These pictures have me thinking about expanding my horizons when it comes to kitchen and bath surfaces.

"DURAT is a solid polyester based material used for custom made surfaces in public and private interiors. It contains recycled plastics and is itself 100% recyclable. The sophistication of the DURAT material lies in its silky warm feeling and the interesting impression of depth in its finish. DURAT is extremely durable and can be renewed by slight sanding. The material is very resistant to wear, humidity, and various kinds of chemicals."

[posted by katie]

The new Herzog & de Meuron designed residences for the new Ian Schrager project 40 Bond in NYC are nothing less than you would expect from the H & de M/Schrager design and real estate powerhouses. The kitchen features high-grade materials and appliances throughout, and to reduce cost, use GE in a hidden microwave and in the garbage disposal. Each kitchen features:

• Wide-plank oak flooring.
  
• Custom italian imported cabinets with a high gloss lacquer doors by Varenna (est. $20,000-$40,000 depending on configuration).
• Integrated sink with Corain countertop and backsplash. ($445 for sink, ~$2500 for counters depending on linear feet)
  
• Vola faucet and pullout spray in polished chrome. ($1096.00)
• Custom hand-blown glass pendant light fixture. For a similar effect, you could choose the supernova pendant light. ($1,774.00)
• Up lights and under-cabinet recessed lights.
• Miele 24” four-burner stainless steel gas cook top. ($1,249.00)
• Miele 24” stainless steel fully-vented exhaust hood. ($2,749.00)
• Miele 27” stainless steel electric convection oven. ($3249.00)
• Miele dishwasher with integrated panel to match cabinetry. ($1,249.00)
• 27” Sub-Zero refrigerator with integrated panel to match cabinetry. (price withheld by manufacturer, but prepare to spend > $4000)
  
• GE stainless steel microwave, concealed in kitchen cabinetry. ($170)
  
• GE garbage disposal.
• Also features the Miura Stool by Konstantin Grcic. ($296 each)

Of course you can cut some corners by switching the appliances to less expensive brands, or even sticking with Miele, but downgrading to a more affordable model. To reduce overall cost considerably, you could try the SOLÄR cabinets from Ikea with integrated handle, reducing your cost to $2500-$7,000 for cabinets. The construction technique for Ikea cabinetry is pretty similar to the Poliform cabinets, which also features full overlay doors on standard white-box frames. You could also go with the Axor faucet instead of the Vola faucet, saving almost $800.
Lastly, you could choose a different countertop instead of Corian, such as Silestone or another Quartz surface if you don't mind losing the integrated sink option.

This is not a bad price for such a well designed and proportioned faucet, and is a good alternative to the pricier versions that top out at over $1,000.

It's nice that this sink has a work surface incorporated...would make for very easy cleanup. * 18-gauge stainless steel * No faucet hole drilling * Undercounter installation * Single basin with recessed wet work surface * Custom fit cutting board and colander included 42"L x 18-3/4"W x 9-3/4"H