Editor's Note
This editor’s note highlights the key facts and market implications behind “Sean Nixon is taking Cosentino to the top of the”, with emphasis on sourcing, product fit, fabrication, logistics, or buyer impact.
Over the past 15 years, Cosentino has become a leading name in Irish architecture and interior design for its innovative, sustainable surfaces and facades. The Spanish company operates in over 100 countries and has two locations in Ireland, with distribution centres and showrooms in both Dublin and Belfast. Sean Nixon has been the firm’s general manager in Ireland since shortly before the pandemic in 2020. The retail trade accounts for around two-thirds of Cosentino’s business in Ireland, with commercial projects (architects and designers) making up the rest. In the last series of RTÉ’s Room to Improve, Cosentino products featured in all five episodes, and Dermot Bannon is a regular customer, shopping on behalf of clients. Other recent projects include The Glass Bottle residential development in Dublin 4 and the Galway Rape Crisis Centre. The company made its reputation as a supplier of kitchen worktops. Kitchens still make up around half of Cosentino’s business in Ireland, but in recent years it has moved into bathrooms, facades and furniture too.
“Cosentino has evolved significantly in recent years, with a clear focus on becoming a solutions-driven partner for the architecture, design, retail and construction sectors, especially in high-performance spaces like bathrooms,” said Nixon.
“One of the most exciting developments has been the expansion of our bathroom collections across all key product lines. We now offer a wider range of bespoke and ready-to-install solutions, including large-format tiles, shower trays, and integrated washbasins, all crafted from Silestone and Dekton.”
Silestone is Cosentino’s primary interior surfaces product, but the Dekton product range that launched around a decade ago has allowed the company to handle facades and external paving. Now Cosentino has launched Dekton Amazonik, a new collection of ultra-compact surfaces designed for kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor spaces and other high-traffic zones that is available in two oak-inspired tones.
“Designers that are working with natural elements want the feel of wood, that biophilic element to their design, but they want something with the performance and the durability of decking, so that new Amazonik collection should be perfect for that,” according to Nixon.
As general manager, Nixon oversees operations and curates the collection available to customers. Silestone, for instance, is available in up to 100 tones, 50-60 of which Nixon will select for the Irish portfolio “because what sells well in our market might not translate in Germany or France.”
Other countries might trend towards natural stone, but the Irish portfolio has to suit Irish designs and architecture.
“A lot of the buildings around here might be built with Kilkenny limestone or Wicklow granite, so you’re looking at Dekton colours that would look like [those stones] for facades in Dublin city centre,” Nixon explains.
So, what sells in Ireland at present?
“A lot of white going on. If you pick up any interior design magazine … you’ll see pink cabinets with a white worktop, blue cabinets with a white worktop, green cabinets with a white worktop, so Irish people really love white at the minute.”
In the early 2000s, Nixon worked for B&Q, helping the company to launch in Ireland before moving into tile distribution with Kildare’s BTW Ceramics.
He was attracted to Cosentino by the “beautiful products” and the fact that it is a family-owned and managed business – founder Paco Cosentino recently handed over leadership of the group to his daughter, Pilar.
Nixon believes that Cosentino is on a higher level, and the company has captured the top end of the market. Customers are happy to wait up to 10 weeks to take delivery of its more bespoke products.
Conesentino will soon launch the Eclos range, which takes “the best elements of Sileston and Dekton” and offers eight colours all imitating natural stone.
Nixon believes the collection will be “a game changer” that cements the company’s position as the top worktop supplier in the market.
Eclos is Cosentino’s “big venture” for 2026, and Nixon is excited for architects and designers to get their hands on it and start building displays.
“And then really it’ll be probably next year, when it really comes into its own.”
Cosentino has distribution centres and showrooms in Dublin and Belfast.
“Our design philosophy is rooted in versatility. We believe surfaces should inspire creativity while meeting the demands of modern living, especially in spaces like bathrooms, where aesthetics, functionality, and performance must work seamlessly together.
“Whether it’s minimalist elegance or bold statement design, Cosentino offers materials that empower professionals to bring their vision to life without compromise.”
Source: Read the original article | Published: March 06, 2026