Granite, Quartz & Marble Concepts For Your Home

Over the last few years, many different finishing options have come to market for granite and quartz countertops.  Before these last few years, we had only been able to see Granite and Quartz in polished finishes. Now that the industry has grown and quartz and granite are hugely popular in modern design, we are beginning to see a variety of available finishes for stone countertops. 

Leathered and honed finishes are often related to each other, but do have specific differences between the two.  Honed finishes were first introduced to give stone a softer look compared to that of polished stone.  One of the only problems to consider with using a honed finish is that it can affect the overall performance of the stone when it comes to staining.  Leathered finishes have advanced the honed look to allow for better performance.  Leathering closes the stone pores, which make it much more difficult to stain than a honed finished.  Leathering also retains the natural stone colour while honed finishing tends to cloud out the natural colour of the stone.

Silestone has been offering quartz countertop colours in a leathered finish for a nearly five years.  Coming very soon, Silestone will introduce a new texture to the market that has not yet been approached:  Volcano.  This new Volcano texture is said to give the feel of an orange peel, while continuing to offer the same performance standards as their leathered and polished finishes.  Silestone expects to release this finish, along with a variety of new and exciting colours this summer. Silestone is able to offer their remarkable 15 year warranty with these new finishes as well.

If you are interested in learning more about leathered, honed, or Volcano finishes to your granite or quartz products, please visit Latitude Countertops or speak with one of our knowledgeable and friendly sales team members. 

Because if we were, the answer for me is always 2. Mmmmmmm, Pasta. 

But since we are talking about sink bowls, the answer is a little more involved.  Most commonly, we see single or double bowl sinks.  There are some 3 bowl sinks available, but the selection is relatively small.

There are many reasons why someone would select one type over another:

ONE BOWL: They are usually larger sinks that fits large pots and baking sheets.

TWO BOWLS: If someone would like to install a garbage disposal, it might be nice to have a little bowl dedicated to that in addition to a large bowl. Some people like to put the dish drainer directly into a bowl and use the other bowl for washing dishes. My mom like 2 bowls because one is for washing with dish detergent and the second one is for rinsing.

THREE BOWLS: People may want to dedicate one small bowl to garbage disposal, and have two large bowls, one for accumulating dirty dishes and one for prepping food, which would come in handy for large dinner parties.

If we are looking at current design trends, Single bowls are the way to go.  Large rectangular ones like Blanco’s Precision U Maxi are very design forward.  This look is in line with the clean, minimalistic trend seen in today’s kitchen and bath designs. Appliances are hidden, Countertop thickness (see my blog on What’s “In” in Counter Top Thicknesses), handles, etc. are minimized and now, so is the look of the sink.  

Blanco Precision Maxi U 1 Stainless Steel Sink

In the end, It comes down to functionality and how you like to wash your dishes.  Do you have a dishwasher and like a large single bowl to wash the pots that you can’t put in the dishwasher? Are you the type, like my mom that likes to have one bowl for washing and one for rinsing?  Some people believe that they tend let dishes pile up if they have double bowl sinks since they still have a bowl to use and a single bowl sink forces them to wash the dishes every day. The one or two sink decision also depends on a lot of what you are used to.  When I went from a double sink to a single sink kitchen, I had to almost relearn how to wash dishes.  Then going back to a double sink, I found that I was only using one sink, and still used a bowl of soapy water on the counter top.  Now, since I have experience in both single and double bowl sinks, I would make the choice according to functionality and look.  Do you have a lot pot and pans? Do you bake a lot? Do you have a dishwasher?  I bake a lot, and hate washing cooking sheets in double bowl sinks.  I also have a big slow cooker and when I have to immerse in water, I can’t do it in a sink.  So for look and functionality, I would go for something like the Blanco Radius 10 U Maxi.  It’s big, stylish and the corners of the sink are rounded for easy cleaning.  Food would tend to get caught in tight corners.

Blanco Radius 10 U Maxi

If the goal in your kitchen is to be as green as possible, Latitude offers the best options for countertops.  Our knowledgeable sales people are always on hand to answer any questions that you have about the green qualities of the countertops that we offer at Latitude.

The new environmental craze that is happening, in regards to granite, is the testing for Radon gases in granite slabs.  Many people have asked us about Radon gases in granite, and what effect it can have on your home.  Granite, and other natural stone products, always contains traces of NORMs (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) that produce measureable amounts of radiation and sometimes Radon gas.

Although all granite is tested for radon, it is possible that small amounts of the radioactive material can still be found in the slab.  Not to worry though, as Radon gas usually becomes insignificant when diluted with the quantity of air in your home.  Most Radon gas that is produced in your home is from the actual soil that your house is built on.  I have included a pie chart that shows the most abundant locations for radon gas in your home.

 Although granite does not usually have enough radon gas in it to be harmful to your family, you may still be cautious of putting granite in your home.   In that case, Latitude offers 5 Natural Quartz Surfaces that are all leading the charge in safer countertop options.   For your information, I have included links to each of these suppliers “Green Qualities” on their websites.

Silestone

Caesarstone

Hanstone

Zodiaq

Eco by Cosentino

If you have any other questions regarding the green qualities of countertops, please visit our showroom, or showroom locator for a Latitude dealer near you!!

Happy Holidays!!

C

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the monthly chapter meeting for the NKBA, being held at Euro-Line Appliances in Oakville.  It was nice to meet and socialize with the other members of the NKBA, while enjoying a delicious meal and an informative presentation.   The guest speaker at this month’s chapter meeting was Janette Ewen, Décor/Design Expert and Co-Host of “Inside the Box” with Ty Pennington.  Janette has toured Europe visiting many different Design and Decor Shows, gathering new trends that are beginning to be seen amongst their design community. 

The presentation was very interesting, and I was able to take away a few great ideas that are beginning to be seen in the counter top and kitchen design industry.  Janette mentioned that, currently, the common trend in Europe is to choose basic, simple colours such as black, white, and grey, as the main colour theme in the kitchen.  Use these colours as the central point in your kitchen, such as appliances, countertops, and even sinks.  

After designing your kitchen around these basic colours, Janette suggests accenting the kitchen with bright colours, such as blue and green.  These accent colours should be seen in smaller, more exchangeable items in the kitchen, such as dish towels, soap dispensers, and centre pieces.  Using accent colours with these items allows you to change the look of your kitchen as trends continue to change throughout the years.

  This helps keep your kitchen in style, without having to spend too much money.  Quartz counter tops can be a great addition to this package, as they are the most durable counter top that Latitude offers.  We currently offer the following Quartz products: Silestone, Caesarstone, Hanstone, Compac, and ECO by Cosentino.

At Latitude, we offer many different styles of black, white, and grey counter tops.  Caesarstone continues to produce the boldest colours in these shades.  I have included a few pictures of what these colours look like, but the best way to get a view of these colours is to visit our showroom, or one of our many dealers that can be found on our Showroom Locator.  Latitude’s showroom is open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, and Saturdays from 10am-2pm.  I look forward to discussing these new and upcoming trends in the counter top and kitchen design industry, when you come visit us at Latitude.

Caesarstone-Raven(Above)

Caesarstone- Pure White(Below)

People love the look of Bianca Carrara marble for their kitchen but how practical is it? 

(Bianca Carrara)

Bianca Carrara (compared to granite) is very soft and porous.  Acidic juices from tomatoes or lemons etc., can etch it, red wine can stain it, and it scratches easily. So in a  kitchen where the counter top meets oils, sauces and chopping regularly, it may not be the most practical choice. 

A good sealer is a must to help stop marble from staining.  Anything that spills on marble will have to be wiped up immediately.

Treat the marble with care

Whether or not the marble is the right material for you is a lifestyle choice. For those busy people that don't have the time to clean messes right away, they may not want to go with marble but a granite or even quartz counter top.  When purchasing a marble counter top, you have to be prepared to take the time to care for it. It is also interesting to note that marble  counter tops have been used in homes and restaurants for hundreds of years and they didn't have the sophisticated sealers that we have now, they let it stain, chip and etch and still consider it beautiful.

When customers come to Latitude for Bianca Carrara or other marbles for your kitchen counter top, we tell our customers that we don't recommend marble for kitchens; that it stains, chips and etches and ask you fill out a waiver to ensure that our customers understand the nature of marble. We want our customers to be informed and to make the best decisions. If you are choosing marble for you your kitchen, ask yourself these three important questions.

1. Am I ready to seal it every year?
2. Am I prepared to wipe all spills and messes right away?
3. Can I continue to love my marble as it ages, even if it does stain, chip or etch? 

If you answer yes to these questions, then go for it! If you answer no or are unsure of your answers, then a granite or quartz counter top may be the better choice for you.