Granite, Quartz & Marble Concepts For Your Home

Calacatta Marble looks great in a new kitchen.  Unfortuantely, like most marbles, it is a soft material prone to chipping, staining and etching.  Within a year of installtion, most Calacatta Marble kitchens look well used and abused.  As a result, homeowners are advised to avoid Calacatta Marble countertops in their kitchens and this stunning marble has been relegated to bathrooms.

For all you Calacatta Marble lovers, here is a new kitchen design tip!

Diamastone has just introduced a new product, Nature Calacatta that is a stunning replica of Calacatta Marble.  Nature Calacatta is a man made quartz material that resists chipping, staining and etching.  Like all quartz materials it is durable and maintenance free.

Marble is a counter fabricator's nightmare.  Even though we use special diamond marble blades to cut the material and handle the material with extreme care, we inevitably end up with breakage either in the shop, transportation or installation.  When fabrication or installation breakage happens, we are then left trying to match the marble from differnet slabs in the same block or a new block.  It's never a happy story for the designer, the fabricator or the home owner.

Recently we had the opportunity to make a counter top from Diamastone's Nature Calacatta quartz.  Wow, what a dream material.  Not only was it easy to work with, it was a dead ringer for calacatta marble!

We left a sample of the Diamastone Nature Calacatta on our Calacatta Marble table in our showroom for everyone to see.  Over the course of two weeks we had marble distributors, designers, sales people and home owners all mistaked the sample piece for the same Calacatta Marble material used for our showroom table. (Just for the record, our showroom table has coffee stains, etching, chips and cracks in it but we love it anyways.  If someone from Diamastone is reading this blog, we would love a sample piece so we can replace our table top.)

Latitude fabricates granite, marble and quartz countertops in 8 business days, AND beginning 2011, we will be fabricating in 7 business days. So from template or from when a layout is provided, you only have to wait 7 business days beginning in January 2011.

What’s the catch? There are no catches.  But there are a few things that we need to make this happen.  We need all the details confirmed on the confirmation sheet (we have to know what we are making – the colour, edge profile selection…) and if we are templating, all the cabinets must be secured and installed in their final location.  We create digital templates and they are very exact (within a milimetre!). Have your sink there too so the templator can ensure that it fits in your cabinet. Have a slide in stove? The templator will want to take a look at that too.  Essentially, if it affects the countertop, the templator will want to know about it.

Once the templator has plotted all the points into the computer, he translates everything into CAD. From there, in goes to the sawyers, to the laminators, CNC machines, water polishers, into installers trucks and to your home…in SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS!

 Want us to make it from your drawing? No Problem! Ensure that your layout has the shape clearly drawn, and all sides have the exact measurement that you want us to make the top.  The centre of the sink must be clearly marked since that is how we need that to cut the sink top out.  Edges that need to be finished should be marked with an “o” on the drawing and we need to know how many faucet holes to drill (typically single, 3 hole 4” centres, 3 holes 8” centres drilled either straight or curved.

We will look over the drawing and let you know if we have any issues with the drawing that you give us.  And again, from there, in goes to the sawyers, to the laminators, CNC machines, water polishers,into  installers trucks and to your home…in SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS!

We do recommend that you have one of our professional templator come to your home to digitally templator your kitchen, since the space tends to be bigger and more complicated.

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.

Fireplaces are usually the focal point of the room so it is important to give it the attention it needs when renovating a room.  Granite and marble are very good choices for the fireplace hearth, surround and mantel.  Granite and marble are heat resistant and durable.  Every piece of granite is beautifully different and unique, ensuring that you are the sole owner of that particular look.  Another trend is to create a fireplace face with granite or marble that goes from the floor to the ceiling, but it is important to have the space for that look.  Whether you want the floor to ceiling look or a granite mantel, it is vital to have proper support for the stone.  The wall behind the stone must be braced or reinforced before the stone can be installed. A good contractor should be able to help with that.

How do I choose a colour?

Pick a colour that goes with the overall colour scheme of the space.  If you want choose a stone with little patterning, accent the fireplace with decorative items on the mantel.  If the colouring and the patterning of the stone is busy or loud, it will be most beautiful on its own or with a couple of accents in one colour, you don't want it to be cluttered.  Some people prefer a more neutral colour and will use accents to change the look and feel of the room.  Paint and accents are inexpensive ways to change the look and feel of a room.  Keep in mind that when choosing a very colourful granite, the room will always have to match the fireplace, unless you want to change the granite to match the changing look of your room.

Where do I get a granite or marble fireplace?

You can buy them already made but it is a good idea to buy is custom made by a reputable stone fabricator.  LATITUDE has been in this industry for over 25 years.  We have fabricated 100's of mantels, surrounds and hearths, and more recently the floor to ceiling fireplace face.  Our templators are armed with plotters that will create a digital template of your fireplace. Fabrication is extremely precise with our CNC machines and laser guided saws. Come see us at 66 LePage Court, Toronto, ON 416 638 8586