People doing contemporary homes should consider mitered edges rather than waterfalls, bullnoses, and ogees. A miter is an edge that is cut on the diagonal and seamed through the corner. It hides the seam extremely well and enables us to make the edge any length you want. Here is a photo of an island countertop we installed near Houston, TX. The material is Caesarstone Nougat. It is modern way to get end panels on an island.
Mitered Edges
When buying granite, beware of slabs you haven’t seen. Different slabs can look extremely different despite having the same name. Pictures can be deceiving too. Even seeing the granite can fool you if it is under different light. Here are 3 photos I just took of the exact same slab in the same position, just different degrees of close-up:
1. The whole slab in our warehouse:
New Venetian Gold slab
2. Close up #1
New Venetian Gold Close-up
3. Close up #2, taken from a slightly different angle
4. A picture of a sample next to a big piece of what was actually delivered to the customer (by a competitor)
New Venetian Gold
Just a warning that pictures can be deceiving. Names can be deceiving. Lights can be deceiving. This is a big decision that you will live with for years. Make sure you have people you trust doing the work. Ask questions; its the only way to get what you truly want.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: John Weller
Stone Store
713-476-9006
STONE STORE, LTD, 11850 HEMPSTEAD HWY., SUITE 230
has earned the coveted designation of Marble Institute of America (MIA) Accredited Natural Stone Fabricator and may now use the official accreditation logo. Accredited Natural Stone Fabricators are primarily companies that work on residential projects such as kitchens and bathrooms.
To become an Accredited Natural Stone Fabricator by the MIA, a company must have successfully completed three phases of application. Phase one was the completion of a lengthy application that required the applicant company to provide various documents and references which ensure that the company is in compliance with the 10 standards of accreditation as laid out by the MIA Accreditation Commission. Phase two required the company’s qualifying agent (the designated company representative responsible for filing and maintaining accreditation records for the applicant company) to pass a 200 question multiple choice test. The exam tested the applicant’s knowledge and application of material usage, installation, fabrication, restoration, care and maintenance, administration, legal/contracts, and jobsite and shop safety. The third phase was a comprehensive site visit, which included a facility review, document review, and one or more installation site visits.
Garen Distelhorst, the Special Initiatives Director at the MIA said, “Stone Store is now able to proudly display the accreditation logo, which symbolizes that they are among the finest in the natural stone industry with respect to craftsmanship, safety, and business practices.”
Currently, over 40 Natural Stone Fabricators have achieved accreditation.
For over 60 years the Marble Institute of America has been the world’s leading information resource and advocate for the natural dimension stone industry. MIA members include marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and other natural stone producers and quarriers, fabricators, installers, distributors, and contractors around the world. The purpose of the MIA’s accreditation program is to provide excellence in the natural stone industry and recognize companies demonstrating compliance with quality standards, so that the public values, has access to, and benefits from consistent, competent, and safe fabrication, installation and maintenance of natural stone.
Lava granite
If you are remodeling a vanity or in need of a shelf or bar top, granite remnants can sometimes pay off. This is especially true for the more expensive colors of stone out there. Instead of having to buy an entire slab, you wind up with a quarter slab. On a $400 slab, you won’t save much, but on a $2000 slab, it can be substantial. If you are in Houston, we have lots of exotic remnants that you can get at a fraction of the cost of a slab. Its always better to call first, but if you are in the neighborhood, stop by and you might find the perfect piece. To find the remnant you want, you are going to need a little luck and a lot of patience, but in the end a nice Lava buffet top can really make your home stand out.
In Houston, Soapstone has not caught on like it has on the east coast. It has remarkable properties, the most noteworthy being the difference in appearance after you rub mineral oil into it or even just wet it. The closest comparison is a chalkboard. I just walked into our shop and wiped a wet rag over the surface of the right half of this slab of Stillwater Grey Soapstone. Its amazing.
Soapstone oiled vs untreated
Speaking of Soapstone, a clever company out of Vermont, where lots of Soapstone comes from, has found a new use for it. Soapstone has a few unique properties. It is non-porous, so doesn’t take on liquids. It also holds temperature and is structurally unaffected by it. And it is relatively soft, so it won’t scratch your glass. So naturally, you can freeze blocks of it and use it to cool down scotch!
http://www.teroforma.com/Set_of_9_Whisky_Stones_20187.html
It seems the one thing everyone knows when they walk into our showroom for the first time is that you cannot use marble in the kitchen. And I would agree with that for the most part. If you are going to rent your home or you are looking for function, granite or quartz would be best, but for those seeking a unique look, marble and soapstone are a beautiful choice. A simple white carrera marble is not so expensive and a great way to distinguish your home from the neighbors. It gives a classic European look that lends itself equally well to contemporary kitchens and country style homes. Soapstone is another natural product that is beautiful in kitchens. It is always a darker color, mostly blacks and greens with some white veining.
This is an article about using marble, limestone and soapstone as kitchen countertops.
These slabs of Black Onyx are absolutely wild. They took some looking for, but have spectacular plumes of gray and black.
Black Onyx Slabs
The details of this onyx are almost otherworldly:
Black Onyx Details
Black Onyx Details
Colonial Cream Granite Slab
We just got in our new 3cm Colonial Cream granite slabs. Plenty to go around. Here is the detail:
Colonial Cream granite
