Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Whiteout Wedneday: 5 White Kitchens with White Subway Tile

White kitchens and baths are definitely the hottest trend I am seeing right now. It's also the subject I get asked about the most. From white Carrara marble to white quartz there is a lot to consider when using white countertops.
Whiteout Wednesday is a weekly feature where I show five kitchens and/ or baths that have used white in a beautiful way.
If you have a white kitchen or bath that you would like to see featured here please email me.
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The theme du jour for Whiteout Wednesday is White Kitchens with White Subway Tile.  
Other than a full height backsplash out of stone, white subway tile is my favorite backsplash option in a white kitchen.  It looks clean and crisp and doesn't compete with the gorgeous white marble countertops.
Photo: Elements of Style

House in the Hamptons traditional kitchen
Photo: My Home Ideas




Kitchen modern kitchen
Minnesota Private Residence traditional kitchen

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Reader's Kitchen: Antique Brown granite with a Satin Finish

Melanie, a reader in Oregon, had emailed me a few months ago asking about maintenance for Antique Brown granite with a Satin Finish. 
She ended up using this granite and recently sent me some Before and After pictures.  I'm a sucker for Before and After photos, so I asked Melanie if I could share them with you.
Enjoy! 

Before
Before their remodel they had three different surfaces in the kitchen.  The bar had granite tile with a ceramic bullnose edge that matched the back counter which was all ceramic tile.  There also is a side desk area that had a laminate surface.
Melanie said "We were not happy with the lack of color contrast with the old look. Everything had the same color tone from the hardwood floor to the maple cabinets."

It wasn't a bad kitchen before, but I can see how she wanted an update.  Check out the after pictures, this kitchen is so beautiful!!
After
From Melanie..."We are loving our Antique Brown Granite with the Satin Finish.  Actually, our whole kitchen remodel was a fantastic experience for us out here in the Pacific Northwest.  This granite is super easy to care for and it always looks fantastic.  I love the fact that I don't see fingerprints.
You just see a bit of dust if your are not a clean freak, and that I am not.  I simply use the cleaner and polish I picked up at Home Depot to give it a dust and shine if company is coming, and I want to "impress".
We also use stainless steel pots and pans, and I have not had any trouble with scratching; although, I admit that I am conscious of not sliding my pots and pans across the surface.  I really try to be diligent about picking them up.  It's been about 5 weeks since the completion of our project, and we have absolutely no complaints."

 Melanie and her husband's favorite things about their kitchen are...

1. We both like the overall look, feel, and performance of our granite.
We feel we have a space that is aesthetically pleasing and fun to cook in
because everything is just so easy to clean up.

2. I love my new stainless steel sink. It is a little wider and deeper
than what I had before, and easy to care for.

3. We both enjoy our new stove/oven, but that is my husband's favorite. We
now have a wider cooking surface so we can use two large pots at the same
time.  It is a gas stove and oven with convection so it bakes things
quickly and evenly. We have had to watch the baking times because it is
easier to over bake.
 Their regrets?
"As far as regrets go, we really don't have any.  We really can't think of anything we would do different next time.
Sure, I would love a true walk in pantry; but that would require a whole lot more than cosmetic changes.  Simply put, we are quite thrilled with the results."

It's so good to hear they don't have any regrets, honestly that doesn't happen very often.  :)

This kitchen is stunning.  Antique Brown is one of my very favorite granite colors and I love it with a Satin Finish.  I really like their paint colors as well.

Melanie--Thank you so much for sharing the pictures and your story!
If you would like to show pictures of your finished project here, please send me (Steph) an email.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Updated Slab Stock

We have some gorgeous slabs in stock right now and I've updated the quantities and pictures today. 
Be sure to check out our Slab Inventory and Current Specials slabs at the top of the page for pictures and information.

My favorites in our yard right now are the Golden Thunder and Versus (pictured below).  These slabs are both really beautiful.  We have two of each available and I'm sure they'll go quick.  Contact us today if you are interested in them!
Golden Thunder granite

Versus granite


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Slab Sunday: Magma Gold granite

Magma Gold is an exotic granite in quarried in Brazil.

It is a more expensive granite because of the extensive manual labor that it requires to produce the slabs.
Photo: CornerStone Granite

Photo: Arizona Tile

Magma Gold was originally introduced to the US market in 2007 as 'Sedna'.  It was quickly changed to Magma Gold by a leading Italian factory that bought part of the quarry’s production and started cutting and polishing the stone in Italy.
Other names for Magma Gold include Volcano, Sedna Gold, Magma, Juparana Magma Gold and Lava Gold.
Photo: Yelisey Khrestsov Stone Center
Photo: The Stone Studio
This is one of those slabs that I would recommend that you HAVE to pick out your exact slabs, it's not even an option to select off of a small sample.  Magma Gold can change dramatically in pattern and even color from bundle to bundle.
Photo Source
Photo: MISTONES
 Magma Gold is available in 2 cm and 3 cm slabs.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Saturday Link Up!

I can't believe it's the last Saturday of the summer!  (September 1st = summer in my book).
Summertime always goes to quickly.
Anyway, here are some articles from around the web that I enjoyed this week and wanted to share with you all...
Photo: MGS by Design

Friday, August 26, 2011

Guest Post: What Egyptian Pyramids and Your Kitchen Countertops Have in Common

This is the best Guest Post I've ever featured.  I was so excited to read it based on the title.  I hope you enjoy it as well...

Countertops have long been the defining feature of a modern kitchen. Which surface you choose says a lot about your taste and the quality of the kitchen. When making the critical decision of choosing the material that makes your kitchen really stand-out, most people would agree that granite provides a lot more natural beauty and durability than say tile or laminate. However, when you add granite to your home’s interior you are by no means a pioneer of using this beautiful stone to enhance your home. You are, in fact, joining a group of distinguished and discriminating builders that date back to the 26th century BC. Since that time, many prestigious buildings have been constructed using granite. Let’s take a look at some of your kitchen countertop’s famous ancestors.

The Egyptian Pyramids
The Egyptians knew something about granite long before any of us graced this earth; they knew that granite was a beautiful surface to accent their grandest structures dedicated to fallen Pharaohs. Interior walls, sarcophagi, and other features from Egyptian buildings were made of granite. So when you lean up against your kitchen countertops, remember that your granite was the same surface used to honor the likes of King Tut, Khufu and Khafre. Fittingly, the title of “Pharaoh” means “Great House”. Indeed, their house and your house are great thanks to granite.


Hindu Temples
 Many large Hindu temples in southern India were made of granite. The Brihadeeswarar Temple was the world’s first complete granite temple and remains one of India’s most glorious architectural feats. It was built 1,000 years ago as a display of the emperor's vision of his power and his relationship to the universal order. Who doesn’t need a touch of universal order in their kitchen?

Mormon Temple
 In downtown Salt Lake City Utah stands a beautiful granite temple built by the Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) in the 1800s. The rock was quarried in a nearby canyon and hauled 20 miles by oxen to the construction site. It is considered sacred by church members and is capped off by a golden angel on top. With granite countertops, your kitchen will be fit for an angel.

Clearly, granite has a very distinguished history and you are in good company when you put granite countertops in your kitchen.
This guest post is from Brandon Mercury at Your Local Security. He regularly writes about home improvement, design and security.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Whiteout Wednesday: 5 White Kitchens

White kitchens and baths are definitely the hottest trend I am seeing right now. It's also the subject I get asked about the most. From white Carrara marble to white quartz there is a lot to consider when using white countertops.
Whiteout Wednesday is a weekly feature where I show five kitchens and/ or baths that have used white in a beautiful way.
If you have a white kitchen or bath that you would like to see featured here please email me.
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Today's five white kitchens are especially stunning......in my humble opinion. :)
Enjoy!

Kitchen traditional kitchen

Photo: Elements of Style

Claremont Park modern

Modern Kitchen modern kitchen

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Unique Tile Backsplash Ideas for Kitchens

White subway tile is definitely the go-to tile backsplash choice for kitchens right now and with good reason.  It's neutral, it's simple and it won't look dated next year.
You don't always have to play it safe though.  There are a lot of amazing tiles out there and chances are, if you love it now... you will love it for years to come.
Here are some fun and unique tile backsplash ideas that I found on Houzz today...
Kitchen Backsplash eclectic kitchen

Kitchen, bath, office contemporary kitchen

Kitchens modern kitchen

Beach House Bridgehampton modern kitchen

Jason Ball Interiors traditional kitchen

Chestnut Hill kitchen modern kitchen

Grant Park Kitchen contemporary kitchen

Custom hood traditional kitchen

Range contemporary kitchen

All of these knock-my-socks-off in one way or another. I'm a white subway tile fan, but the above pictures make me think otherwise.
What do you think?

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Saturday Link Up!

A few articles that I enjoyed from around the web this week...
Photo: Decor Mentor

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Guest Post: Granite in Traditional Kitchens

Today I'm happy to take the day off and turn the blog over to Arcadian Home Decor.
Enjoy!

Hi all! I’m Jennifer and I write for Arcadian Home Decor, a site that chronicles the work of top interior designers and home decor trends around the world. I've been writing about home decor since graduating university and have loved it ever since. I'm addicted to patterned fabrics, Jonathan Adler, chaise lounges, old doors, milk glass jars, antiques, and chandeliers. The Granite Gurus blog makes me want to cover my entire house in stunning granite, not just my countertops. But in the meantime, here are some beautiful granite in traditional kitchens. Thanks for letting me write this guest post!

What's one of the most incredible, versatile home decor accessories made by Mother Nature? Yep, it's granite. And there's no better place to steal the show than installing granite in traditional kitchens. Although a relatively recent countertop material, granite looks incredible when integrated in a classic kitchen, installed with traditional cabinetry, which provides a striking contrast between new and old.

A touch of red
Granite in Kitchens
Kitchen Design via
The beige granite against the white cupboards, flanked by table decor like red glassware, creates a beautiful symmetrical space.

Gorgeous glow
Granite in Kitchens
picasa via
One of the best features of granite is its glossy finish, and with oversized hanging lanterns above, the light is reflected brilliantly in its surface. Meanwhile, the dark chocolate brown cabinets provide the perfect backdrop.

Stylish slab
Granite in Kitchens
Luxe Couture Interiors via
Just a touch of granite on top of a sturdy kitchen island is all this modest space needs - the checker black and white floors lend a retro feel to the room.

A touch of turquoise
Granite in Kitchens
Kitchen Remodel Designs via
The clean white lines of the traditional cabinetry really pop against the bright turquoise walls, while wood stone granite is both aesthetically pleasing as well as durable. Home accessories like the wall clock and framed prints are pretty details.

White and chrome chic
Granite in Kitchens
Elle Decor via
A mix of coloured granite is always an attractive choice for different areas of a kitchen - here, white granite is used on the island while black granite covers other workspaces.

Subtle simplicity
Granite in Kitchens
Stacy Nance Interiors via
Various materials such as wood, granite and stainless steel bring together the classic and contemporary features of this kitchen/dining area. The table decorations are also marvellous.

A touch of stone
Granite in Kitchens
The Kitchen Installation Company via
One of the best things about granite is how adaptable it is - the black granite shown here meshes perfectly with all of the exposed wood along with the stone-detailed island.

Butter and cream
Granite in Kitchens
Kitchen Tile Backsplashes via
Neutral-coloured kitchens like this are soothing as well as elegant - the custom-built cabinets keep this nook of a space from feeling overcrowded.

Content provided by Arcadian Home Decor, a site that specializes in top quality home accessories at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Whiteout Wednesday: 5 White Kitchens

White kitchens and baths are definitely the hottest trend I am seeing right now. It's also the subject I get asked about the most. From white Carrara marble to white quartz there is a lot to consider when using white countertops.
Whiteout Wednesday is a weekly feature where I show five kitchens and/ or baths that have used white in a beautiful way.
If you have a white kitchen or bath that you would like to see featured here please email me.
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This first kitchen is so gorgeous and guess what?  The cabinets are from Ikea.  Seriously!
The stunning marble and thick Mitered edge detail make it look like a million dollar room.
Photo: Carol Reed Interior Design
Photo: Elements of Style
Photo: Eva Designs
Photo: House Beautiful
Photo: Decorati

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