Laminate Countertops: Laminate Shines

Twelve patterns of Formica brand laminates have been introduced with the new Radiance finish. High gloss and punctuated with texture, the finish features holographic facets that refract and reflect light in a natural veined pattern.

"Radiance provides dimension and authentically reflects the natural beauty of quartz, granite and mica patterns," said Renee Hytry, senior vice president, global design for Formica Corp. Radiance also has the ProFormance treatment, designed to give it greater wear-, mar- and scratch-resistance over traditional laminates.

The new Mineral series with the Radiance finish finds inspiration in the earth’s naturally occurring quartz and mica compositions and recreates them in six organic colors with a “crystalline” structure. The six colors are Mineral Ochre, Mineral Sepia, Mineral Olivine, Mineral Umber, Mineral Jet and Mineral Sienna.

The Granite series with the Radiance finish features small crystals and large, sweeping veining to mirror the random variation found in natural granite. Styled to coordinate with today’s popular wood cabinetry stains, the nature-inspired patterns are American Rose Granite, Brazilian Brown Granite and Venetian Gold Granite.

The Quarstone collection with the Radiance finish features monocolored, small-scale crystals with the depth and character of natural quartz that is complemented by the added dimension of the finish. Ideal for contemporary interiors, the new patterns are Crème Quarstone, Walnut Quarstone and Smoke Quarstone.