Watercolor 180fx® Laminate Series

Formica Group’s design team began an artistic journey in 2019 with the goal to create patterns that embodied the handcrafted design trend. The Formica Group design team was intrigued by the opportunity to provide an affordable impression of marble that was handcrafted. A member of the Formica Group Design team, Kathleen Streitenberger, a classically trained painter, led the imaginative charge. She used bright blue and turquoise to develop multiple pieces of handmade artwork before a high-resolution scanner was used to capture each concept in a digital format. The digital pattern was then “stitched” together using the most interesting portions of each individual scan. After the final colors were selected, the design moved to the lab cylinders and thus, the final selection of Watercolor Porcelain and Watercolor Steel was created. It is rare to create patterned laminate this way, and Formica is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with this timeless material. Watercolor Porcelain captures the translucent and serene qualities of marble, soft gradations and delicate, watery veining in a new and modern way. This design brings peace to any home space with a calming quality that still provides life and movement. It is a fun twist on marble surfaces that have been popular in design for the past several years. Watercolor Steel will turn heads with its undulating effect and coloration reminiscent of rolled steel. It’s soft blend of grey and beige, creating pockets or colors in the translucent overlaps. This unique design was created to remind us of natural marble as seen through the eyes of an artist. The Watercolor Series 180fx® laminate patterns add a sense of calm and peace to homes and elegantly melds original artwork by a designer into a well-known, durable home surface for kitchens, bathrooms and more. And unlike traditional artwork and marble surfaces, Watercolor laminate are easy-to-clean, durable, and suitable for both vertical and horizontal.