“Fluting and curves in interior design... It’ll be here for a while”, says kitchen designer Annika Rowson.

Rowson Kitchens

Annika Rowson from Rowson Kitchens in New Plymouth chooses Corian Solid Surface to achieve gentle curves and textured flutes in her work. Inspired by her travels overseas, she has brought this aesthetic back to New Zealand and for integration into her designs. The peaks and troughs of the flutes creates beautiful, gentle shadows and adds texture and a luxe feeling to the room. While fluting is not new — it’s been around since the Greeks fluted columns — the modern take on it adds an art deco feel that is full of character and charm.

Fluting and curves in Corian

The ancient Greek architects thought that rhythm was an important aspect of a building and that fluting the columns, one flute after another, gave the columns and the whole edifice a feeling of rhythm.

This rhythm has been given a modern interpretation in Annika’s New Plymouth showroom which features a four metre curved and fluted Corian kitchen island, in the Corian colour Cirrus White. Corian is warm to the touch, non-porous and hygienic, while the shape of the flutes add depth and visual interest to a space. “Everyone runs their hand over it”, notes Annika, crediting the flutes’ texture to entice people to touch and feel the kitchen island.

As the pattern in a Corian sheet run through its depth, it can be rebated and routed without losing any of the colour’s characteristics. Annika and joiner husband Brad tested the effect that fluting has on Corian. They noted that when fluted, the Corian’s colour and pattern are emphasised giving it quite a different aesthetic. The more textured the colour, the more marbled effect comes through, while plainer colours look sleeker and more refined.

Annika’s two favourite colours for fluting are Domino Terrazzo and Cirrus White both giving a different yet equally stunning result.

Other fabrication features using Corian

Annika likes to use Corian in her projects for many reasons — not only for its non-porous and hygienic properties but also its ability to be fabricated into her signature seamless oversized kitchen islands. Creating a seamless look is achievable in not only plainer colours but also the highly patterned colours through expert fabrication which make the seams all but disappear.

Fabrication extras like rebated power points and dish drainers, thermoformed curves and the addition of a DUO sink in the matching Corian colour all make Annika’s projects that much more functional with Corian’s stylish and minimalistic aesthetic.

Looking forward

Annika likes to push the boundaries of what a material can do and with Corian, the limits are almost boundless. One of Annika’s dream projects includes a space that embraces her love for modern mid-century interior design with a Palm Springs twist and with high-end projects around the North Island, Annika has ample opportunity to shape Corian to help execute her design ideas.