by aeb52298_admin | Dec 31, 2019 | Uncategorized
An island is one of the most important design choices you’ll make for your home. Not only from a visual standpoint, serving as the focal point of the room, but practically speaking as well—it’s an essential kitchen mainstay, which is why designing your island is an important, and sometimes tricky endeavor. We’ve gathered some of our best tips to help you when considering the options, so you can design the right island for your family and your home.
An island in Titanium granite. This stone has a leathered finish.
Stone Choice
For your island countertop, we recommend granite and quartzite, both natural stones, or quartz, which is a durable, manmade product. In kitchens, we tend to steer clients away from marble because of the softness of the stone—after time, daily use will produce stains and etching to the surface.
At Italian Marble and Granite, our goal is to fabricate each island without needing a seam, also known as a joint. Depending on the layout and needs of particular kitchens, this is sometimes unavoidable—it’s also important to note that when it comes to quartz, you’re generally dealing with a slightly smaller slab size than granite or quartzite, increasing that chance of needing a seam.
Island Size
For years, the standard island was the length of a slab. Lately, the size of islands has been increasing, with the trend moving from rectangular designs, to larger, more square islands that serve as the centerpiece of the kitchen, and home.
Still, the majority of our work tends to be a standard island that measures anywhere from 60″ – 120″ by roughly 38″ with no joint or seam. Depending on your needs, you may also want to consider a working island, which is only for prep and does not leave room for dining.
Overhang
Most customers will need to consider the amount of overhang, or how far the stone comes out past the cabinet base. This is generally between 10” – 12”—though depending on your needs, like extra-leg room for taller family members, you may want to consider overhang up to 15”. It’s important to note that anything over 12” will require brackets for support that will need to be installed by your contractor.
It’s also worth noting that if you are installing a sink or cooktop in your island, this will likely require support brackets to ensure countertop stability.
Island Upgrades
It’s always important to consider what you’ll be using the space for. Do you cook a lot, and need ample room to prep? Do you have a big family that likes to eat together in the kitchen? How about entertaining? Have you always wished for extra counterspace around the holidays? At Italian Marble and Granite, we’ve fabricated and installed thousands of islands over the years—here are some the most popular options:
Raised Ledge
This is a great look, but it’s important to note that two tiered islands offer very limited workspace. This option will also need for supports on the upper ledge, especially if you intend to have seating on this level, and should also include space in the riser for electrical outlets.
Laminate Buildup
An island with a laminate buildup in Taj Mahal quartzite.
When you see an extra thick countertop, it is probably not an 8cm or 3 inch thick slab. Rather, you are looking at a buildup. A laminate buildup will add thickness, while maintaining the stone’s look, and eliminating the visibility of a seam.
Mitered Buildup
An island with a mitered edge
Similair to the laminate buildup, a mitered edge will add a natural looking thickness to your island. It is flawlessly fabricated to look as if the veining “wraps” around the edges. The mitered option works best for islands without sink or appliances, since this will require extra buildup.
Waterfall
A waterfall island in quartz
A waterfall edge, which is created by joining two pieces at the ends, creates a bold, modern island that is a great look for larger kitchens. Its also important to note that these islands require specific cabinet designs to allow the “waterfall” to sit flush.
The Best Island For You and Your Family
At Italian Marble and Granite, we take every customer’s design choices and practical needs into account as we fabricate and install your countertops. Some jobs require more creative thinking than others– our team has even gone as far as shutting down a city street, and using a crane to get a especially tricky piece into a client’s home. The experts in our showroom and shop will help you make the right decision when it comes to islands and beyond, so you can have the best possible fit for your home and your family’s needs.
by aeb52298_admin | Dec 4, 2019 | Uncategorized
A custom fireplace in Taj Mahal quartzite
When it comes to choosing the perfect stone for your home, we know that it can be confusing trying to sort through all the options. Between colors and stone-type, texture and edges, there’s a lot of info out there. But never fear, because the team at Italian Marble & Granite is here to help!
One of the most popular stones today is quartzite, and no wonder. This natural stone boasts beautiful, marble-like colors and veining, with a resistance to etching that rivals granite. And while quartzites tend to be pricier, the hardness of the stone makes it a durable choice; well worth the price for your kitchen or bathroom.
It’s important to note that quartzite is a very different product than quartz, which is a man-made stone that, while very popular and durable, does not offer the same heat-resistant properties as quartzite and granite.
A custom countertop in Taj Mahal quartzite
And as quartzite becomes more and more popular, it’s essential to know that product is the real deal — oftentimes a stone is being sold as quartzite when in reality it is a hard marble. This becomes an issue especially when installed in kitchens and bathrooms, since marble is notoriously porous and can easily stain and etch.
But Italian Marble and Granite is dedicated to an enjoyable and transparent customer experience, which is why we test every stone as it comes into our warehouse. You can be sure that when you come into our showroom you are guaranteed the highest quality stone from Western New York’s quartzite expert.
Take a look at some of our favorite quartzites for some ideas as you dream up your next remodel:
Taj Mahal
This is an incredibly popular stone, with warm creamy tones, a little bit of grey and soft, subtle movement for an overall clean look. This is a great example of marble movement in a quartzite.
Sea Pearl
This stone has a rust color, with a bluish-green hue. With a nice white undertone, and thin, dramatic veins, Sea Pearl is another great choice for that marble look with added durability.
Opus White
This stone is closer to pure white than Sea Pearl, but still maintains a slight grey undertone. With high contrast, thin black veins, Opus White is a striking stone with horizontal movement and small touches of brown.
Nuage
This grey-green stone has pure white veins that vary in thickness depending on the lot, for a dramatically different look from piece to piece. The overall green cast, however, is maintained, giving it a distinct hue.
Corteccia
Corteccia is an affordable quartzite that brings a lot of color, with greens, browns, and rusts peeking through a natural, layered look. It’s an excellent stone that offers the durability of quartzite at budget pricing.
Michelangelo
This exotic stone is sure to be a talking point in any room. With a bold blue/grey/rust color, and thick veins with big movement, this is an incredibly unique piece.
by aeb52298_admin | Jun 3, 2019 | Uncategorized
Your outdoor entertaining area can start off as a dream. With the help of Italian Marble & Granite your backyard can be turned into the private retreat you have always wanted. From fireplaces, BBQ pits, countertops, tabletops, and fire pits you could turn your backyard dream into a reality.
With summer coming up quickly, we all dream of a relaxing place to spend our beautiful summer evenings. One of the best ways to achieve this dream is by creating your outdoor entertaining area out of our wonderful selection of stone. With the help of our amazing staff we can help guide the process of turning the slab of stone into a beautiful and well-crafted piece of work.
The type of outdoor countertops that we can create here at IMG depends on your liking. You are able to customize everything about your granite, from the edges to the style, shape, and color. Our fireplaces, BBQ pits, fire pits, table tops, and countertops are our ways to get your backyard patio looking it’s best.
Below is a list of the most common applications and the types of stone we would recommend.
- – Outdoor kitchens/BBQs- Diresco Quartz, Granite, Soapstone, Dekton, Geolux, Porcelain slabs/Sapienstone
- – Outdoor tables- Diresco Quartz, Granite, Soapstone, Dekton, Geolux, Porcelain slabs/Sapienstone
- – Fireplaces/Firepits- Dekton & Geolux
by aeb52298_admin | Mar 14, 2019 | Uncategorized
Dekton is one of the many new manufactured stone lines that Italian Marble & Granite is proud to carry. Dekton is made by the same company that makes Silestone, Cosentino. Dekton requires special certifications to work with the materials. Italian Marble & Granite has been trained and certified to work with Dekton.
Dekton is made up of a complicated blend of glass, porcelain, and raw materials. These materials go though a high tech process that mimics the metamorphic change that natural stone undergoes over thousands of years. The result is a durable product that can be used in a multitude of applications.
Dekton Trillium vanity
There are a number of advantages to using Dekton:
- UV resistant – this makes Dekton ideal for indoor and outdoor use
- Scratch resistant
- Resistant to stains, including household chemicals such as bleach and drain cleaner
- Resistant to heat and fire – Dekton can be used for outdoor fireplaces and hot pans can be placed directly on the surface
- Resistant to ice and thawing – perfect for our cold Western New York winters
- Comes in multiple sizes, even tiles
There are some disadvantages to working with Dekton. The material can be harder to work with for the fabricator. It also can be difficult to repair. The material itself most often come in 2 cm thickness. For a thicker look, the material would need to be built up, adding additional cost in both labor and materials. Cosentino has just started producing slabs of Dekton that are 3 cm thick, but there is a very limited selection available at this time. Dekton slabs are also not “full bodied.” What that mean is that the design on the slab is only on the surface. For example, a slab with veining on it that replicates the look of marble will only have that veining on the surface. The sides of the slab will just appear white.
Kitchen with waterfall panels featuring Dekton. Spectra was used for the island and Halo was used on the perimeter.
Close up of Halo Dekton.
Though there are a few drawbacks to working with Dekton, we think that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. We have enjoyed working with this material so far, and are looking forward to many more projects that feature Dekton.
by aeb52298_admin | Feb 4, 2019 | Uncategorized
Everyone is loving quartz right now, with colors that resemble natural stone particularly on trend. But when it comes to replicating a marble look, quartz cannot compare to porcelain slabs. Porcelain slabs have been breaking into the market the last couple of years and the resemblance to marble is remarkable.
Porcelain slabs have a number of distinct characteristics:
- UV resistant
- Heat Resistant
- Scratch Resistant
- Chemical resistant
- 12mm thick (approximately 1/2″)
- Some brands are full bodied – which means the color is not just on the surface, but in the edges as well
Since porcelain is 12mm thick it is ideal for vertical applications. Porcelain is great for use on a fireplace, shower, or full height backsplash. Porelain can be used for kitchen counter tops, though it is only 12mm thick. In order to replicate the look of a thicker counter top, a mitered edge can be applied to the procelain.
One of the great porcelain brands that we carry is Sapienstone. Check out their website to see some of the amazing colors that they carry! https://www.sapienstone.com/
by aeb52298_admin | Jun 10, 2016 | Uncategorized
One of the biggest concerns for our customers is joint location in their countertops. Joints are more work for our installers which is why we do not like to put them in however they are necessary in some situations. Joints are necessary under the following circumstances:
1) Size of the slab: Granite slabs and especially quartz slabs are limited in size. Therefore joints are necessary because of the countertop being too large. This tends to be an issue when it comes to islands. Many people, understandable, do not want joints in their islands. Therefore it is important to get the size of the slab when designing the island if you think this will be a concern. Quartz slabs tend to be around 120″ long unless they are a “jumbo” slab. Granite can range from 110″-137″. Recently we completed a project where the island was 136″ long. This took a lot of coordination between the contractor and our organization. A special trailer was needed due it not fitting in a normal cube van. Also the island was designed for no joints, which means the designer knew the length of the slab when picking the cabinets.
2) Access: Access can be an huge contributor to joint location. Even if the slab is long enough it may not be feasible to carry it into the space. Many times stairs and hallways can be a contributor to this. If the countertop needs to be installed in a basement or upper level the access needs to be taken into account. We look to to see if it is possible and make sure our employees will be safe. Granite or quartz weighs roughs 20-25lbs a square foot, which can lead to a dangerous situation when access is limited. If the countertop needs to be installed in an apartment complex then the elevator has to be measured because it will limit the size of the countertops.
3) Stability of the countertop piece: Here at Italian Marble we do not like to put joints at the sink section of a countertop. This is due to the fact that the sink section is the most vulnerable, therefore there is a greater probability of the joint “popping” at the sink. This is due to the sink, with dishes and water, pulling at the seam. Therefore we do not put the joints at the sink and we put a steel rod in the reinforce the sink section. However if a customer has a large peninsula and an undermount sink but does not want a joint there is an increased chance of the stone breaking during installation. Therefore during the layout process we look at the access and sink location on a per customer basis to determine if the stone can accommodate no joint.
