Whiteout Wednesday

White kitchens and baths are definitely the hottest trend I am seeing right now.  It's also the subject I get asked about the most.  From white Carrara marble to white quartz there is a lot to consider when using white countertops.
Whiteout Wednesday is a weekly feature where I show five kitchens and/ or baths that have used white in a beautiful way.
If you have a white kitchen or bath that you would like to see featured here please email me.
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Hello, hello!  Today we have a very fun Whiteout Wednesday. 
Gloria Graham is a kitchen designer in Florida and writes one of my favorite blogs, Kitchens for Living.  She sent me a few pictures of a white kitchen that she designed and yes, it's beautiful!
The countertops are a 3 cm white quartz.

Photo: Kitchens for Living

I just love that blue penny tile backsplash! 

Photo: Kitchens for Living

It's all the details in this kitchen that make it so great.  The pendent lights, the glass doors above the refrigerator and this magnetic chalkboard on the end of the island.  This is sure to keep the little ones entertained while you are making dinner!

Photo: Kitchens for Living

Thank you Gloria for sharing this beautiful kitchen with us. 
If you would like to see more photos of this kitchen (and other great projects by Gloria) click here.

Pure White CaesarStone in a gorgeous Master Bath

Yesterday I showed the amazing Calacatta Gold marble Kitchen in this home. 
Today it's time for the gorgeous Master Bath!

The countertops are quartz, she used one of the hottest colors from CaesarStone, #1141 Pure White.

The edge detail on the vanities is a 3" Miter.  We did a Waterfall edge on the one end of the vanity (it's a Miter that goes down to the floor). 
Notice how the vanities are "floating".  I love the lighting underneath them, it's such a great detail. 
Again, keep in mind this was all designed by the homeowner.  Didn't she do an amazing job?

Another detail.....if you look close you can see the mirrors were cut around the large sinks.  Beauty is in the details!

The shower also has slabs of Pure White CaesarStone.  It was used as the wainscoting and then she did tile the rest of the way.  I hate cleaning grout, so I really love slabs in a shower! 
All the curbing was done in the slab as well as the bench.

Here's another detail, this one came about by accident.  Notice the quartz circle behind the water lever?  When we cut the hole for that we cut off of the plumbing specs, after the hole was cut they changed their fixtures.  When the plumber went to install the lever the hole was too big.  Instead of replacing the whole slab wall piece BJ & our template guy, Jake, came up with the idea to cut a circle out of the CaesarStone and set it on top of the wall.  It was a great idea, and I think this looks even better now! 

I think this is the Master Bath of all of our dreams.  :)  Can you blame us for loving this job so much?

There are still two really great baths left to show you in this home.  Come back!  Tomorrow is Whiteout Wednesday, so I'll post the pictures on Thursday.

*All photos from MGS by Design. 

Honed Calacatta Gold Kitchen

We recently completed one of the most gorgeous jobs we have done this year. 
The homeowner designed it all herself and she did an incredible job.  Not only does she have fantastic style, she's really great to work with. 
We did the countertops in the kitchen and three baths.
Today I'll show the stunning kitchen.... 

 Isn't it amazing?  The marble on the countertops and the full height backsplash is Calacatta Gold.  The slabs came in polished, but she had us do a honed finish on them.  I think this was a very smart choice, she won't notice the etching near as much.

Notice in the photo above how the veining of the marble matches perfectly from the full height splash, to the countertop and  down into the Mitered edge. 
We measure for the full height splash after the countertops have been installed to ensure a perfect fit.  We had to carefully save the matching pieces for the full height splash and we numbered them so that our saw guy would remember which piece went where. 

Projects like this are such fun for us to work on. 

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Master Bath, it's amazing!

*All photos property of MGS by Design.

Slab Sunday: Yellow Bamboo quartzite

Yellow Bamboo is a stunning quartzite that is quarried in Brazil.

It is a very unique and exclusive stone.  Generally it is a dark golden color with some deep reds and browns in it.  Yellow Bamboo changes dramatically from bundle to bundle though, so be sure to pick out your exact slabs!

Photo: Pure Contemporary

What is quartzite exactly?  It is a natural stone, you can read more about it here.
You will see Yellow Bamboo labeled as a granite and possibly even a marble sometimes.  It is technically a quartzite though.  This is important to know because these three different types of stone behave quite differently from one another.

Photo: Creative Stone & Tile

Photo: Unique Tops

Another name for Yellow Bamboo is Amarello Bamboo.

Photo: IPI Stone

Yellow Bamboo is available in 2 cm and 3 cm slabs.

Saturday Link Up!

I hope you all had a great week and are now enjoying the weekend.
Here are a couple of articles from around the web that I liked this week and wanted to share.

• Italian Tile Design from Tile Tramp.
• Kitchen Solution: Putting the Main Sink in the Island.

traditional kitchen design by phoenix general contractor Pankow Construction - Design/Remodeling - PHX, AZ

FAQ Friday: What thickness should my full height backsplash be?

This question came from a reader, Karen.
She asked if the full height backsplash (out of slab) should be the same thickness as her countertops or if it should be thinner.

The answer is my typical answer....it depends. 
I know that's not what you all want to hear though, so let me explain.

The full height splash doesn't necessarily have to be the same thickness as the countertops.  Usually we want it to be from the same bundle so that it matches correctly, which means that usually it's the same thickness.

I personally like full height backsplashes to be 2 cm (3/4") because then it doesn't take up as much counter space.  I think 3 cm (1 1/4") can get a little bulky.  I'd rather have it match perfectly and be thicker though, so I guess there is always an exception.
 
We can gauge stone to be thinner and yes, we do charge to do this.  We do this every once in awhile with bathroom backsplashes if there isn't enough room for the faucet.  In fact, that's what I did in my own house.  If the slabs are 2 cm though I probably wouldn't make it thinner, it will make the stone weaker and harder to install more or less so depending on the type of stone.

Bottom line: Talk to your fabricator before selecting your exact slabs if you are planning on doing a full height backsplash.  They will be able to help you determine if the thickness will be an issue one way or another.

Photo: Drury Design

For more pictures of full height backsplashes see my post here.

Miters of all sizes

BJ was out in the shop yesterday and took some pictures of all the different thicknesses of Mitered Aprons that we have going on right now. 
The Miter has always been our most popular edge and I think it probably always will be.  It's a clean, simple edge that will never go out of style.  Plus, with a variable thickness we can make it look as thick or as thin as you'd like! 

First is Blizzard CaesarStone with a 15" Mitered Apron.  This is going on the reception desk at a salon in Hollywood, CA.

This is a desk out of Golden Thunder granite.  The Miter is 1 5/8" which is the most common thickness for Miters on 2 cm material.

Another reception desk, this one is Carrara marble and is for an office here in Utah county.  The Mitered Aprons are 10".

Next is Absolute Black granite with a Honed finish.  This Miter is 2 1/4".

Last, is a Fireplace Hearth.  The marble is Crema Marfil and the Miter is 4".

Do you like the Mitered edge?  It's my personal favorite.

Our stock list now updated!

Our Current Inventory tab at the top of this page has been updated.   It now includes slab sizes and all the quantities are correct as of today.
We have some beautiful new slabs of Madura Gold granite, a Carrara marble slab with a honed finish (see below) and a couple of different Crema Marfil marble slabs.

Contact us for up to the minute inquiries on the inventory!

Top 12 Kitchen Trends

I saw this article, Top 12 Kitchen Trends, on the Better Homes and Gardens website today.
I thought it was interesting and I agreed with most of it.  The one thing they didn't mention was White Kitchens, which is still a huge trend for us.
Anyway, here is their list of the Top 12 Kitchen Trends right now with pictures I've found on Houzz.

1. Curving Shapes in the Kitchen.

contemporary kitchen design by new york kitchen and bath Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly, Inc. (CKD, CBD, CR)
2. Mix and Match Styles and Materials.

eclectic kitchen design by indianapolis kitchen and bath Shannon Poe
3. Furniture Details for Kitchen Cabinets.

traditional kitchen design by dc metro kitchen and bath Kleppinger Design Group, Inc.
4. Incorporating Artistic Details.

traditional kitchen design by seattle architect knowles ps
5. Restaurant-Inspired Conveniences.

modern kitchen design by austin architect Cornerstone Group Architects
6. Exotic and Colorful Countertops.

contemporary kitchen design by chicago architect Powell/Kleinschmidt, Inc.
7. Scaled Down Kitchen Appliances.

modern kitchen design by seattle architect Pb Elemental
Tucked-Away Laundry Areas.

contemporary kitchen design by hawaii interior designer Archipelago Hawaii, refined island designs
Open Shelving.

modern kitchen design by los angeles kitchen and bath Cliff Spencer Furniture Maker
Vintage-Look Kitchen Appliances.

traditional kitchen design by other metros kitchen and bath Dan Oswald
Custom Kitchen Storage.

traditional kitchen design by boston kitchen and bath Rob Kane - Kitchen Interiors Inc.
Pendant Lighting.

contemporary kitchen design

To read the entire article from Better Homes and Gardens click here.

Saturday Link Up!

Here are some articles that I came across this week that I think you'll enjoy...

• Kitchen Details: The Right Edge for your Countertop.
• Courteney Cox's newly remodeled Malibu home is in the July/ August issue of Elle Decor.  I haven't received my magazine yet, but I'm loving what I've seen on their website so far.  This is the kitchen...

Photo: Elle Decor

• The post, Love It or Leave It: Marbleous on La Dolce Vita has some gorgeous white marble pictures.
• Kitchen Solution: The Open Island
• An interview with Interior Designer Erica Islas called Timeless Kitchen and Bath Design.

modern kitchen design by los angeles interior designer Erica Islas / EMI Interior Design, Inc.

FAQ Friday: Rain Forest Brown in a Kitchen?

Today I'm answering a reader question from Peter.
"We were told that we could not use rainforest marble in the kitchen due to susceptibility to damage both physical and chemical, especially any foods, cleaners, etc.. that are acidic.  I see on your website pictures of the marble in kitchens.  In your opinion, is it durable for kitchen use?"

Peter-
Thanks for your question and email.  The answer is that it depends.  Marble is great for a kitchen countertop.  It's beautiful, it wears well, it's heat resistant, I could go on and on.  The downside of marble?  It's a calcium based stone, so it etches when anything acidic gets on it.  It also is more porous and will stain easier than granite.  Though I don't thinking staining is as big of a deal as etching because we can generally get stains out. 
One of the reasons that granite is so popular is that it's so durable.  If you want a countertop that will look perfect forever use granite or quartz.
So the answer really lies with you.  Do you like a countertop with patina and character?  Or would you like it to look perfect forever?  There isn't a right answer, it just depends on your taste and personality.
All this being said, Rain Forest Brown isn't technically a marble.  Yes, it is legally sold as marble in the US, but geologically it's actually a serpentinite.
Serpentinite does behave differently than a marble. It is harder and it's recommended that it's cut with a granite blade instead of a marble blade. It won't etch or stain as easily as a marble will.
Serpentinite is common beneath the oceanic crust, where it forms by the alteration of the mantle rock peridotite. But it is seldom seen on land except in rocks from subduction zones, where oceanic rocks may be preserved.
Most people call it serpentine, but serpentine is the set of minerals that make up serpentinite.  It gets its name from its resemblance to snakeskin, with a mottled color, waxy or resinous luster and curving, polished surfaces.
Rain Forest Brown is an amazing stone.  Just be sure to do your research and be prepared for the additional maintenance and expectations and I think you will be very happy with your beautiful countertops .

Photo: Residential Architect/ Design

Madura Gold granite--Kitchens

Yesterday I posted about a great sale we are having on our Madura Gold granite.
Today I thought I'd post some pictures of it installed in kitchens.  You can see for yourself how beautiful this granite looks in a finished room.
It's a great neutral stone that goes well with light or dark cabinets.

Photo: Garden Web

traditional kitchen design by chicago kitchen and bath The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn

Photo: Mistones

kitchen design by other metros interior designer Anna Baskin Lattimore Design

traditional kitchen design by seattle general contractor Neil Kelly Company - Design & Remodeling

Great deal on new stock of Madura Gold granite!

Last September we bought half of a container of pre-fabricated Madura Gold granite.  (That's a lot!)  The price on it was so incredible we flew threw it faster than we could have imagined.
Since it was so popular we purchased another half of a container and it just came in!  It's really beautiful. 
(Sorry the pictures aren't great, I snapped them with my phone today in really bad light.)

Above is one of the Island pieces with the Ogee Bullnose edge.

We decided to mix it up a little, so some of the Island pieces have an Ogee Bullnose edge on them.  The rest of the pieces have a 1 1/2" Sandwich edge detail.
For a small charge we can make the Sandwich edge detail a Half Bullnose, Full Bullnose, Half Moon, Chisel, 3/4" or 1 1/4" Laminated Bevel or Ogee Square.  You can see these edges here.

Above is a Kitchen Run. 

Madura Gold is generally sold as a "Group 3" priced granite.  We are selling these pre-fabricated pieces at BELOW "GROUP 1" PRICING!

Above is a vanity.

Here are the sizes that we have available.  Keep in mind that we can cut these down to accommodate your space.  We do have 6" backsplashes available as well.

• Kitchen Islands are 53" x 95"
• Kitchen Runs are 108" x 25 1/2"
• Bathroom Vanity runs are 96" x 22 1/2"

These can also easily be used for Fireplace Hearths and Surrounds, Tables, Desks, etc!
If you are a DIYer we do sell these pieces as they are.  So you can pick them up and install them yourself and save even more money!

Photo: Pence Building

Contact us today  for a free bid.  Don't wait, we are predicting these will go fast!