Happy New Year!

Thank you all for reading this year. 
This blog has been a lot more work than I had anticipated, but much more enjoyable as well.
I love the feeling of a new beginnings this time of year and I'm excited to see what 2011 will bring.
Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

Our Conference Table {in progress}

One of the great things about being a custom fabrication shop is that we can custom fabricate our own Conference Table.
One of the bad things about being a custom fabrication shop is that we are kind of like the shoemaker's child that doesn't have any shoes.
It was embarrassing that we had been using a wood table for almost a year.  We FINALLY have our table done though!
Here are some pictures of the work in progress, I'll post pictures next week of the finished table.

Can you guess what stones we used?

*All images from MGS by Design.

Whiteout Wednesday: White Kitchens Volume 6

The first white kitchen of the day is a stunner.  The marble is Calacatta Gold and they are beautiful slabs.  I love the marble full height backsplash on the range wall.

Photo from K+BB.

The turquoise backsplash in this next picture gives this beautiful white kitchen a unique look.  The countertops look to be a white quartz.

Photo from Adore Magazine.

Compac Quartz has a really great white color called Absolute Blanc shown in the photo below. 

Photo from Caffrey's Natural Stone.

The marble in this next kitchen is Breccia Imperiale which is a more dramatic marble with a lot of dark grey veining.  It also can have greens and golds in the veining.

Photo from House Beautiful.

Last kitchen today is Kashmire White granite.

Photo from Granite Heaven.

Wondering what Whiteout Wednesday is?  Read here.

Want to catch up on past Whiteout Wednesdays?  Here's Volume 2, Volume 3,Volume 4, and Volume 5.

A few great articles around the web...

Just a few links today that I've been meaning to share...

Another great end-of-the-year article, this time on House Beautiful's website. 
Dream Kitchen Designs of 2010

The marble is Calacatta Gold.  It's perfect with the light wood in this kitchen.  My favorite part of the kitchen is the area that is framed with the marble around the range.  It's a beautiful detail that really highlights this stunning marble. 
Check out the article to see the rest of the beautiful kitchens.

Above two photos from House Beautiful.

Paul Anater has a great article on Houzz about an often overlooked topic...grout.   

traditional bathroom design by birmingham photographer Sylvia Martin

Last, I'm constantly getting questions about kitchen backsplashes.  

The Tile Talk blog posted a fantastic article, Tips to Create a Winning Kitchen Backsplash.

Photo from Avent Tile.

Around here...

Good morning.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend.  We sure did, but I do have to say I'm quite exhausted today.

Today's post is pretty random, there are just a few things I wanted to talk about that's going on around here.

First, if you haven't noticed, are the new Tabs on the top of the page.  Mainly of importance are the Current Specials and Slab Inventory.  These are always changing, so be sure to check them out often.  We try to keep them as updated as possible.  Yes, we can ship slabs out of state if you are a fabricator or if you are a homeowner with a fabricator out of state.  Delivery charges do apply.

November and December are our busiest months of the year.  I guess everyone wants fancy new countertops for their holiday parties.  We have a lot of beautiful stone out in our shop right now.  BJ took a few sneak peak photos with his iPhone of a Kitchen we just finishing up.  The stone is Lemurian Blue, as you can see it's an absolutely stunning granite.

 You also get to see our CNC operator's handsome dog, Duster.  :)

The edge detail is a 2 1/2" Double Ogee.
I'll be sure to take pictures of this kitchen once it's all installed.

All images from MGS by Design.

The last thing I wanted to mention is about photos of this blog.  I try really, really hard to find the correct link to credit each and every picture that is on here.  It takes a lot of time and effort sometimes, but I have found my own pictures "stolen" on other websites and I know how mad it makes me.  I don't always get it right though. 
So, if you ever see a photo here that has been mis-credited please just {kindly} send me an email with the correct link and I would be more than happy to make that change. 

Merry Christmas

We're taking a few days off to enjoy the holiday. 

We hope that you are all able to do the same.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

We'll see you back here on Monday.

Photo source.

Luce di Luna quartzite Kitchen

Love this beautiful kitchen from House Beautiful's website.  The home was designed by Alexandra Fazio of Cecil Baker & Partners in New York.
The cabinets are all walnut and the island, with the Waterfall Edge, is walnut as well.  The wood on the island countertop is unstained and treated with food oil.  It's a great contrast to the cabinets. 

The countertops on the other side of the island are Luce di Luna quartzite....which I happened to talk about yesterday as well (aka White Moon). 

The walls aren't concrete like they look to be, they are actually plaster.  The look is great, but I'd probably do a tile splash of some sort if this were my kitchen.

All images from House Beautiful.

Whiteout Wednesday: White Kitchens Volume 5

There are a few white quartzite's that are available now.  They have the look of marble, but quartzite isn't calcium based.  So acids won't cause it to etch like a marble.  I'm not sure what the quartzite is in the photo below, but I'd assume it's White Moon.  The linear pattern on this stone is stunning.

Photo source.

This next photo is from the Houzz website.  The countertops are marble, but I can't see them well enough to say what marble it is.  I'd guess it's Calcutta Gold because I believe that is what the backsplash is. 

Gorgeous kitchen, the lack of upper cabinets on the window wall really keeps this kitchen bright and open. 

spaces design

The Butcher Block Island in this next kitchen is a great contrast with the white cabinets and white marble countertops.

Photo from Hampton Design.

The countertops in this next kitchen are Honed Bianco Romano granite.  Bianco Romano is a fantastic alternative to white marble and I think it looks really beautiful when it's honed.

Photo from Marble.com.

Last is my favorite kitchen of the day.  The countertops are quartz, though I'm not sure what brand.  I love detail of the waterfall edge on the island, the bar stools and the lighting  It's just a great kitchen in my opinion.

Photo from Design Vie.

Wondering what Whiteout Wednesday is?  Read here.

Want to catch up on past Whiteout Wednesdays?  Here's Volume 2, Volume 3 and Volume 4.

Top Kitchens and Baths of 2010, Impala Black granite kitchen and Christmas decor!

I'm a sucker for end-of-the-year lists. I don't know why, but I really like summing up the past year every December.
So of course I'm loving all the articles on Houzz lately.
Check out the Top Kitchens of 2010 on Houzz.

traditional kitchen design by chicago kitchen and bath The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn

And, The Best Bathrooms of 2010, again on Houzz.

contemporary bathroom design by san francisco architect Michael Tauber Architecture

Small & Chic in C-ville is one of my favorite blogs.  She just did Impala Black granite in her kitchen.  She has great Before and After pictures of her kitchen here.

Photo from Small and Chic in Cville.

I have the weekly Whiteout Wednesday feature here on our blog because White Kitchens are definitely all the rage.  Which makes this Houzz article even more interesting to me for some reason...18 Inspiring Not-All-White Kitchens.

modern kitchen design by new york interior designer Amy Lau Design

In the Christmas spirit?  This is not stone related, but Studio Ten 25 has been doing a really fun Christmas Open House on her blog the past week.  It's always fun to see inside other people's homes....I say that in the least creepy way possible.

Christmas Decor in the Kitchen

It's the week of Christmas, can you believe it?

I haven't put up a Christmas tree in seven years.  Am I a scrooge?  Maybe.
We moved into our house seven years ago on December 13th.  That was the first year that I didn't put up a tree because there was just too much going on with the move.   One year we were in Hawaii right before Christmas, but I don't have many excuses for not decorating beyond that.
I don't have kids, so I think a lot of it is I just don't want to put forth the effort.   Mainly the effort of taking it down.  I HATE taking all the Christmas decorations down.

Something happened this year though.  The Saturday after Thanksgiving I woke up and HAD to have a Christmas tree THAT DAY. 
We had done real trees in the past, my husband had actually gone and cut them down himself.  He wasn't willing to do that this year though.  So I drove around and luckily found a wonderful Tree Lot and paid too much money for a beautiful tree that smells delightful.

A not-so-great photo of my tree.  I still need a tree skirt.  My adorable dog Mahlee wouldn't move to let me take the picture, so you get to see her as well.  :)
I don't have a lot of ornaments and what not and I used to wrap a wide silver ribbon around the tree, but I was loving the actual tree this year and didn't want to cover it up too much. 

So, now I have a tree.  I have a few other decorations up as well, but not much. 
Today I ran across a photo of this beautifully decorated-for-Christmas Kitchen.  I love how it's not over the top decorated, just a bit of greenery.  This is how I'd decorate my kitchen for Christmas...if I were to do so.

Photo from The Washington Post.

It got me thinking.....  Do most people put up Christmas decor in their kitchens?

Here are a couple more Kitchens with beautiful holiday decor.

Photo from Country Living.

Photo from House to Home.

So tell me, do you put holiday decor in your kitchen?



Slab Sunday: Botticino Fiorito marble

Botticino Fiorito is a beautiful white and cream marble that is quarried in Italy.

This marble is a bit warmer than the popular Carrara marble but still has the bright whites in most slabs.  Of course I'd suggest you pick out your exact slab, this marble can go from quite white to beige.

Photo source.

Check out this stunning fireplace with the Botticino Fiorito all the way up the wall. 

Photo source.

Photo source.

Photo source.

Photo source.

Botticino Fiorito is available in 2 cm and 3 cm slabs as well as tile.

Unique Typhoon Bordeaux granite Kitchen

These pictures come from our portfolio, it's a kitchen we did a few years ago.
The beautiful granite is Typhoon Bordeaux.

Yes, the walls are tile....it's not wallpaper or paint.  These tiles did not come on a sheet, they were individually set.  A lot of work, but I think it was worth it.  All the attention to detail really makes this kitchen unique and beautiful.
 They have three different wood colors in this kitchen.  Usually I'd say that's way to much going on, but it really works here with their style.

We bumped the countertops out at the sink and did a radius cut to match the cabinets.  The edge detail is a 1 1/2" Ogee Square.

 Notice the shape of the island.  This is an added detail that a lot of people don't think about, but it really adds to the design.  I love how they really utilized the island for seating, they can easily seat seven people around this island.

For more info and pictures of Typhoon Bordeaux click here.

Concetto Tiger Eye used in new line of furniture

 

If you are a longtime reader of this blog you know that I LOVE stone. 

Love.  It.

I went Christmas shopping with my mom last weekend and picked out a couple of my own Christmas gifts.  All I wanted was agates. 

Who picks out agates for Christmas? 

This girl.

So, it's probably pretty obvious that I am completely smitten over CaesarStone's Concetto Collection. 

If I could work with this product every day I would consider working for free. 
Seriously.  That's how much I love it. 

The Concetto Collection is a line of handmade slabs that use semi-precious stones that are cut and bound.  The slabs are made of agates, natural quartz, petrified wood and crystals. 
A dedicated CaesarStone team constantly scours the globe in search of the highest quality semi-precious stones.  This ensures a unique visual effect in every piece produced in the Concetto Collection. 
I'm sure I'm not qualified....but I really, really want to be on that team!

Below are the eight colors that are available in the US.  There are a total of 19 colors in the Collection, eleven are available through special order.

CaesarStone recently sent me some images of a beautiful Credenza and Table that are part of a new, limited edition line of custom furniture designed by architect Daniel Germani.  Daniel is DBWOODWORK’s Creative Director and Founder.

Each piece carries with it a history and meaning.
Sirena is comprised of the semi-precious stone Tiger Eye whose meaning is especially powerful. The stone is said to bring calm and serenity. When used in your home this surface attracts good luck and protects you from the evil eye. It is also known to bring clarity of thought and to stimulate wealth and abundance.

"I was in awe when I first laid eyes upon Concetto. Nature provided CaesarStone with an infinite array of semi-precious stone and with Concetto they captured its essence,

showcasing the unique beauty of each stone and its splendor. Sirena is the perfect fit

for the elegance and sophistication of my pieces."

--Daniel Germani

American Walnut just so happens to be my favorite wood.  I think it looks really beautiful with the Tiger Eye Concetto.   In fact, this Credenza would match perfectly with my dining room furniture....
If only I could afford it!  :)

For more information about Daniel Germani or to purchase his custom furniture with Concetto click here.

All images and most information in this post provided by CaesarStone.