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?

Chasing Waterfalls

Remember that classic hit song by TLC called "Waterfalls"?  Takes me back to high school......love it!  It really has nothing to do with this post, but click here for a quick bit of nostalgia :)

Speaking of waterfalls though, just wanted to throw out a few photos of one of my favorite kitchen and bath design trends, that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.  I love a "waterfall" edge that wraps the end of a countertop or island, and think that there are so many striking applications of this detail.

Source

I don't see this application as often in bathrooms, but why not?  Love this pure white solid surface with an extra-thick edge.

Trends Ideas

As if this bold orange isn't cool enough, aren't those island chairs ever innovative?  What a great way to create "designed" seating!

Source

This wood treatment really warms up the space.  Plus, the visual texture of the grain breaks up the wide expanse of island.  What great counter space!

Trends Ideas

House Beautiful 2010 Kitchen of the Year

Can't seem to go wrong with a crisp white.  I'm not sure what the above surfaces are, but Cambria recently released a new collection of quartz surfacing that includes the most outstanding white I've seen in solid surface.  If you're looking for crisp, clean and beautifully uniform, check out this collection.

 3rd Uncle Design Inc.

Look closely--the waterfall edge in this stunning kitchen is a little more subtle.  I love how they've wrapped the back of the tall island piece to be a backsplash behind the second sink.  To see more outstanding projects from this talented Canadian design firm, click here.

 Source

And speaking of Canadian design talent, does Candice Olson ever go wrong?  I haven't seen a design of hers that I don't love, and she continues to wow HGTV fans with spectacular transformed spaces.  This kitchen is no exception.  

This is a concept drawing I did a few years back of a modern kitchen design I was proposing to my clients.  The "waterfall" edge I had in mind on the island was white Carrara marble, and the proposed cabinetry was espresso-stained rift cut oak with aluminum-framed frosted glass doors on some of the uppers.  This was a great project, and I did get paid for all of my design work, but sadly the clients decided to sell the condo before renovating it.  So I never did get to see this design come to fruition!  It is saved for future reference though.....:) 

The Best Countertop choices

Granite has held the spotlight for years as the "luxury" choice for kitchen countertops.  There's nothing wrong with it--its a durable, natural surface, comes in at a variety of price points, and offers a bounty of colors, patterns and types to choose from (I have it in my own kitchen).  The problem is that granite has become so mainstream, and despite its variation and natural beauty, is starting to look somewhat "predictable" from a design standpoint.  In addition, its becoming so overused and "expected" that its losing its luxury appeal due to mass market availability.  This Houzz Ideabook offers ten awesome alternatives (some new, some not-so-new) to granite, and has great visuals of each type.  Thanks Paul of Kitchen and Residential Design for expertly putting this together.

In addition to this great collection of images, I also want to highlight Cambria's release of a new line of colors.  In the past, I haven't loved Cambria surfaces because of their uniformity and sometimes unnatural look.  I'm now a lover, however, and can't wait to use some of their new colors/patterns in a future design project.  A little fun fact about Cambria is that, unlike granite and marble, its quartz composite surface is completely non-porous, making it NSF certified.  This means that the surface doesn't allow liquids to penetrate, thereby reducing the risk for stains and bacteria growth. Additionally, Cambria doesn’t require sealing or on-going maintenance to protect the surface--how easy is that?  Here are a few of my favorites from their new collection:

The photo doesn't do it justice, but this one, called Windermere is a great greeny-gray with some pretty umber accents throughout.  It has subtle movement, and a fossil-stone look to it.  I would love to see it with white rift-cut oak cabinetry, or in a classic white painted kitchen.

I like Minera for its sparkle and bit of "edge".  It has the industrial look of concrete with some glam, mirror-like flecks in it

Called White Cliffs, this one is outstanding.  Its the purest white I've seen in a quartz surface, and has such a clean crisp quality to it.  Great for that modern kitchen or bath that demands beautiful simplicity.

This photo doesn't look like much because the sample isn't showing it in its full back-lit glory.  Yes, they've come up with a quartz surface that has an onyx-like quality, and can be lit from behind to achieve a gorgeous amber glow.  See a lighted version here.

Well, those are my favorites, and I think Cambria has done a terrific job of engineering a look that is natural, timeless and unique.  See the entire collection here.