Design: Claire Zinnecker
An impressive penthouse apartment in Nahariya integrates Caesarstone’s porcelain surfaces in inspiring fashion. When a creative interior designer meets professional stone fabricators, the result is nothing short of breathtaking.
Interior designer Marina Yashchenko specializes in creating aesthetic living spaces that empower personal and family wellness. Recently, Marina finished designing a large penthouse apartment in Nahariya for a young family of four. The space, which was purchased directly from the contractor, was designed to radiate comfort and positivity. Marina’s design plans ensure functionality alongside convenience, while leaving ample room for the imagination to roam free.
A warm & modern home
The penthouse owners envisioned a modern home with a soft and warm ambiance. Thanks to Marina’s design experience, a decision was made to insert a touch of ‘drama’ into the living space, by injecting unexpected bursts of colour. Together, Marina and the family decided on neutral colours for the walls, flooring and carpentry. The surprising colours were featured in the apartment’s furniture and accessories – as exemplified by the turquoise bar chairs.
The kitchen and living room connect to form the apartment’s central space. The kitchen is very dominant, and affords a view of the large television hanging on the living room’s main wall. Occupying the center of the kitchen is a vast island that serves as both a work surface and a dining table for the entire family.
The kitchen emanates a dramatic aura due to the soft contrast between the facades and the countertops. The kitchen facades were made from cashmere coloured nano material and oak coloured Formica. The countertops and island, on the other hand, were made from Caesarstone porcelain – 516 Locura to be exact – which is characterized by a blend of dark greys and warm earthy veins.
The authentic beauty of porcelain countertops
Caesarstone’s 516 Locura porcelain surfaces are the star attraction in the apartment’s kitchen, and are effectively utilized as both countertops and partial splashbacks. In addition, 516 Locura was chosen as the surface for the kitchen’s floating island. Selecting Caesarstone porcelain was an easy choice, due to the family’s massive interest in cooking and baking. Caesarstone’s porcelain surfaces are known for their stain and scratch resistance, and are available in a wide range of modern colours.
Picking Locura as the countertop of choice turned out to be a very smart decision. Locura’s dark greys give the kitchen a dramatic feel, while the earthy accents create a modern atmosphere that references the rawness of nature. More than anything else, the uniqueness of Locura stands out when looking at the kitchen island.
The island helps define the character of the apartment’s central space, while allowing the family to sit together comfortably for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From a functional standpoint, the island comes with storage compartments and sets a border of sorts between the kitchen and living room.
Marina’s greatest challenge was realizing her vision for the island’s floating structure. The floating illusion is created by a hidden support mechanism at the bottom of the surface. The island includes a designed surface waterfall that gracefully continues Locura’s unique aesthetics.
Creating a waterfall island requires high-level professional surface fabrication, and therefore choosing Boqaee Marble as surface fabricators was the natural choice. “I have been working with Boqaee Marble for many years,” says Marina. “I asked them to join the project because I knew they would be able to address this challenge with their standard professionalism.”
Forty years of fabrication experience
Boqaee Marble is a family-owned stone fabrication factory located in Haifa. With 40 years of expertise, Boqaee Marble’s fabricators can fabricate every type of countertop stone, for a wide variety of home applications. The factory, which is managed by Hedar Boqaee, includes an impressive showroom and four CNC machines.
Boqaee Marble’s fabricators are familiar with Caesarstone’s countertops and exhibit impressive professional capabilities. When asked specifically about porcelain, they note that this material has become a popular choice among homeowners in recent years due to its innovative designs, unique textures and resistance to stains and scratches.
When asked why she choose to collaborate with Boqaee Marble’s fabricators on the Nahariya penthouse project, Marina’s answer is unequivocal: “With Boqaee Marble, I can be certain that the surface installation will be top-notch and the cutting extremely accurate. Their measurements are always precise, and their fabrication is spot-on. In terms of service, they are always available and attentive.”
When vision becomes reality
Every design plan needs top-level implementors. Over the years, Caesarstone has witnessed countless inspiring collaborations between creative architects and interior designers and first-rate surface fabricators and installers. Marina Yashchenko and Boqaee Marble will undoubtedly continue to cooperate on future projects. If the penthouse in Nahariya is any indication, there’s a lot to look forward to.