When it comes to remodeling the bathrooms in your home, you have a good opportunity to add value and see profitable returns on your investment. Because these rooms are smaller, you can also have some fun and experiment with your décor in a way that’s just not as easy with larger, more prominent living spaces, such as the kitchen.
Granite countertops make for an eye-catching addition to kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and other areas of the home. With a diverse range of colors to choose from, dynamic patterning, and depth and dimension unique to this natural stone, granite definitely makes for a statement style in any setting.
Of course, if your granite is dulled by dust or spattered grease, or worse, stained by foods and beverages, it won’t offer the same visual impact and appeal. If you want your countertops to remain polished and pristine, you’re going to have to follow a regular cleaning regimen.
With so many tried and true countertop options, such as granite and marble, and newer surfaces on the market, such as quartz and porcelain, to choose from, there is a lot to consider. Fortunately, if you’re doing at-home research into the right countertop for your home, there are many free resources to use, like Pinterest and Houzz. Discovering your personal design aesthetic can help you to narrow down your options and give you an idea which direction to head when it comes to color, texture, pattern and veining.
It’s not unusual for homeowners to address the spread of germs on household surfaces during regular cleaning, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a renewed focus on cleaning, disinfection and sanitizing within the home. Outside of COV-19, there are also more common germs, bacteria and pathogens that can live on your kitchen and bathroom countertops. While the use of suitable soap and sanitizers is an obvious first step in combating the spread of contaminants, many homeowners want to do more to keep their households clean and free of germs.
How to appropriately clean and disinfect natural and engineered stone countertops have always been a common question from homeowners. However, given the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, homeowners have grown increasingly more concerned about how to disinfect surfaces in order to help minimize the risk of infectious disease spread.
First, we do not recommend cleaning your countertops with bleach or abrasive cleansers. The gritty texture of abrasive cleaners are made of small particles, minerals, or fine steel wool, copper, or metal particles, and these particles can damage the stone surface. Even a natural option like vinegar can cause harm as frequent uses of acidic substances can dull appearances and weaken the sealant.
If you’re searching for a durable yet visually appealing countertop surface for your next upgrade or project, there are many natural and engineered surfaces to consider, including porcelain and granite countertops.
You’ll find that options like porcelain and granite both offer incredible resilience, which you’re sure to appreciate from a practical standpoint. But, what are the advantages of porcelain countertops vs. granite for your home? Considering they have similar price points, you’ll simply have to consider the function they offer, as well as your preferred design aesthetic. Here are a few things you need to know when choosing between porcelain vs. granite countertops.
There are so many options to consider when it comes to selecting the right natural stone countertop surface for your home or project. With beautiful varieties of marble, granite, quartzite, you can quickly become overwhelmed.
However, when you’re looking for distinctive beauty, why not capture the splendor of the famed Taj Mahal? This iconic mausoleum in the city of Agra, in India, was built in the 17th century by the emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his beloved wife, as well as his own tomb. It’s generally considered among the most impressive examples of architectural mastery in the world.
Designing your ideal kitchen or bath can be both a fun and daunting process. With so many options on the market, including natural vs. engineered stone, the surfaces for you to consider are endless.
The difficulty, as with any home upgrade or addition, is selecting the materials that best suit your needs. When it comes to choosing, Silestone quartz and granite, both resilient, stunning countertop surfaces in their own right, are two surfaces worth comparing. While one is a natural stone (granite) and the other, an engineered stone (quartz), the two are often compared due to their durability, aesthetic and versatility. Sometimes, it can even be difficult to tell the difference between the two stones, especially with Silestone options that look so similar to granite.
White, pristine countertops are a highly coveted interior design choice. This aesthetic can create a space that appears larger, offers a clean look and does not go out of style. When choosing the right countertop material to complement this look, granite is often a go-to selection. Granite, a natural stone full of flecks, color variations and veins, can add depth and dimension to an otherwise tame space.
We’ve entered a new decade, which is an opportune time to practice “out with the old and in with the new” if you’re considering a kitchen redesign.
If your kitchen is relatively new, an update could be as easy as changing out some colors, such as painting the walls or cabinets. This is especially true if you already have timeless countertops installed and want to complement your existing investment in marble, granite, quartzite, or engineered stone options such as quartz or porcelain. Of course, a truly outdated or inefficient kitchen space may require significantly greater renovation.
