Durat

“Material for your dreams,” reads a page of the press materials for Durat, a polyester-based surface material made by Tonester Ltd. in Rymättylä, Finland. This may be an enticing statement, but Durat is in fact pretty much the opposite: a material mostly used for the eminently practical business of kitchens and bathrooms.

Fortunately, the smooth durable plastic meets the needs of these spaces with impressive functionality and style. Durat is available in 60 colors, ranging from restrained charcoals to bold primary colors, and is resistant to stains, humidity, and extreme temperatures. And not only is Durat 100 percent recyclable, but with about 50 percent recycled content, it compares favorably with other common petroleum-based solid surface materials, such as Corian and LG Hi-Macs.

Sold in the form of 12mm-thick sheets, single-basin sinks, or custom-made fixtures, Durat is also incorporated in a collection of minimalist bathroom furniture designed by Ulla Koskinen, Ulla Tuominen, and Eeva Lithovius. The furniture was shown alongside work from five other Finnish companies at this year’s ICFF, and next to Marimekko’s playfully patterned textiles and Artek’s reissue of a sweeping Alvar Aalto armchair, you might expect bathtubs and washbasins to look a little boring. You would be wrong: The products showcase the material in an extremely flattering light, making you wish all everyday objects were this well designed—but then you really would be dreaming.

**

Composition:
Durat is a solid polyester-based material containing recycled plastics.

Properties:
Resistant to wear, stains, humidity, and extreme temperatures, Durat is easy to clean and can be sanded, carved, milled, and glued together with nearly invisible seams.

Applications:
The material can be used for virtually any surface, but it is particularly well suited to kitchens and bathrooms, and to counters and tabletops in commercial interiors.

Distributor:
European Home
307 Porter St.
Melrose, MA 02176
T. (781) 662-1110
www.europeanhome.com