A couple of months ago I received a call from Cosentino, the makers of Silestone, Sensa and Eco products. Actually, it was an unbelievable call, asking me if I would like to go on a trip to Spain to see new products and colors and visit the quarries where all the Cosentino family of products are made. Clearly, my answer was “YESSSS!” I mean drop everything…yes!
“Hellloo Cosentino!”
What an amazing opportunity the trip was—not only did I get to visit one of my favorite countries, I had the opportunity to meet other designers, architects and fabricators who are as passionate about the Cosentino product as I am. We also toured the quarries and facilities where the products are made and met the family who started it all. It was truly overwhelming and one of the best design experiences I have ever had.
Like little Tonka trucks, these quarries make haulers look small!
Our trip started in Madrid where we met up with seven other people from the design community who use the product just like Kerrie Kelly Design Lab does. Our West Coast crew included Cosentino’s Regional Director for the Western Region, Matt Thurston; Cosentino’s Regional Manager for Seattle, Allan Pattee; Design Guru and all that is fashionable, Michael Harris; Architect and Designer duo, Armando Hurtado and Josh Hissong; Design Star’s Stephanie Cook; and Fabricator and Floor and Wall Expert, Mike Collins.
While in Madrid, we toured wonderful architecture of the Royal Palace and were able to visit local Silestone dealers. This was a wonderful chance to understand the design styles of Spain, both historic and contemporary. The kitchen’s lacquer finishes pair so beautifully with the vibrant colors available through Silestone! We even found one to match our KKDL logo.
As a day trip, we were also able to visit the town of Segovia where we viewed the Roman Aqueduct and the Cathedral. For a very vibrant group, these sites stopped us in our tracks!
Once our couple of days in the Madrid area were complete, it was off to the airport for a short flight to Almeria where we would ultimately reach Cosentino Headquarters. Cosentino, a global leader within its field, is devoted to the responsible and innovative development of top-quality surfaces. The world´s major producer of quartz surfaces, it is a family business consortium financed entirely with Spanish capital.
While onsite, we checked into Cosentino owned Jardines la Tejera Hotel and then toured their new factory and saw their new products and colors. All innovative, pushing design limits and something to be excited for in 2013! Following the initial tours, we were able to meet others from all over the country and ultimately interview company owner, Paco Cosentino, son Eduardo and daughter Pilar. Not only were they gracious, but amazingly approachable and honest about their business as you will see in our upcoming Cosentino video documentary. Stay tuned and thank you to all members of the wonderful Cosentino organization!
“Thank you Cosentino! See you in Chicago and San Francisco!”
