Client Work: A Beautiful Finish!

I posted here about free-standing islands and a sneak peek on one I designed for some clients recently.  I stopped by the other day to check on progress and see the newly installed countertops.  Here's what the island looked like in progress:

And here are a few quick shots I took with my phone to show the finished product:

The countertops are Cambria's Whitecliff, and I think they're stunning.  If I could have a do-over in my own kitchen I would definitely use this product.  For one, its the cleanest, most true "white" solid surface out there, and its dead sexy.  Crisp and modern, but can work in a more classic setting as well.

Cambria

On that note, lets take a minute and have a conversation about solid surface products.  Cambria, Caesarstone and Hanstone are a just a few of the manufacturers of this type of product, which essentially is a man-made surface that incorporates natural quartz, resin, pigment, and some other "top secret" ingredients.  I know this because I've toured the plant where they make Cambria {fascinating}, and there are several areas we're not allowed to see because of their top-secret-ness.  Anyways, I heard recently that solid surface products, particularly Cambria, are becoming so popular that in certain parts of the country they're more in demand than granite.  I think its near impossible to truly replicate the beauty and movement found in natural stone, but Cambria has a great offering of interesting patterns and colors that can be an alternate to granite or marble, if you're looking for something different that's really durable.

source

Quartz products bring to the table incredible stain, scratch and heat resistance, which makes them a top choice in many applications.  Cambria is completely non-porous, which means it can't trap germs, and the potential for bacteria growth is greatly reduced.  And no, I'm not a spokesperson for the product, I've just used it in several applications and like it a lot :)

All that said though, I still think that there is no true substitute for natural stone, and if you're looking for quartz to give you the exact look and feel and deliciousness of true marble, you'll be disappointed and sad.  There are great marble alternates, like Cambria Torquay, and if you like it and can appreciate it for what it is (and what its not), you'll be happy with your choice.  Or you could have the best of both worlds, like my client and I did in this kitchen:

Its a mix of Cambria Fieldstone on the perimeter cabinets, and a luxurious Calcutta Gold marble on the island.  A great way to incorporate durability and beauty within the same space.

So what do you think?  Do you see quartz products taking the lead over granite and/or marble in your area?  Or is natural stone still where its at?