Empire Bay – Residential Kitchen

The Brief

Empire Bay was a partial knock-down rebuild and full renovation centred on delivering one standout space: the kitchen and walk-in pantry. The client’s brief was unambiguous — a showstopper kitchen with a feature island bench that would anchor the entire home. Designer Grace Collinson of Tailored HQ was tasked with realising that vision while working within the architectural constraints of the rebuild.

Material Specification

Corian® Stonecrest Smoke was selected for the kitchen and pantry benchtops, splashback, and island bench — including curved sections, waterfall edges, and a stone-wrapped detail. The heavily veined, warm-grey colourway was chosen to contrast deliberately against the all-timber-look laminate joinery, creating a bold material juxtaposition. Fabricated by Hunter Joinery Group (Hunter Benchtops), with joinery by Vogue Kitchens.

Design Outcome

The island bench became the centrepiece the client had envisioned. Corian®’s thermoformability allowed the exact island geometry — curves, waterfall edges, and wrapped stone detail — to be executed without compromise or design concession. Where natural stone would have required multiple visible joins and driven up manufacturing cost, Corian® delivered a seamless, sculptural result. The movement and veining of Stonecrest Smoke provided the stone aesthetic the client wanted, while the material’s workability made the design achievable.

Why It Works for Similar Projects

Empire Bay demonstrates Corian®’s value in residential projects where design ambition exceeds what traditional stone can deliver. Where curved benchtops, waterfall edges, or complex island geometries are central to the brief, Corian® removes the trade-offs — there are fewer joins, lower fabrication complexity, and no compromise on form. For designers specifying premium kitchens with bespoke joinery, it offers a seamless, stone-look result that stone itself cannot match.

Have a project that pushes what’s possible?

The Corian® Design Awards celebrate exactly this kind of work — designs where the material made the difference. Submit your project at casf.com.au/design-awards-competition/