Natural Stone 101

Natural stone is sexy.  There, I've said it.  If you want a countertop that makes a unique statement with lots of movement and natural variations I recommend natural stone.

A big part of your new kitchen investment lies in the countertop material you decide to use. It’s definitely one of the key players both in terms of function and aesthetics.  It is your work surface and it is one of the most visible features of your kitchen.   In terms of user friendliness and durability it usually comes down to natural stone or man made products such as quartz. There's nothing wrong with the other options, I love them too in the right applications, but if you're looking to personalize your kitchen and be, wait for it, DIFFERENT, go natural.   When I say natural stone I mean granite, quartzite, marble, limestone, soapstone, slate and onyx.  There are a variety of choices that can be used in various applications.  So what’s the difference and what’s the best option for you?

Soapstone-  This is a very viable option for both indoor and outdoor countertops.  It’s unaffected by heat, acid and alkalis.  It’s also non-porous which means it is inherently antibacterial and won’t stain. On the other hand it is soft and can scratch but can be sanded and repaired.  Colors are pretty much limited to greys, greens, blues and blacks with subtle lighter veining.  Like with all natural stone, price is largely determined by how close you are to the source (quarry or port).  You can expect to pay at least as much as you would for granite in most places.

Onyx- The biggest appeal of onyx is its beauty.  It’s absolutely gorgeous! If it’s a statement you’re after this could be it.  It’s found in a variety of colors,  known for its translucent quality and is frequently enhanced with back lighting. It’s not particularly durable but could be a good choice for a dramatic powder room or bar top.  This is also one of the most expensive of the natural stone choices.

Granite- This is the natural stone that you are probably the most familiar with.  It is found in a wide variety of patterns and colors.  It is typically heat resistant and non porous although less so than quartzite.  This stone is usually offered at various price levels, 1 being the most inexpensive and easy to come by and 5 being at the pricier end.  

Quartzite- Not to be confused with quartz which is a man-made product, quartzite is the Rolls Royce of natural stone tops.  It’s the ultimate in both beauty and durability which is why it is so expensive.  It is also extremely hard, requiring a diamond saw to fabricate.

Marble-At the moment, nothing is more popular than the look of white Calacatta marble.  It is beautiful but sadly it is not the best choice for your kitchen countertop.  Marble is porous which means it will stain and etch.  If you throw caution to the wind and decide to use it anyway, make sure you seal it regularly and  just expect it to season with time like something you’d find in an old French bistro. Oui?

Limestone-  This is a very “Florida” look, great for floors and walls but it’s going to require maintenance if you decide to use it for a countertop..  It is very porous and must be maintained regularly with a sealer.  I do love the look of embedded shells and fossils you can get with some limestone. Choices include beiges to soft browns.

Slate-This is another stone that’s great for flooring and exterior as well as interior applications. It can be rustic or modern and is usually found in dark colors like blacks and grays. 

There you have it, natural stone 101.  I’d like to thank the folks at MIA+BSI: The Natural Stone Institute who sponsored this post.  You can find more info at  www.usenaturalstone.com.  

Hot Trends Make a Big Splash at KBIS 2014

As many of you know, the Kitchen and Bath masses gathered in Las Vegas February 4-6 for their annual pilgrimage to KBIS, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. This year the event was part of Design & Construction Week, a new concept, merging KBIS with IBS, the International Builder’s Show. As a result, it was bigger and better than ever. Let’s hope that what happened there does NOT stay there !Maybe I should limit that to kitchen and bath industry products and trends ;)   Uber interior design resource Modenus hosted their latest Blogtour group who covered the event in a big way! You can get the entire scoop here.So what is trending, you may ask? Here’s the latest scoop from Kitchen & Bath Design News and KBIS co-sponsors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association:Let there be light.  Yes we’re used to lights in the refrigerator but now we’re adding LED lighting to cabinetry as well.

Make that matte.  Last year I noticed a growing interest in matte finishes and it’s even more so this year.  One such surface is the new Dekton by Cosentino.  It's an ultra compact surface including quartz, porcelain and glass.  This makes it perfect for both indoor and outdoor use, even better than quartz as it's UV resistant and can withstand extreme heat.

Keep it simple.   NKBA President John Petrie, CMKBDT tells us, "while transitional styles are still number one, we see kitchen design trending more contemporary this year, with clean , simple lines: less clutter and little ornamentation".Quartz rocks, especially if it’s patterned!  Homeowners have discovered quartz but they're not willing to give up the pattern and movement found in natural stone products like granite and marble.  New finishes by Cambria let you have the best of both worlds.Cambria's  Waterstone Collection captures the depth and beauty of marble and granite while offering the superior strength and performance of quartz. (Here's something for you "traditionalists", they clearly didn't get the message about contemporary in this kitchen!)Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets, We may like our cabinetry look pared down but gimme the gadgets!  Technology reigns, ie anything  touch operated or digital.The new Temp20 Technology by Delta Faucets boasts a digital temperature display that saves you the shock or injury from water that's not the temperature you were expecting.   When the temperature is less than 80 degrees the LED display will glow blue.  It's magenta from 80-110 and red when it's above that.  You can get this feature on your Delta faucet  this spring.A bath to come home to, trends in the bathroom focus on customization and spa ambiance.  In  the high end markets, free standing tubs are all the rage.  They are functional and sculptural at the same time. We are also understanding the benefits of hydrotherapy as in soaking tubs and steam baths.Additional features you may want to include in your new kitchens and baths include the following:-Induction cooktops (and now ranges too!)-Steam ovens-French-door refrigerators (duh, I think we all know that already!)-Bottom freezer drawers (ditto of above)-Touch activated faucets-Electronic (no touch) faucets-LED lighting-Charging stations-Pet stationsI believe all of the above are here to stay, at least in the foreseeable future, and the technology will only get better.

Ancient Elements Create Artful Counters

I’m in love.  Let me back up a moment.  You all know how I like quartz counter tops and I will continue to sing their praises BUT this is LOVE. You're looking at a “petrified wood ammonite counter top”, made from natural wood turned to stone, over time, and ammonite shells.  These components are fit together and formed into a slab using clear resins.These fossils are sourced in Madagascar.  The material is 3cm (1 3/16”), polished or honed and you can find this glorious slab at Stone Gallery Miami. Slabs are approximately 110” by 65” and will run you in the neighborhood of $14,000.   This is a quintessential example of Kitchen Art with a capital "A"! The above slab contains amethyst from Brazil.  If you spec this $19,000 slab don't even think about not back lighting it.  This example is showing  the slab illuminated to highlight the natural color.  All these slabs are solid 3cm material, no veneer here.Stone Gallery specializes in the most beautiful granites and marbles and it’s not all 14K a slab! Their showroom is located here in West Palm Beach but they have a brand new location in Miami.  See the Kitchens for Living Local Resources Section for further info.

Kitchen Case Study: Update and Integrate

  One of the perks (not twerks) of my job is that I get to work in lovely homes on the beach.  If I'm having a "design panic moment" all I have to do is look out the window at the ocean and all is well.  This townhouse project came to me as a referral and is actually a winter home on the ocean in Delray Beach.  This homeowner is a potter with a keen eye for design and finishes.The kitchen was outdated and not very  functional.  My client enjoys cooking and entertaining and was seeking  to integrate her open kitchen with the stylish and artful adjacent dining and living room.My first thought was that even though we would lose cabinets, the soffit structure had to go.  We could make up that loss of storage by going higher with the cabinets and by adding a tall cabinet to the left of the refrigerator. I wanted to open up the space yet ensure that it was integrated with adjoining areas.  The ceiling is so high we were able to increase the height of the cabinets without having to go all the way up which would have disrupted the existing crown molding.   We also gained storage by adding the two end cabinets on either side of the seating area.  The cabinet to the counter is also great storage and the open shelving to the right was included to showcase some of my client's pottery pieces.  Scroll down to see the solution.

 We used a warm stained bamboo with a subtle blue-green tint for the cabinetry.  The back wall is aqua glass tiles to reflect the ocean.  There is a pantry with touch latches to the left of the built-in refrigerator.  An appliance garage conceals toaster oven to the right of the sink and open shelves feature my clients beautiful pottery creations.

My design was custom built by Brendan Donovan Furniture & Cabinet Co.  Cabinet  hardware is Top Knobs Sanctuary Collection in German Bronze. Refrigerator is Subzero with flush installation.  The rest of the appliances are by Jenn Air.  For this project we selected the Blanco Quatrus medium single sink  because it fit the space as well as the styling of the kitchen so well.  The faucet is Blanco Kontrole.  Again this stylish Blanco faucet provided the look and pull out functionality we needed. In addition,  the scale was appropriate for the space.  Counter tops are  grey granite from Cavastone fabricated by Stone Palace.  They feature a contemporary "waterfall" detail at the end of the peninsula.All in all I would say mission accomplish and my clients agree!

Tip #4: Granite or Quartz?

 

The last few posts we have been exploring the big questions I get from clients who are in the market for a new kitchen.  Today we are up to #4, and it's a biggie.  What counter top should we get?  Counter tops are a main component of the kitchen.  They have to look right but more importantly they must stand up to daily use.  During the 50s, 60s and 70s , other than the odd wood or tile counter top, most of us had laminate counters.  Formica ruled the roost.  To be fair, laminates have come a long way and are quite popular in Europe.  They are not as indestructible as granite or quartz but the price is right.  Truth be told, back in the day, it was not unheard of to have a laminate top last 30 years or more!

Traditional Kitchen by Newton Kitchen and Bath Fixtures Kitchen Concepts, Inc. 

Remember those "Boomerang" Formica counter tops?  If not, then you might find one now in a Mid-Century Modern style kitchen of 2013.

Today my clients  know about granite but what's this quartz all about ?  Here's what I tell them: If you love the uniqueness and natural variations of granite then it's the top for you.  If you can't stand that and you prefer consistent color and/or pattern then quartz is for you.  Quartz is man-made and is about 93% quartz with the other 7% being the resins that hold it all together.  Performance wise you can't do better than quartz.  It is non-pourous, very hard, heat resistant and does not require maintenance.   When it comes to price, at least in Florida, the price is comparable to granite.  Both materials are generally available in 2cm or 3cm material.  2cm is about 3/4" thick.  You can use it like that if you like the thin look but typically it gets doubled up to give you your 1 1/2" standard counter top thickness.  If you're planning a matching backsplash this is a good option since it can be 3/4".  Yes, the counter edge will have a seam in the middle but if your fabricator is worth his salt, you shouldn't really notice it.  A 3cm thickness will give you 1 1/4" thick counter top with no seam but it makes for a very thick back splash which may not leave you enough room for your faucet.  My favorite brands for quartz are Cambria because of the color selection and because all the colors are the same price.  That makes it easy!  Cambria is also made in the USA.  I also love Silestone which can be a little more expensive but is cutting edge when it comes to new textures and technologies.  Silestone is made in Spain and features their trademark Microban which enhances the antibacterial nature of quartz even more.  Granite can come from South America, Mexico, Europe and even India.  If opting for granite you'll need to make a trip to the yard to select your slabs since they vary so much.  If you need help deciding you know where to find me!

Next up: Tip #5: Glass Doors, Solid Doors or Open Shelves?