The traditional use of domestic spaces nowadays is changing at the same pace as our lifestyle is; there is no better example for this that those changes that are taking place in the conception of one of the most ignored areas in our homes: the bathroom. Once an area used only for hygienic purposes, the bathroom has now become the ideal retreat for relaxation and evasion from daily stress: a sanctuary in our own homes. For these reasons, bathroom designs with special attention to detail have become one of the hottest trends in 2018, for we are facing a new challenge: the transition from functional use to recreational use.
The formula for a high-performing design
When it comes to designing an interior space, the main factors are dimensions and furniture, but there is also another element that is gaining importance in addition to these two: interior finishing materials. The sensations they transmit will define the space: the textures of wood can provide a welcoming and homely atmosphere; light colors can serve to create a sensation of cleanliness. But it is not just about color and texture, for these materials must respond efficiently to the expected use.
A new experience provided by the latest materials
Traditionally, materials used in bathrooms were mostly ceramics; for tiling, floors and fittings. In recent times, a larger variety of materials has been employed in these spaces: different types of marble, granite; even wood and stainless steel, or materials that imitated this type of finish. In the last few years, natural elements found in nature are being combined with new materials, creating new elements which are far superior in performance, in comparison with the original. Thanks to technological advances there are many industrial processes which take natural raw material and combine them with other elements to obtain a better product.
For example, the use of MDF instead of natural wood. MDF are the initials for “medium density vulcanized fiber”, created by joining small pieces of wood fiber, then densified with the use of resin and compressed at a high temperature. Using this method, it is possible to obtain coverings for a fraction of the price of real wood, which also offers higher performance than the original material. There are other combinations that can be employed: PVC coated with aluminum, glass reinforced with aluminum and any number of imitations of natural materials.
However, there is one material that has meant a before and after in terms of interior design; Engineered Quartz, an element of such resistance and beauty that COMPAC has decided to make it the main feature of one of its most prestigious collections.
COMPAC’s Technological Quartz: a breakthrough in stone engineering
Quartz is probably one of the most beautiful and noble minerals that can be found in nature. The possibility of combining it with other components in order to achieve a better performance has provided designers with a high resistance material ideal when it comes to bathroom finishes and fittings.
Engineered Quartz is usually composed by 90% of rock and silica sand, around an 8% of polyester resin, and a 2% of pigments and glues; although these percentages may vary according to specific needs and its intended use.
Engineered Quartz has a wide variety of applications, although it is most popular in the design of bathrooms and kitchens, given that these areas demand high mechanical resistance and have high hygiene requirements: it is scratch and stain resistant, as well as water resistant. COMPAC has been able to see this material’s enormous potential, and has decided to create its own Technological Quartz collection.
Its selection offers a great variety of colors, designs, sizes and panel thicknesses which can adapt to any necessity that a client may have. As well as all the other extraordinary characteristics mentioned above, the fact that this material is easy to maintain means that it is the perfect material to create a spa at home. In addition to all the above mentioned characteristics, COMPAC, which has a Corporate Social Responsibility program focused on environmental-friendly policies, has a Greenguard Mark for Technological Quartz, since all the resins used in the fabrication process are BIO.
This mark, awarded by the GreenGuard Environmental Institute, ensures that all COMPAC products meet the quality standards of interior air according to VOCs, also known as Volatile Organic Compounds. Technological Quartz is the product of advanced stone engineering, and provided by top level experts from COMPAC will surely change the picture regarding bathroom design.
