Friday, July 8, 2011

Stone

LOTS of choices, like tile, marble, granite, terrazzo, concrete, laminate, Caesarstone, Zodiac, Corian, wood, stainless steel....and I'm just scratching the surface. (Pun definitely intended!)

The choice of material can be narrowed by elements of practical concern such as vintage of the home, amount of wear the counter tops will receive or budget. But often, (and we like this), the decision is based on aesthetics, in other words, what is going to look the best in the design.

Currently, granites are probably the most popular and sought after of the counter top options. Marble is another popular option, though some people shy away from it for fear of staining. (A little research will tell you, though, that staining is really not much of a worry with marble.)

Recently, one of our kitchen re-design clients asked us for advice in choosing the granite for their counter tops. They had already looked at a couple of options, and asked us to view these and offer an opinion, or possible alternatives. Yeah, a trip to the stone yard!

Take a trip to a good stone yard, and I promise you'll be amazed at the choices...and the fact that these amazing slabs of stone were quarried from the earth. Here are a couple of pieces that I snapped photos of.




There are colors and degrees of texture that will amaze you. Almost like going to nature's own art museum! (On this particular day, I was looking for something to go with light gray cabinetry and dark stained floors.)

We ended up suggesting to these clients the pattern in their first choice might be too busy for all the counter tops. A real exciting pattern or color is great as an accent for a kitchen island or bar counter, but remember you'll be living with and working on your kitchen counters for a long time, and you want a choice you can live with.

If you're considering a renovation in the future, take a tour of the slab stone yards. It may be an inspiration in itself!

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