Whiteout Wednesday: 5 White Kitchens with Orange Accents

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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Happy Halloween!
To celebrate I have five white kitchens with orange accents.
Have a fun & safe day!

Photo: Midwest Living

Modern Kitchen design by New York Architect ASAP•house Inc - Studio Kiss

Photo: decoist

Photo: Vogue Living Australia

Photo: Ballard Designs

Beautiful Undermount Vanity Sinks by Kohler

I've encountered quite a few clients lately who haven't cared at all about their vanity sink. I always wonder if they know of all the options that are out there. I was on Kohler's website today and they have so many unique and beautiful sinks!
I talked about glass vessel sinks here and onyx sinks here, so I thought I'd show undermount sinks from Kohler today.
All photos are from Kohler's website unless otherwise noted.

I love this first sink from Pure Contemporary's website. This style is called Botanical Study and comes in an oval shape as well.

Next is the Zanzibar.  It's inspired by historical textiles of the 19th century.  Very beautiful and unique.

Here is Kohler's description of the beautiful Lilies Lore sink pictured below....."The design and inspiration of the Lilies Lore cast bronze lavatory is derived from the rich and highly stylized motifs of Art Nouveau. Breathing new life into an old world material, this cast bronze lavatory takes on a modern shape through an organic and intricate pattern. The grid drain is integral to the lavatory surface, offering a seamless bowl and continuous pattern. Over time, the Lilies Lore lavatory will develop a slight patina and transform into a warm brown finish."

I really like this sink, it's called the Twirl. I think it's absolutely beautiful, but I'd like to see and feel it so I can figure out how easy it would be to clean.


Last is a stainless steel sink called Bachata. I generally don't like stainless sinks in bathrooms, but I really like this picture from ArchiExpo.

Saturday Link Up!

 I'm always finding fun articles from around the web that I want to share with you, our readers.  Every Saturday I link up my favorite articles from the week that I think you'll enjoy as well.
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Cottage Modern is a blog by an Interior Designer in Minnesota.  She remodeled her kitchen a couple of years ago and has some great tips in her article Kitchen Products and Sources: Where I Saved & Splurged.

Photo: Cottage Modern

Looking to sell your home?  It isn't as quick and easy as it once was.  Staging Works | Prepare Your Space on City Home Collective will help you prepare to sell your home.

Photo: City Home Collective

Kitchen Counters: Elegant, Timeless Marble on Houzz.

Modern Kitchen design by Atlanta General Contractor Cablik Enterprises

Budget is the most important first step to any remodel. How Much Should Your Kitchen Remodel Cost on The Street will help you get started.

Photo: Cultivate

 

FAQ Friday: What's the mesh backing on the back of my slab?

The mesh backing is added at the quarry (or wherever the stone is processed) to add support during shipping and also fabricating the slab.
We are seeing more and more stones have mesh backing lately because of the improved quarrying processes, equipment and technology.  There are a lot of stones that used to be too fragile to quarry, ship and fabricate.  With the improved processes we now have a much larger selection of natural stone to chose from!

Seafoam Green granite kitchen from Bouma Kellerman Design.

All stones are not created equally, some stones are much more difficult to work with than others.  This is just one more reason to keep in mind how important it is to hire a knowledgeable, skilled and experienced fabricator.   At MGS by Design, we often add steel rods to the countertops that we feel may need some added strength, especially at the sink and cooktop cutouts.   Crappy fabricators do not take this extra step and cost.

Full Slab Showers = Most Amazing Thing Ever

If you have....

• A good amount of money to spend on your bath.
• The desire for a unique and beautiful focal point in your bathroom.
• No reason to clean grout lines.

Then.... you should totally consider using a full slab in your shower!

Juan Montoya Design via Interiors.  Shower is two bookmatched slabs of Azul Macauba quartzite.  Stuh-nning!

 Yes, this is an expensive option.
Why?  Well, slabs (especially the stunning, focal point kind) are pretty expensive alone.  Add a good amount of labor costs to the equation and it's definitely not the cheapest option for a shower.
A lot of people ask me why the installation costs are so high and why they need to hire a knowledgeable and experienced installer.  I tell them if they don't want a 700 lb slab of stone falling on them while they are shaving their legs then they should pay to hire the best!  :)

Cost aside, I think most of you will agree....it's sure a ridiculously beautiful option!

Calacatta marble slabs in this shower designed by Kravitz Design via decor pad.

 If the shower is large enough that it requires more than one slab per wall make sure to select slabs that are bookmatched.  Both showers in the two photos above have bookmatched slabs.  As you can see, it makes for an even more interesting and beautiful work of art.

Most showers will require just one slab per wall.  You can use slabs on all of the shower walls, or you can "frame" the slab with tile like in the photo below.
The shower would be too busy looking if the Onyx slab was everywhere.  By keeping it on one wall it allows the beauty of the Onyx to shine. 
Also notice how well they designed the lighting in this shower.

Modern Bathroom design by Denver Lighting Designer 186 Lighting Design Group - Gregg Mackell

Whiteout Wednesday: 5 White Kitchens with Calacatta Marble Countertops and Full Height Backsplashes

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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 My very favorite white kitchens are the kitchens with Calacatta marble countertops and Calacatta  marble slab on the backsplash.  The marble is stunning and I think using it as a full height splash just ups the WOW factor of the kitchen.
My husband wouldn't go for this look in our kitchen, but if I were single this would hands-down be my next kitchen. 
Today I've rounded up five gorgeous kitchens with Calacatta marble on both the countertops and the full height backsplashes.
Enjoy!

Photo: decor pad

Notice the niche cut into the full height splash in the kitchen below.  Great for keeping olive oil, balsamic vinegar, etc close to the stove.  I love this detail.  Also, the lights in this kitchen are do die for.

Photo: Cococozy

Great shelf detail in the splash in this next kitchen.  This is a great way to break up the backsplash when you may be a little short on material.

Photo: Aaron Leitz Photography

Photo: Milton Development

Photo: James Michael Howard

Orite Granite with a Leathered Finish on a Theater Bar & Fireplace from MGS by Design

For the last couple of weeks I have been posting pictures of one of the Parade Homes we did this summer. 
Today I have the Theater Bar and Fireplace that we fabricated out of Orite granite with a Leathered Finish.  We purchased the stone from one of our local suppliers, Adamas Stone.

I love this beautiful hammered copper prep sink!

The Orite is a really unique and beautiful stone.  Overall it's black with rust, dark purples, white quartz and silver running through it.
The Leather Finish goes pretty deep into the stone, so it's very textured.  I tried to capture the texture in the photo below...

We used the same stone on the Fireplace Hearth and Face that was in the Living Room right outside of the Theater Room.

If you have missed some of the posts about this home, be sure to catch up!

• Silver Travertine in the Master Bath.  Oak Bamboo quartzite in the Master Closet.
• Carrara Marble Powder Bath & Galaxy Black Great Room Fireplace.
• Chocolate Truffle CaesarStone in the Guest Bath & Laundry Room. 
• Absolute Black & Australian Reef Granite in the Kitchen. 
• Darling Grandkids Bath with Carrara Marble.

Please come back, I have more of this beautiful home to show you!

Countertops: MGS by Design
Interior Design: Clayton Thompson (He doesn't have a website, email me if you'd like his contact info).
Home Builder: Peterson Builders

Slab Sunday: Bianco Romano granite

Bianco Romano is quarried from a bedrock quarry in Brazil. 

Bianco Romano is primarily white with grey, cream and tan veining.  There are spots of burgundy garnets in this slab, some slabs have more than others.
The pattern and coloring can change quite a bit from bundle to bundle, so I'd recommend selecting your exact slabs if at all possible.

Photo: Guild Quality

Contemporary Kitchen design by Detroit Interior Designer Green Apple Design

Bianco Romano is a granite color that I suggest a lot when a client is wanting the look of a white marble kitchen without the maintenance. (See this post about marble kitchens).

Traditional Kitchen design by Chicago Kitchen And Bath Rebekah Zaveloff

Photo: The Granite Gurus

Other names for Bianco Romano include: White Romano, Blanco Romano, Novo Branco Romano,  Bianca Romano, Pashmina and Tropical White.

Photo:  Ikea Fans.

You will generally find the slab with a polished finish at the supplier. Don't be afraid to ask your fabricator about other finish options for this stone. I love Bianco Romano with a honed finish. 

Photo: Kitchen Design Notes.

Eclectic Kitchen design by Boston Tile Stone And Countertop Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops

Bianco Romano is an excellent choice for exterior use. It is a very hard granite and the light color will help it not get so hot to the touch in the summer months.

Traditional Kitchen design by New York Architect Richard Bubnowski Design LLC

Bianco Romano is available in 2 cm and 3 cm slabs as well as tile.

Saturday Link Up!

 I'm always finding fun articles from around the web that I want to share with you, our readers.  Every Saturday I link up my favorite articles from the week that I think you'll enjoy as well.
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It's fun when our favorite people talk about us on their blogs :) 
Emily from is this REALLY my life? and Stephanie from The Daily Blarg came down for a visit last week, and you can read what Emily thought on her blog.  The title of the post made us laugh...MGS by Design--the best place to get stone(d).

Photo: is this REALLY my life?

I keep seeing little notes on Facebook from blogs that I like trying to get me to do something so that their pages will keep coming up on my feed.  I thought it was all a bunch of malarkey until I read the article Grrr, Facebook on the blog two twenty one.
I keep up with most of the blogs I read through Facebook, so I was annoyed to read that Facebook isn't showing all of their posts anymore if the administrator doesn't pay.  Anyway, read the article and then if you too like to keep up on your favorite blogs via Facebook take the time to make an "Interest List".  (The article gives you step-by-step directions on how to do so).  It took me maybe 10 minutes to add all of my favorite blogs to my Interest List but now I feel like my Facebook is all organized and I'm not missing out anymore!
Oh and while you are on Facebook you should 'Like' us and add us to your Interest List.  ;)
https://www.facebook.com/MGSbyDesign

I could write a novel about how much it annoys me that because of diy tv shows a lot of people now expect something totally different from Interior Designers than what their actual job description is.  But I won't go on and on about it.  You can just read this great article on Apartment Therapy... Interior Designers: Reality Shows vs. Reality.

Photo: Apartment Therapy

If your style is vintage you'll love this article on Houzz...  12 Inspring Real-Life Vintage Kitchens.

Eclectic Kitchen design

FAQ Friday: Will My Granite Look Like the Sample Picture Online?

Yes and no.
The samples you see online are photographs and as such, color tones may differ.
Variations in computer monitors, monitor resolutions and browser displays may also alter the original colors of pictures that are online.
Additionally, consider that granite is a natural material with naturally occurring variations in colour, tone, granularity and pattern. These unique differences are the source of each stone's natural beauty.
Here's an example.
These first two photos are both online samples of Crema Bordeaux from two different websites.

Pretty different from each other right?
Now, here is a picture of a kitchen out of the same color, Crema Bordeaux...

Photo: Paramount Granite

The lesson here is that while you can get an idea of what a stone color looks like online you REALLY NEED TO SELECT YOUR EXACT SLABS.  Stone can just vary so much from bundle to bundle.  Looking at online samples should really just be the first step that helps you narrow down the options.  After that you need to put in the work and spend time at the stone slab yards.

Darling Grandkids Bath with Carrara Marble from MGS by Design

I'm still working on showing you guys all of the pictures from the Parade Home we did this summer.  This was a big house, so I'm breaking it up into quite a few posts.
In case you've missed what I've posted so far, here's a recap...

• Silver Travertine in the Master Bath.  Oak Bamboo quartzite in the Master Closet.
• Carrara Marble Powder Bath & Galaxy Black Great Room Fireplace.
• Chocolate Truffle CaesarStone in the Guest Bath & Laundry Room. 
• Absolute Black & Australian Reef Granite in the Kitchen.

This home is gorgeous, so take the time to catch up if you need to.

Today we are on to the Grandkids Bath.  That's what I'm calling it anyway and you'll see why.  While working on this job I always referred to it as the 'Loft Bath', so when I went to the home to take pictures after it was all finished I was so surprised by this adorable bath!

Yep, that's a firetruck bathtub!
Of course I love the Carrara marble and the fun yellow and green accent tiles, but that firetruck bathtub was such a fun surprise to me!  I'm a 30-something year old woman that was excited to see this tub.....think of how much their grandkids probably love it? 

We did the polished Carrara marble countertop on the vanity.  The edge detail is the 1 1/2" Ogee Bullnose.

Countertops: MGS by Design
Interior Design: Clayton Thompson (He doesn't have a website, email me if you'd like his contact info).
Home Builder: Peterson Builders