Now you can have your cake and eat it too! Corian Illumination Series allows for varying degrees of translucency, so that reliable Corian has suddenly gone glitzy.

Corian Illumination Series. Manufactured by Dupont.

Dupont states that the new surfaces “give architects the freedom to create with the most dynamic element of all-light.” When backlit, the five available colors of the Illumination Series change in shade. Mint Ice, Strawberry Ice, Lime Ice, Glacier Ice, and Blueberry Ice begin as pastels, but apply any lighting to these Illumination Series and the colors deepen and change tones, depending on the type of light used. Take Strawberry Ice for example. When dormant, the Corian is simply ballet slipper pink. When lit, Strawberry Ice becomes anything from Pink Tourmaline, with warm peach undertones, to Pink Sapphire, with cool magenta auras. If you use colored lights in your design, then the Illumination Series can transform even more dramatically. Corian wants you to “Design in on.”

From lamps to clothing racks to countertops, of course, the Illumination Series makes virtually any home or commercial project more exciting. The effect of the backlit Corian can be anything from cheery to eerie, from candi-colored pop to ghostly ethereal.

Corian® Mint Ice Vanity Top – Studio Photograph (left). Illuminated Wall with Corian® Glacier Ice – Elie Tahari, Beverly Hills. Fabricated by Evans & Paul (right).

The Illumination Series does have some additional installation considerations that limit its use: it should not be used where the product is exposed to direct sunlight, nor should it be used with or near flames (though it is Class I (A) rated for flammability). When installed, “seam quality is critical…as seams may be more visible when backlit.” In this regard, Corian is helping with its new Translucent White (TW) Corian Joint Adhesive, specially formulated to work with the Illumination Series. Like other Corian products, however, the Illumination Series is certified to the highest level for food contact and the surface does not promote mold, mildew, or bacteria.

If the heat specifications have stumped you, you might “Be Creative,” as the Dupont website instructs-a wet bar or juice bar instead of a kitchen counter perhaps. Even pantries transform into art objects in Corian Illumination, cans and bottles casting supple and angular shadows, morphing in the night into puppets and skylines. Nominated for a Best of the Year 2008 (BOY) Award by Interior Design Magazine in the Architectural & Building Products category, Corian’s Illumination Series deserves your attention-if not your vote. See Illumination and the other nominees at the Interior Design website, where you can cast your vote.