Sintered Stone in Cédric Grolet's Apartment | Neolith

Neolith® Sintered Stone is specified throughout the interior of master pâtissier Cédric Grolet’s Paris apartment. Grolet’s work is characterized by a visually striking patisserie, including his iconic Rubiks Cube Cake and his trompe-l’oeil desserts which accurately mimics freshly-plucked fruit. This playfulness is masterfully contrasted with his firm grounding in classical French cuisine; his imaginative work is supported by a deep understanding of gastronomic absolutes and precise, correct cuisine.

Grolet’s duality applies to his approach to interior design and was perfectly realized in the renovation of his Parisian apartment. The overall concept was developed by the chef himself, with an overarching vision of creating a space that delivered a big, aesthetic statement while allowing for a degree of practicality to exercise his culinary genius.

Design Vision

Grolet detests gratuity in design, never adding unnecessary decoration or flourishes to his pastry work. To capture his intended look for the apartment, he wanted to combine simple, white marble-type surfaces with exposed stone walls and unvarnished wooden flooring throughout. Primarily, Grolet wanted to communicate a ‘closeness to nature’ which meant that it was essential to ensure these materials were 100% natural in their composition.

Working with skilled fabricators J. Léger and La Marbrerie Contemporaine he set about bringing his dream to life. Having tested a number of different surfacing options, Grolet alighted on Neolith and was immediately impressed by its performance qualities. He explained that what he appreciates about Neolith is that it is non-porous and very easy to clean, an essential requirement for precise pastry work. For example, he can knead and roll directly on the surface without it staining or tarnishing. It also offers a neutral, crisp backdrop that allows cakes and desserts to stand out for Instagramming purposes.

Materials

Neolith’s underlying ethos perfectly dovetails with Grolet’s. The Sintered Stone brand’s dedication to creating surfaces of the highest quality, using the best, 100% natural, raw materials echoes the pastry chef’s commitment to sourcing the very best produce. Akin to Grolet’s desserts, Neolith is the product of many years of accrued skill and experience, which yields an exceptional level of knowledge and creativity. This translates into surfaces that combine unrivaled beauty with unparalleled performance.

Ever striving for perfection, Grolet sees this project as the start of an ongoing journey with Neolith. Having observed the potential and versatility of sintered stone in his own home, he says that he intends to use Neolith surfaces again for either a culinary laboratory or a patisserie.

Kitchen

Neolith Estatuario Silk was specified for the kitchen island, worktops, and splashback. The island’s surface spills over onto the floor and up the wall creating a marmoreal feature that suggests organic continuity within the space. Contrasted with parquet floors, a limestone wall, and pure white cabinetry, Neolith works in harmony with the kitchen’s other elements to deliver a relaxed atmosphere without detracting from the room’s main purpose.

Bathrooms

In the bathrooms, a balance between the rapturous and the robust must be achieved. Materials that are waterproof and easy to clean are indispensable.

Neolith Calacatta Polished was used for a minimalist, mounted vanity and wall-to-wall for a magnificent wetroom with a waterfall shower.

Adding an element of contrast, Neolith Iron Frost was used for the guest bedroom’s walk-in shower, the unobtrusiveness of the surface’s color creates a soft, gentle and relaxing effect.