Onyx in the bathroom

Onyx is a beautiful stone to use in your bathroom.
Beware that it etches when anything acidic gets on it and that it is more porous and softer than granite. 
If you know the few issues it has before you put it in your bathroom, once it's installed you will love it!
Here are some pictures of baths, some use a little and some have a lot of onyx.

This first one is quite amazing.  They have used at least four, but possibly six slabs of onyx.  The slabs are bookmatched which creates this beautiful pattern on the wall.

Photo: Trendir

contemporary bathroom design by los angeles interior designer Elaine Morrison Interiors

Photo: Interiors by Mae

This large sink in the photo below is onyx.  Crazy right?

mediterranean bathroom design by other metros showroom Drew McDaniel

modern bathroom design by photographer Elad Gonen & Zeev Beech

Slab Sunday: Nero Marinace granite

One of my favorite granite colors is Nero Marinace. 
It's kind of busy, but it's just so dang cool. 

Nero Marinace comes from Brazil.

You'd think it would look the same from bundle to bundle, but surprisingly it can change enough that I'd strongly recommend picking out your exact slabs. 

Photo from Natural Stone Sales.

 

Photo from Stone Fabricators.

It's such a unique and interesting stone that it is a piece of art.  I love it when people hang stone on their walls like in the photo below.

Photo source.

Photo from The Marble Warehouse.

I've been holding on to a couple of remnants of Nero Marinace for about 3 years now.  Someday I will have some custom end tables and a coffee table made out of them.  I designed my whole living room around this stone, so I better get on it!

Photo source.

Photo source.

There are also other colors similar to the Nero Marinace, they just have a different background color.  There's a Verde Marinace, Red Marinace and Blue Marinace.

Photo: HGTV

Nero Marinace is available in 2 cm and 3 cm slabs.

StonExpo/ Surfaces recap: Part 2

My personal favorite booth at the show was Dal Tile's. Their marketing department always does a great job.

They also introduced their new slate panels.  It's thin and plyable, so can be wrapped around columns.  It's not out yet, it's coming soon. I don't have all the details, but I think it's going to be really cool.  You can see it on the right in the photo below.

*Photos from MGS by Design and Dal Tile.

StonExpo/ Surfaces recap: Part 1

I don't think there will be too many "parts" to this StonExpo/ Surfaces story, but there will definitely be more than one.  Thus the "Part 1" differentiation in the title.
Anyway....
One of my favorite things that I saw at the show was from the company Voguebay. I just linked to their website, but don't get too excited, their website is mediocre at best.  Also, the literature they gave away at the show sucked.  So Voguebay, if you are reading this....work on your marketing!
Luckily they have cool products, so I'll give them a pass.
The tile I loved was a line of glass tile that is adhered to stone.  The stone is real, it's just really thin (how thin?  Well, I don't know.  The website didn't say!) and then the glass is adhered? fused? on top of the stone.
It's really cool.
They only offer tile, not slabs.  I think slabs may be cool though.
It was kind of funny, the sales guy in the booth was trying to tell me why it was so awesome.  He said "Now you can use marble in your shower!"  Guess what guy?  You could anyway.  Marble does great in showers.
He also said "See this blue?  Now it won't etch."  In my head I said "See this blue?  It's Azul Macauba quartzite.  It won't etch anyway, since quartzite doesn't etch." 
I'm really nice in person though, so I just smiled and acted impressed.
Here are a few not-so-great pics I snapped with my phone.
This first one is Calacatta Gold marble.  It's hard to tell in the pictures that it's a glass tile, it just looks like stone.  But maybe that's the point. 

 The next two pics are the Azul Macauba.

They also had a couple of onyx colors.

Anyway, it's a really cool product with an even cooler potential in my opinion.
I can get it locally, so let me know if you are interested!

Whiteout Wednesday: Volume 10

Speaking of Kriste Michelini yesterday.  This first kitchen is actually her own home.  The countertops look to be white quartz, though I'm not sure which brand. 

Photo: HGTV

This next kitchen is from Molly Frey Design.  Honestly, I'm not sure what these countertops are either.  I can't quite see them well enough. 

Photo: Molly Frey Design

This kitchen's countertops are a granite called White Palmas.  We don't have anything by that name here in Utah, but it's similar to Bianco Romano...if not the same thing.

traditional kitchen design by chicago kitchen and bath Rebekah Zaveloff

Carrara marble countertops in the next two beautiful kitchens.

Photo: Windlost

Photo: Memois

Catch up!

• Volume 1
• Volume 2,
• Volume 3,
• Volume 4,
• Volume 5,
• Volume 6 
• Volume 7
• Volume 8 
• Volume 9

Carrara marble bathroom

Well, I made it to Vegas for the StonExpo/ Surfaces.  I spent all day yesterday in classes, they were all awesome.  I love attending industry events.  I always come home excited, inspired and motivated.

Anyway, this morning I wanted to show you this amazing bathroom designed by Kriste Michelini.

Photo: Kriste Michelini Interiors

Notice the bathtub is INSIDE the shower!  I honestly don't think I've ever seen anything like this before.  It took me a minute to decide if I liked it or not, but the more I look at this photo the more I LOVE the idea.

Plus, any bath with this much Carrara marble is pretty much guaranteed to be gorgeous.  :)

Photo: Kriste Michelini Interiors

Be sure to take a look at Kriste's entire portfolio.  Seriously.  It's amazing.

Current Specials Update

I don't generally post on Saturdays, but I wanted to update about our Current Specials.
I have updated the quantities of what we have available and we have also added the awesome Super White quartzite.
Click the tab above called Current Specials to see all four of the colors we have on sale right now.

Also, I'm excited to be in Las Vegas next week for the StonExpo/ Surfaces show.  I'm leaving tomorrow!  I'll try to keep the blog updated while I'm out of town, but please excuse me if I'm a bit MIA.

Durango travertine Wet Bar

Here are some pictures of a Wet Bar from our portfolio. 

The countertops are Durango travertine with a 1 1/2" Beveled edge detail. 

All images from MGS by Design.

CaesarStone in a mid-century home in Encino

The LA Times blog posted a great article about this amazing mid-century home in Encino, California.
The kitchen is a stunner, the countertops are Apple Martini CaesarStone.

Photo: LA Times

This bathroom's countertops are CaesarStone as well, probably Blizzard or Pure White.

Photo: LA Times

The entire home is amazing, click here to see more pictures.

Whiteout Wednesday: Volume 9

Beautiful, beautiful kitchen from designer Ghislaine Vinas.  The Calacatta Gold marble everywhere is just stunning.

Photo from Flickr.

These next two photos are of the same kitchen.  The countertops with the Waterfall Island are quartz, but notice the backsplash.  It's Emperador Dark marble, isn't that such a great combination? 

contemporary kitchen design by other metros kitchen and bath Darren Morgan

 Photo from Darren Morgan.

Carrara marble countertops and sink, also notice the arched shape of the backsplash.  Beauty is in the details!

Photo from Southern Living.

Another beautiful Carrara marble countertop and sink combo.  People are always so afraid of these marble sinks, but they blend so perfectly with the countertops.

Photo from Auction Girl Vintage.

Need to catch up?

• Volume 1
• Volume 2,
• Volume 3,
• Volume 4,
• Volume 5,
• Volume 6 
• Volume 7
• Volume 8 

HGTV's Dream Home 2011

It's that time of year again, HGTV is promoting their Dream Home 2011 like crazy.  It's a beautiful home located in Stowe, Vermont.  I'd LOVE to win this home!  Click here for your chance to win it.

The kitchen countertops are a white quartz.  I couldn't find anywhere that said what brand or color it is, I'd love to know though.  Comment here or send me an email if you happen to know.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the beautiful kitchen...

 The backsplash is Carrara marble.

All images from HGTV.

Slab Sunday: Daino Reale marble

Daino Reale marble is quarried from a bedrock quarry in Italy.

Photo from Arizona Tile.

It's a beautiful creamy/ tan marble.  It can vary quite a bit from slab to slab so be sure to select your exact slabs.  You will see this marble used a lot for flooring, but it's a really pretty countertop option. 

Photo from Stone World.

Other names for Daino Reale include... Breccia Sarda, Daino Reale Beige, Deano Reale, and Daino Real.

Photo from Stone World.

This marble was formed at the bottom of a shallow sea and sediments built up over millions of years to create the exceptional layered structure.

Photo source.

The slabs are bookmatched, so it's a great color to use if you have a large island.

Photo from ISC Surfaces.

Check out this floor in the photo below.  The time they spent laying it out was well worth it, this is stunning!

Photo source.

Photo from Arizona Tile.

 

Daino Reale is available in 2 cm and 3 cm slabs as well as tile.