Top 10 Reasons To Add A Granite Countertop To Your Home…

While there are many reasons consumers are attracted to granite for countertops, in this blog, I thought I would list the Top 10 reasons to add a granite countertop to your home. So here goes…

Top 10 Reasons To Add Granite Countertops To Your Home

1. Beautiful—Granite is a beautiful product. Formed by nature, granite has an aesthetic appeal all its own and a timeless look, unlike any other countertop material. It is no wonder that granite is the most popular choice for countertops among consumers.
2. Affordable—Granite is no longer considered a product just for the elite. Over the years, it has come down in price and is affordable for many. In fact, it is less expensive than quite a number of man-made products, depending on the color and most fabricators have a variety of pricing categories, which allows consumers to choose a color for their budget.
3. Low Maintenance—Granite is a low maintenance product and is easy to maintain. Most granite surfaces only require that they be cleaned with some hot water, dish soap and a soft white cloth . Spills and messes should be cleaned in a timely manner, as with other countertop products on the market.
4. Durable—Granite is one of the most durable materials available for countertops. Scratching and staining on granite surfaces is rare because its hardness factor.
5. Hundreds of Color Options—There are literally hundreds of colors to choose from with granite. From bold to sub-dued to consistent to flowing, I am be sure you will find a color that is just right for you!
6. Heat Resistant—For everyday cooking and baking, granite is heat resistant. Placing hot pots and pans directly on your granite countertop will not harm them, although many consumers still prefer to use hot pads and trivets.
7. Cooks Love it—If you like to cook, or bake, having a granite countertop is a bonus! Many people love rolling bread dough, or cookie dough directly on the surface, not to mention setting hot pans on it, which makes it easier to multi-task.
8. Sanitary— The food industry plus the medical industry use granite in various applications, not to mention the The Center for Disease Control, CDC, does not have any records of people becoming sick from bacteria in granite.
9. Adds Value —With people staying in their homes longer these days, more and more consumers are investing in a granite countertop because it adds value! Why not enjoy your home while you are there and benefit from the investment when it is time to sell?
10. Personalize—There are plenty of options, when it comes to granite. Whether you like a consistent look, or one with variety that includes veining, movement, or a flowing pattern there are are plenty of choices to fit your style.

Thank You for reading

KB Factory Outlet

Create A Unique Look By Mixing Countertop Materials…

Over the last several years, it has become fairly popular to mix and match countertop materials, as well as cabinet materials. That’s because, mixing and matching allows the customer to really customize their living space. We have seen quite a few customers mixing 2 different materials together. One example would be selecting granite for a center island, and using Silestone, or another “quartz” product for the perimeter tops. We have also worked with a number of customers that have selected 2 different colors in the same material. An example of this would be selecting the color, St. Cecilia, for a center island and the color, Opalescence, for the perimeter tops.

It has also become somewhat of a trend to mix dark and light tones together. We have seen this both with countertops and cabinet selections. For example, someone may select a dark stain for their center island cabinet and go with a lighter colored stain, or white for their perimeter cabinets, or vice versa. Several countertop colors, or materials often times are selected, as well, giving the project a nice contrast and a unique look.

Let’s take a look at a mix and match kitchens I came across…

Thank you for reading

KB Factory Outlet

Care And Maintenance For Marble Countertops…

In our showroom, we get asked questions in regards to maintenance & care  from time to time, for granite and other natural stones, such as marble. While both stones are relatively easy to maintain, and the care and maintenance practices are similar,

 the two stones do have different mineral compositions, so there are some slight differences. Let me explain…

  

Granite is the hardest natural stone available for countertops. While marble is also a relatively hard material, it is not as hard as granite. Marble is a calcite-based stone, that has a a more delicate chemical composition than granite. Since it is calcite based, some cleaning products may interact with it, which could possibly cause damage to the stone.                                        

With both surfaces, spills should be cleaned up in a timely manner. With marble countertops, spills that are acid based, such as lemon juice, wine, vinegar, liquor, or tomato sauce should be given immediate attention. Some perfumes and lotions, as well as other products may also etch the stone, leaving it dull and possibly rough when you rub your hand over the surface. Water should also be wiped up promptly on marble countertops, as over time, can also etch the stone.

At KB Factory Outlet, we do seal all of our natural stone countertops, including marble, before they leave our facility, which does help prevent some staining issues.

If you have questions in regards to marble maintenance and care, make sure you stop by our showroom. We would be happy to help.

Thanks for reading!

KB Factory Outlet

Granite Countertops—Spotlight On Typhoon Bordeaux

In this blog,We wanted to spotlight the color, Typhoon Bordeaux, which is quarried in

Brazil. 

Typhoon Bordeaux Granite Full slab

 

Typhoon Bordeaux Granite close view

Typhoon Bordeaux is a beautiful color with warm shades of beige, gold, and cream. Veins of burgundy, gray and black can also be seen throughout the slabs creating a gentle flow, or movement throughout. Areas of quartz are often prominent in this stone, which give it some character, depth and interest.

This color would look great in a kitchen, especially if used a center island, and would create a nice focal point for the room. It would also look nice as a bar top, furniture top, or fireplace surround.

If you like warm tones and granite colors with some flow to them, you might want to take a look at this color for your countertop project.

Let’s take a look at our a full slab…

Make sure you stop by our showroom today to look at this color, and others.

Thanks for reading!

KB Factory Outlet

What’s The Difference Between White Carrara Marble & Calcutta Marble?

When it comes to marble counterops, White Carrara marble is probably the most popular choice and the one that many consumers think of when they think of marble. That’t because it has a classic, elegant look that is timeless. White Carrara marble has been used for centuries in architecture, buildings and monuments and of course more recently for countertops.

Calcutta is another white marble however, that has gained popularity and has a look that is very similar to White Carrara. In fact, many people often confuse these two marbles, as the the characteristics of each stone are quite close.  If you look closely though, there are subtle differences.

Let’s take a look at some examples…

This photo shows a beautiful White Carrara Marble kitchen. Notice that the pattern contains fine gray veining.

This photo shows another beautiful White Carrara Marble kitchen. Again the pattern is light with feathery, small 

veins.

This photo shows a beautiful White Carrara Marble fireplace. The veins on this piece are larger, but there is still a light pattern with darker gray veining.

This photo shows a beautiful Calcutta Marble vanity top. Notice how the pattern is more defined.

This photo shows a beautiful Calcutta Marble kitchen. Notice the more dramatic veining in this island top.

This photo shows another beautiful Calcutta Marble kitchen. Notice in this photo that the pattern and veining also contains some light gold tones. Some Calcutta marble has more prominent areas of gold than others.

Both White Carrara marble and Calcutta marble can vary quite a bit from lot to lot, so it is best to hand select the marble you are interested in.

If you are interested in using marble for your countertops, make sure you stop by our showroom. We would be happy to help you with your selections.

Thanks for reading!

KB Factory Outlet

Add A Consistent Look With A “Quartz” Countertop…

When it comes to countertops, there are many options to choose from. That is why it is important to ask the customer up front if they have a material in mind, as well as a price range they looking at. It is also important to ask, if they like materials that have a consistent pattern, or ones that have a lot of variety and and movement to them. From there, questions can be asked about preference for color, etc. If consistency in pattern is really important, a “quartz” product might be a good option for them. While there are a variety of “quartz” products on the market these days, they are all essentially made the same way.

How It’s Made:

“Quartz” countertops are an engineered stone that is man-made. Most “quartz” is comprised of approximately 93% quartz and 7% resin binder by weight, (more than 80% resin by volume) with added pigments for color.

Manufacturers:

While we sell a number of “quartz” products including: Cambria,Wilsonart,Silestone, Caesarstone, Hanstone, Difiniti, Dupont Zodiaq and Color Quartz, there are other “quartz” products on the market, as well. Each manufacturer has their own unique colors to choose from, although some colors may be  similar to other product lines.

Maintenance

“Quartz” is relatively easy to clean and maintain. Most manufacturers recommend that they be cleaned with a hot, soapy dish cloth. “Quartz” products do not need to be sealed.

Price

“Quartz” is often more expensive than granite, depending on the color selection. It can range in price from anywhere from $65 to $100 per square foot.

If you are looking for a “quartz” product for your new countertop, make sure you stop by our showroom to check out all of our material selections.

Thanks for reading!

KB Factory Outlet

What Causes Some Granite Countertops To Look Reflective?

If you’ve been looking at granite for your countertops, you’ve probably noticed that some granite’s have reflective areas that seem to sparkle in the direct light. But what causes this and how come some granite colors have more reflection than other colors? Granite is a crystalline, igneous rock that is comprised of a variety of minerals including quartz and feldspar. Other minerals such as hornblend, mica and occasionally pyroxene can also be present in the stone. It is the mica however, that gives granite its reflective appeal.

Mica is a mineral that is present in several forms including biotite and muscovite and is found in a variety of rocks. It has known for its unique reflective properties, as well as its basal cleavage, which makes it split, or flake easily off a stone.

The majority of granite’s contain some mica, but certain colors contain more depending on the stones mineral composition. It is these stones that contain large amounts of mica that are vibrant in direct light and are quite appealing to the eye. Many consumers are attracted to the bright blue and green mica colors. Others like the silver and gold colors in some stones with mica that give it mirror qualities.

Let’s take a look at a couple of black or dark granite counter top containing mica…

Blue Pearl In Kitchen

Emerad Pearl Granite 

Beautiful Black Granite kitchen Counter top

Granite Bathroom Countertop

If you are interested in adding a granite countertop to your project, make sure you stop by our showroom to take a look at our colors, including those with a lot of mica.

Thanks for reading!

KB Factory Outlet