Sydney Living - Kitchen & Bathrooms Design Direction the Minosa way - FEATURE ARTICLE
Design direction - Dynamic duo, Darren Genner and Simona Castagna
met under unusual circumstances – inside a cupboard – but it’s this out of the
ordinary partnership that worked
By Belinda
Crestani
Photography: Brett Boardman
Based in Sydney
when they met, Simona had studied design at tertiary level and was employed by
a stylish European kitchen design outfit while Darren had worked his way into
the world of design with various local kitchen manufacturers.
Their chance
meeting was at her company’s luxury furniture showroom where she found Darren
literally poking around inside a cupboard there, inspecting the fixtures.
Simona put her head in the cupboard and asked Darren, “Which kitchen company do
you work for?”
And that was to become
the start of a blossoming friendship. They spent the next two years talking and
developing their instant connection for design. “We loved Italian design and
their commitment to quality materials and workmanship. And we knew we could
recreate that here,” says Darren.
Minosa was born
as a thought, according to Darren, conceived while he was stuck in traffic. He’d
just created a conceptual idea, a 3D CAD image of what would become their first
product - the Mimmee washbasin. This started the wheels in motion and was the
start of a plethora of other products.
The initial
design bloomed into a range of distinctive basins, furniture pieces and
accessories, complemented by Italian tapware.
The first basin
models, The Puddle and the Scoop have received market success as have the Ovo
and Kava designs. The Scoop design has since been reworked into the ScoopED. After
receiving a Housing Institute of Australia award in 2003, Minosa has since been
honoured with a variety of industry recognition and awards in the luxury bathroom
niche.
Passionate about
the environment, the team at Minosa has developed a range of basins made from
Corian. A solid surface material that is made with acrylic resins and natural
aluminium, Corian is 100 per cent recyclable. This means it will stand the test
of time and also sits within the Minosa company ethos.
As a reaction to
Sydney’s growing water crisis back in 2003, Darren and Simona created the
Puddle washbasin. “Creating flat or shallow washbasins was never the real
challenge,” explains Darren, “the challenge was to understand the way water
responded to flat surfaces.” They sought smart water saving technology to
complement this new design practice for their new range of basins, not only to
avoid splashback but to also highlight the excessive amount of water running
through most people’s taps. “When we first asked about ways of reducing water
flow, plumbing suppliers thought we were tree-hugging hippies,” he recalls.
“There had to be a way of addressing water flow, bringing it from 20 litres per
minute to 4-6 litres per minute. When we found the answer, we knew we had a
great product to take to the market,” he adds.
“In our opinion,
4-litres per minute is more than enough for people’s daily washing and
shaving,” says Simona. “People don’t need anywhere as much water as they
think.”
Minosa was born
because bathroom designers Darren and Simona saw an opportunity to design and
manufacture European style high quality bathroom ware, locally. Successfully
combining unique style with excellent craftsmanship and water-saving design,
the Minosa brand is unlike anything else on the market.
Since that
chance encounter in a cupboard, this dynamic duo has since become partners in
work, and in life.
In Focus
A luxury bathroom
brand, Minosa was launched in 2001 by award-winning designers, Simona Castagna
and Darren Genner. “Being a boutique business we have to wear
many hats but the main role is establishing the design direction,” he says. Minosa’s vision is ‘Quality without
Compromise,’ creating stunning bathroom products.
When asked what
the three most important elements people need to get right in the bathroom,
Darren was quick to respond, “Design, plan and implement,” he answers. “Many
people choose to build or design on the fly but this is where horror stories
start. Choose a designer, one whose style sits with what you want and then go through the design
process, ticking boxes and ensuring that your design brief is met,” is his
advice.
Minosa has
identified a design trend and that is the increasing use of natural materials
like stone and wood in the bathroom. “These products are unpredictable and have
a beauty all on their own,” he adds, “While we, as the designers, choose the
palette, we can never choose exactly how they will sit in their space. Another
wonderful quality in using these materials is natural products tends to age,
showing their true character over time.”
In Focus - SIMONA CASTAGNA
Occupation: Designer
State: NSW
Company: Minosa
About Design09
What was your inspiration for the winning
bathroom?
The inspiration was to create a luxurious bathing space for two and
a place where our clients could escape the stress that a busy life often
brings.
Describe the overall style of the bathroom.
This bathroom is classically modern. Through the use of natural
woods, a contemporary space has been created while our Ovo washbasins really
soften the atmosphere.
Were any challenges faced before, during or after
the design?
This was a very challenging project as our clients had a very
strong brief with a lot of requirements. The most challenging aspect was the
narrow nature of the room.
What products do you enjoy using in your projects?
We love the Minosa collection of washbasins and all that they
represent; locally designed and manufactured and environmentally responsibly
made from Corian, they are stunning inclusions. Another great product is the
Gessi tapware. Gessi’s products are made to the highest order and its design
aesthetic is perfect.
Sydney Living - Kitchen & Bathrooms Design Direction the Minosa way - FEATURE ARTICLE
