The kitchen is so often the heart of the home, but add a large island unit as a central focus and this is a room that becomes the hub of all the action, from breakfast and lunch to dinner and beyond. That’s why CRL Quartz Sahara was the surface of choice for this busy family kitchen, where the large, open-plan space takes on a multi-functional role within the home. With the homeowners keen to include an island complete with breakfast bar within the room’s design as the perfect spot for food prep, home working, dining and socialising, designers Coton Interiors recommended a trip to Intamarble in Staffordshire. Here the family could see first-hand the array of CRL Quartz surfaces available, selecting Sahara as the perfect fit for their décor plans. Sahara has an earthy base colour, complemented with a subtle grey veining, along with lighter grey and white flecks giving it a sense of character and warmth. The neutral colourway makes it ideal for combining with darker and bolder colours elsewhere to create a contemporary two-tone effect. Chosen for the worktops and wall cladding, Sahara matches the kitchen’s colour palette perfectly. Delivered in one piece, the cladding is seam-free with no need for grout lines even over large areas. In the finished open-plan kitchen and dining area, guests are greeted by a bar area complete with wine cooler perfect for entertaining at home. A glass display unit and full wall cladding with CRL Quartz sits between the cupboards, while on the left-hand side a large bank of units solves the family’s storage dilemmas and creates a streamlined impression. Turn the corner to find the island unit, measuring an impressive 2.4m long. Complete with seating area and a modern sbox plug and charging port, this is a multi-functional surface intended for use for cooking, dining, working and relaxing As a stain, heat and scratch resistant surface CRL Quartz is highly durable and simple to care for, with none of the maintenance issues often associated with natural materials and concrete, but with all the aesthetic appeal. With no requirement for sealing and just a wipe with a soft damp cloth and mild detergent all that is needed to keep the surface looking its best, Sahara is perfectly suited for the busiest of areas. Fitting the lifestyle of a thoroughly modern family to perfection, this space at the heart of the home is now the ideal space for hosting.