This is a new Soapstone color we are offering called Saratoga Black.  It would make for a stunning kitchen, subtle with a great texture.  The best part, nothing will stain it.  We can even custom build a sink to match.  Enjoy this holiday season, and please call us if you have any questions or are interested in anything countertop related.

Green Onyx Slab

Onyx, or onice in Italian, is a very versatile stone.  It has movement and color changes no other stone can boast as well as generally being translucent, which makes onyx the ideal choice for back-lit applications.  You can find almost any color of onyx out there, from pure white to green to red, often in the same slab.  We even worked with a few slabs of black onyx, but I’ve never seen it before or since.  Onyx is quarried in a few different places, but most of it is so brittle that is almost unusable.  Make sure you pick out slabs worthy of your project (This is something that we, as a fabricator, can help with).  One benefit to it’s fragility is that we can often find half slabs and smaller pieces for small projects like vanities and bars, both ideal places for onyx countertops.

Onyx slab

I am not even sure what this slab of onyx is called, but it is definitely different.

White onyx slab

This is a pretty classic onyx slab.  Definitely the kind of thing you can light from underneath for a stunning effect.

Cappuchino Onyx

These are just a few of the amazing array of onyx slabs out there.  There are slabs of green onyx that are primarily red and slabs of red onyx that are primarily gold.  It is a stone that can be both beautiful and functional if done right, but also a stone that can be a disaster if done wrong.  A good fabricator can guide you through the process, helping you find the best slab, in both quality and appearance.

Someone today found this beauty for their master vanity, and were able to get a killer side table out of the other end.  In two weeks, they will have a brand new vanity with 2 vessel sinks and splash installed at their home, with a completely custom corner table for just over $1000!  An absolute steal!

This is the time.  We have turned people away all year long that called us for remnants.  We have tons of granite and marble remnants.  This weekend, you’ll be able to buy them at a huge discount.  You could save up to 80% off a bathroom remodel.  Come find that perfect piece.  Kohler sinks and Firstline Care products will also be on sale.  Come pick up a new bathroom counter cheap!

Calacatta Marble Kitchen

We have had about a thousand people come in over the last month and tell us the same story:  We want Carrara marble but have heard you cannot use marble in the kitchen.  What’s the next closest thing?

The simple answer is, nothing will look like Carrara marble except Carrara marble itself.  Its the timeless classic.  Sometimes it runs gray and sometimes the veins are harder than others, but nothing replicates the feel of it perfectly.  There are things we can do to help it stay as pure as possible.  One is a really good marble sealer.  We also recommend using honed Carrara, which we carry here.  Honed marbles (and granites) look less shiny than their polished alternatives.  They have a matte rather than glossy finish.

Marble has two issues, staining and etching.  Staining is pretty obvious.  It is a porous stone and can stain.  We can seal it, but in the end it will be up to you to clean up quickly.  Unless your kitchen is just for show, it will stain at some point.  The only consolation is that it probably won’t be as bad as you think it will be.  A red wine stain, the most commonly asked about, is not a vivid burgundy.  It seeps into the stone and fades.  You will probably notice it, but others will not.  There are poultices that can help remove stains.  They can be labor and time intensive, but they can really work.

Etching is, in my opinion, the real difficulty with marble.  Marbles (more precisely some of marble’s elements) react with acids commonly used in kitchens.  Etching is when the marble dulls in spots due to the chemical reaction.  Usually this is compounded by overhead lighting in the kitchen.  When you start with polished marble, etching can be quite noticeable and unappealing.  It is impractical to think you will never spill even a drop of juice, wine, coffee, or soda on your kitchen countertops.  The way we usually combat etching is to start with a honed marble.  That way, the etching is much less noticeable.  You don’t get that shiny reflection of light on a honed marble that you would on a polished stone.

Open up any design magazine and you will see plenty of marble kitchens.  There are extravagant Calacatta marble kitchens with full height backsplashes and classic Carrara kitchens with distressed wood bars.  All look amazing.  Most pictures are probably taken before anyone uses them, but there is no reason that with the right care and use they shouldn’t stay beautiful forever.

The other question we hear often is: What do they do in Europe where everyone has marble kitchens?  They live with them.  They cook and drink and enjoy them.  Your marble counter will never lose any of its functionality, no matter how much it stains and etches.  Europeans generally start with it honed and consider the stains battle scars.  Our recommendation is that you consider your options and weigh the decision based on the actual information.  Your neighbor might be driven crazy by a stain on a kitchen counter, but your other neighbor might think it adds character.  The beautiful thing is how many options you have now.  There are some very interesting granites that are in the grey and white realm, and even stronger are some of the quartz options we carry.  Cambria, Caesarstone, Okite, Silestone and some others all have great options meant to mimic different marbles that will not stain or etch.  In fact, it is nearly impossible to damage a quartz countertop.

We can show you what each option looks like and help explain the benefits and drawbacks of each surface.  Our showroom is open every weekday and we’d be happy to help you through the decision.  There is no reason this could not be yours:

Calacatta Marble Kitchen with full height back splash