The Pearlescence Issue

Since the pearl is June's birthstone, it's only fitting that we dedicate the June issue of The Source to our own favorite pearl...Pearlescence®.  First introduced by Lamin-Art in 1984, the unparalleled luster of our Pearlescence products has been a favorite amongst designers for 25 years.  While other high-pressure decorative laminate suppliers have added pearlescent products to their lines, only Lamin-Art can boast such a wide range of these eye-catching surfaces.  And now with the recent addition of 32 new Pearlescence Solid Colors as well as new finishes, design professionals have over 300 inspiring options to choose from.

In this issue of The Source, we will see how Pearlescence captured the essence of the Montana night sky in an award-winning New England steakhouse, plus we'll offer up some tips to get maximum design impact when specifying Pearlescence in your next project.

Pearlescence Contributes to Unique Dining Experience

Most American steakhouses tend to have a rather masculine feel.   But when the owners of the 1149 Restaurant in Warwick, Rhode Island approached Boston-based CKI Design Studio to develop a concept for their new upscale restaurant, they specifically requested a more feminine, comfortable, and intimate ambiance.  This posed quite a challenge for CKI's Design Director Jerome CooperKing.  The owners were redeveloping an existing building for their new restaurant-one that had been home to several dining concepts since the 1960s.  The existing 7,400 square feet of space, large wrap-around bar and low ceilings didn't necessarily convey intimacy.   But the same could be said for the wide-open spaces of Big Sky country in Montana, CooperKing's inspiration for the design.  In daylight, the majestic vistas seem to go on forever, but become much less intimidating as the starry night sky falls.  "I got to thinking about the big sky country, and I thought, why not be literal about it?", says CooperKing.

2414-Corrundum Blue in Gloss finish gave him just the right shade of blue he needed to create the desired effect.  He specified it for the ceiling above the bar-an unusually creative application for high-pressure decorative laminate.  He ornamented the deep blue, glossy surface with suspended crystals, and the resulting combination effectively recreated the ambiance of starlight at dusk.  As a result, the ceiling became the focal point of the restaurant, and the rest of the design centered around that element.

CooperKing says Lamin-Art's Pearlescence colors feature a shine, depth, texture, and reflective quality that make them easy to specify in any number of commercial environments.  "With every project, I want a material that guests want to touch, Pearlescence is one of those materials."  To learn more about the 1149 Restaurant and other interesting projects utilizing Pearlescence, visit www.pearlescence.com.

Quite a Buzz

It's been less than a month since we launched our expanded selection of Pearlescence colors and finishes and excitement is growing.  Our customers tell us they appreciate the range of choices that are now available with 300 mix and match color/finish combinations.  Our entire line of 50 Pearlescence Solid Colors can now be specified in any of 6 finishes, including the traditional Textured and Gloss, the metallic-looking Chrysalis and Catalyst finishes, and the new Wisp and Crisscross.  Wisp features soft, linear silhouettes that undulate lengthwise along the sheet, while Crisscross features a subtle tactile grid of fine intersecting lines.

We've put together a brief video about Pearlescence featuring our Design Director Hans Mutzke discussing his inspiration and vision for this innovative decorative surfacing material.  You'll also hear from designers who have specified Pearlescence in their own projects, and why they like working with it.  You can see the video on YouTube.  Feel free to comment and share it with your colleagues and peers.

Getting the Most Out of Pearlescence

Pearlescence is perfect for many commercial interior applications because of its eye-catching qualities.  However, in order to get the unique light reflection and refraction that creates the Pearlescence appeal, it needs to be manufactured with less melamine resin than standard high-pressure decorative laminates.  As a result, we only recommend Pearlescence for vertical applications. 

But that perceived limitation hasn't prevented some designers from getting very creative when using Pearlescence in their projects.  For example, most recognize that we offer Oyster Shield High-Wear Protection for all Pearlescence items in Textured finish.  Even though this changes the color of the product slightly, it does make for a more durable and functional surface that can be used horizontally.  To maintain eye-appeal and durability, we've suggested pairing Pearlescence in Textured finish and Oyster Shield High-Wear Protection for a horizontal surface with the same Pearlescence color in a different finish for the adjacent vertical surface that will face less wear and tear. 

In addition, due to an exclusive manufacturing process, our spiral-etched Catalyst finish meets NEMA standards for scratch and abrasion without requiring additional wear protection.  So for high-impact retail store fixtures and countertops that call for a metallic look, consider specifying Catalyst finish on any of our Pearlescence Solid Colors.

Get more information on Oyster Shield High-Wear Protection and Pearlescence design tips here.