surface, and easily removing them simply by wiping it away.
Creative Restaurant Design Suggestions with HIMACS Solid Surface Material
Gastronomy has never been so close to design. Dutch designer Henk Bosschers, director of Binnenwerk Vormgevers, has combined his talent with that of Jonnie and Therese Boer, owners of the restaurant Librije – a Michelin three-star restaurant located in Zwolle (Netherlands) – to create modern dishware.
This is a new concept in the way of presenting plates, achieved thanks to this extraordinary dishware executed in HIMACS solid surface material. Designing a plate may seem simple, but this is not the case if you are looking to produce grand creations. With its remarkable thermoforming properties as guarantee, HIMACS solid surface was the material chosen to give shape to this unique restaurant design project.
Bringing design to the simplest elements and turning them into something more than everyday objects – this is what Henk Bosschers has achieved thanks to his contributions to the restaurant Librije, going beyond the simple utilitarian concept of dishware.
Thermoformability of HIMACS solid surface enables complete freedom in design
HIMACS solid surface easily realizes designs that are often difficult to make with other materials through 3D thermoforming, which the material can be molded into any shape. Thermoformability of HIMACS solid surface extends the restaurant interior design spectrum, allowing each restaurant’s identity to blend into the dining space design. 3D thermoforming enables complete freedom in design, resulting in spaces that are both subtle and luxurious.
Also, HIMACS solid surface has a matt satin finish with an extremely pleasant feel: as if designed specifically for bathrooms – which can be given a high-gloss polished finish, on request. The material offers the option of creating spectacular lighting effects using rear-milled cut-outs too.
As such, HIMACS solid surface material’s restaurant interior solutions, which have been developed based on a wide range of global research and product development customized for retail areas, allows space designers to create what once could only be dreamed.
Check out LX Hausys HIMACS solid surface collection and get inspirations for your own dining area interior design project.