DUPONT Corian has enhanced the aesthetic appeal of its pioneering invention by almost doubling its evolving and original colour palette, as part of the inspired re-thinking that keeps it at the leading edge of surface design.

The refreshed and restructured palette includes 30 captivating new tones developed for a wide variety of architectural and design projects – residential and commercial, interior and exterior – taking the total to 72 tones.

This evolution is complemented by an innovative and user-friendly mix of marketing tools designed to facilitate the selection of the most appropriate tone of DuPont Corian for specific applications, either alone or in combination with metal, wood, glass, stone, ceramic, textile and many other materials.

“Today’s forward-looking design industry demands both style and performance that will stand the test of time – the inherent strength yet suppleness of DuPont Corian makes it superbly well suited to receiving the most elegant of hues, created to endure, as much in aesthetics as in functionality,” says a spokesman for the Belgium-headquartered company.

Whether in achieving the freshest whites, the deepest darks, the boldest brights or the most intriguing grain and vein effects, the high-quality homogeneity and seamless versatility of DuPont Corian has allowed it to outstrip other materials in the purity, consistency and extensive range of colours and tonal textures it can offer, he says.

Dupont Corian’s refreshed palette ... 30 new tones.

Jean-Yves Bach, business director for Europe Middle East and Africa at DuPont Building Innovations, comments on the ongoing advance of DuPont Corian: “The markets we participate in are entering a new age, dominated by increasingly higher demands in terms of quality, service, internationalisation and collaboration throughout the value chain. The new colours and the new tools that accompany them are the result of a process initiated several years ago.

“We have analysed the history of DuPont Corian, our successes and our challenges, we have sought feedback from many players within the industry and we have listened to their needs. We believe that the colour palette we propose in 2012 is a highly functional answer to the demands of architecture, design and furnishing markets.”

To make consideration and selection from the palette even easier, the spectrum of choices for DuPont Corian high-tech surface has been classified into three clear groupings of solid, translucent and textured hues, while the sample size has been adapted to maximise both convenience and the ability to appreciate the nuance of each tone.

In a further refinement, the sophisticated solid colours of DuPont Corian have been chromatically grouped into whites, greys and blacks, blues, greens, reds and yellows, purples and browns – and these are now presented in their own dedicated booklet and sample box. Several useful and inspiring new shades have been thoughtfully developed to enhance this collection of pure tones, intended to be of durable and versatile service to the world of architecture and design.

Colours making their debut within the palette in 2012 include: five new solid greys ranging from the subtlety of Private Gray to the saturation of Deep Gray; four fresh blues such as Ethereal and Diamond; three variously nuanced greens from Ecru to Blooming; further neutral beige and brown options; plus the velvety richness of Royal Red, Imperial Yellow and Chic Aubergine.

The textured hues of DuPont Corian have also been reclassified and enriched. Whether as finely grained, fascinatingly veined or presenting a fuller matrix of particles, these dependable choices work beautifully across a wide horizon of design schemes from residential to commercial environments.

New choices such as Juniper, Arrowroot and Burled Beech have been added along this scale of textured colours from light to dark, neutral to strong, cool to warm.

The colours most recommended for worktops – both in the textured and in the solid tones – form a further sub-grouping within the entirety of the 72-strong palette and these too are presented within their own sample box for optimal convenience to kitchen designers.

The entire architecture of the palette, however, remains available for full reference and research, both in a complete sample box and in easily accessed literature and selection tools, printed and digital. The colours most suited to external façade applications are also clearly identified.

However, should architects find that they require a unique colour to meet the specific requirements of a large-scale project or brand identity, in any application or location, custom colours are also possible with DuPont Corian high-tech surface.

The refined colour palette of DuPont Corian, first presented at the Milan week of design held in Italy last April, is now commercially in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Ruslan Yusupov, business development manager for Europe Middle East and Africa at DuPont Building Innovations, says the new colour palette, which expresses authentic, timeless elegance, together with the new marketing tools – both based on highly targeted industry feedback – is enhanced by an optimised international reach in terms of supply and service.

“With a broad presence in every country in the region and expanded capabilities to capture and meet the needs of architects, designers and industry, DuPont is ideally equipped to deliver a refreshed ‘Corian experience’. This renewal will reinforce our industry leadership in man-made materials for architecture and design,” he says.

Solid tones ... recommended for worktops.

“In a period of economic turmoil and high volatility, we have significantly invested in our product and in its evolution, clearly signalling our confidence and our strong commitment to all the markets we serve,” Yusupov adds.

While DuPont Corian offers beauty and inspiration, it is primarily a wisely functional surface. Resistant to damage but repairable and reusable, it can conduct water without any danger of warping, be exposed to time and the elements without fading, return to spotlessness with simple maintenance and offer seamless purity to hygiene-critical environments, says the spokesman.

“Workable to an unrestrained variety of shapes, it welcomes pattern and decoration or subtlety and minimalism, while the silky smoothness of its flawless finish actively invites touch and interaction. Compatible with modern technology, fixing systems and many other materials, especially those with architectural nobility, DuPont Corian high-tech surface can either dramatically set the scene or graciously support it,” he says.

First marketed as an innovative man-made material for kitchen and bathroom worktops, DuPont Corian – an advanced surfacing solution — is now a leading global brand in superior quality surfacing materials for design, architecture and furnishing.

The high-tech surface offers high versatility and extensive possibilities for producing high-quality, effective, functional and reliable solutions for residential, public and commercial environments, both indoor and outdoor, from kitchens to lamps, from bathrooms to the skin of buildings, from seating to technical systems, from radiators to touch control surfaces, and from furnishing to fashion accessories.

DuPont Corian has received important independent certification for its environmental performance such as GreenGuard, NAHB (National Association of Home Builders National Association of Home Builders) and the US Green Building Council’s Leed green building rating system. Its hygienic performance has also been certified by prestigious independent institutions such as NSF International, a public health and safety company, The Royal Institute of Public Health and LGA QualiTest, a certification office for food and commodities.