Looking for the Perfect Countertop? Choose Quartz.

With the market flooded with hundreds of options, it is no easy task to pick an ideal material for your kitchen countertop. The material of a countertop determines its life, durability, usability and ease of cleaning because kitchen countertops often have sinks, stoves and chopping boards installed on them.

An ideal material for countertops would have to be non-porous, scratch-resistant, stain-resistant and versatile. It should not be prone to cracking, chipping and breakage. A material that absorbs organic fluids is a breeding ground for microorganisms and prone to stains that are difficult, if not impossible, to clean.

Conventionally, countertops come in various materials like wood, stainless steel, crafted glass, concrete, solid-surface plastic, laminates, tiles and natural stones like granite, limestone, marble, soapstone and gabbros. The latest and most popular material for countertops at the moment is natural or engineered quartz. While pure quartz countertops are made from slabs of natural quartz, engineered quartz has a certain percentage of polymer resin mixed in it. Engineered quartz fares better than natural quartz in terms of scratch resistance and non-porous properties. A quartz countertop enhances the look of the kitchen and is the most practical option in terms of cleaning and maintenance.

Since Quartz countertops are non-porous and scratch resistant, they make a better choice over wood and plastic. While marble and concrete and prone to staining owing to their porosity, keeping a quartz countertop flawlessly clean and scratch-free is a piece of cake. Moreover, quartz countertops come in a wide variety of patterns, textures and colors to suit your décor and personal tastes.

Georgia Hotel Indigo Seeks LEED Gold

I may be going out on a limb, but of all the real property types – whether multifamily, commercial, retail, etc – hotels probably have the most consistent focus on green operations. They’re always trying to find ways to save energy or water, and they know their footprint. When you add LEED certification, which in this case means (anticipated) LEED Gold certification for the new Hotel Indigo in Athens, there’s an interesting combination of the already existing concern for operations and the LEED emphasis on design and construction.

We all know that a green building is hard to define, but there’s more to the equation than energy and water. This hotel was designed by Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein and constructed with locally-sourced materials and recycled content products, like quartz countertops.

The rooms have a custom vanity made with Plyboo architectural plywood and Caesarstone countertops. They also have their own recycling centers and are outfitted with CFLs and energy efficient lighting. Don’t be surprised to find water-efficient Kohler Purist fixtures in the shower either.

The building itself was designed with sustainability in mind. It was oriented to allow maximum daylighting while still controlling interior heat gain. There’s a green roof, large windows with exterior shading, high efficiency HVAC, technology to collect HVAC condensation for irrigation and landscaping, enhanced bioswale, pervious paving, and regenerative elevator. Hotel Indigo was built using low-emitting materials, adhesives, and paints, too. You shouldn't smell a thing.

Barbara Corcoran Answers Questions about Kitchen Improvements

Here’s a roundup of the questions she’s most often asked about kitchen improvements. Whether you’re looking to buy or hoping to sell, the condition of the kitchen will have a big impact on the final price. A new kitchen, complete with fancy upgrades, will add thousands of dollars to the value of a home. On the other hand, an outdated kitchen will not only lower the value of a home but will also make it much more difficult to sell. What to do? If you’re looking to sell, Barbara’s got some great advice about where you should spend your money on kitchen upgrades. If you’re looking to buy, you’ll find great advice about what upgrades add real value to a home and which ones aren’t worth the money.

Q I purchased a two-bedroom apartment in Harlem two years ago. I plan to stay at least another 10 years. I’d like to replace the cheap countertops, but can’t decide between granite and Silestone. Will it make a big difference in resale value?

A As far as your return on your investment, you can get two bucks out for every dollar you spend on your kitchen — but spend your money wisely. Granite countertops are already out, and those new [quartz countertops], like Silestone or CaesarStone, are more popular for a few reasons. [Quartz countertops] offer the look and feel of real granite but are both stain- and scratch-resistant and, unlike granite, don’t need to be resealed every few years; that makes it almost maintenance-free. Silestone and CaesarStone countertops also come in a wide range of colors, but pick a neutral shade so your kitchen will still look fresh 10 years out.

Before you sell: Kitchen improvements to make now:

• Refinish the backsplash. You can add color and contrast above the counter with inexpensive paint, tile, glass or ceramic. The area you need to cover is small, but changing it makes a big difference.
• Buy old, not new. You can buy new or slightly used countertops, flooring, cabinets and appliances at salvage shops like Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores. You can even get them free at freecycle.org and freesharing.org.
• Revamp, don’t replace, cabinets. You can give cabinets a fresh coat of paint, or sand and stain them. If the cabinet doors are old-fashioned or worn, you can keep the cabinet boxes and replace just the doors for about half what it would cost to put in new cabinets. Adding new knobs or drawer pulls can also update your kitchen.
• Add or update your island. Built-in and free-wheeling islands add both workspace and storage space to your kitchen, and most buyers love them. If you want the island to look like permanent furniture, add a baseboard.
• Upgrade your appliances. One fancy appliance can make an entire kitchen look modern. Appliances with the Energy Star label use the least energy, and you’ll usually recoup the cost of the appliance through lower energy bills in less than five years.
• Resurface your countertops. Laminating your countertops can cost as little as $500 for an entire kitchen. No need to pull up your countertops, just apply the laminate on top. And today’s new laminates look high-end.
• Replace floor covering. Bamboo or engineered wood floors are inexpensive, long-lasting and sustainable, and the cheapest tile flooring has a lot more appeal than the most expensive linoleum.

View the entire article here.

Seattle Homes & Lifestyles Featured Home: Global Fusion

The Goncharenkos are a well-traveled family. Galina and Vadim, who are originally from Russia, moved to the United States nine years ago & frequently travel overseas. Though they have seen much of the world, home is where their heart is.
The Goncharenkos’ home is a 1,850-square-foot condo in downtown Bellevue—a simple and stylish space with perfect European flair. It was purchased in 2005 by Galina and Vadim, who needed a designer who could bring their worldly ideas into one cohesive design. That is when they found Lena Fomichev of LF Interior Design.

“I tried to unify every single area to have the same feeling,” says interior designer Lena Fomichev, who made several changes in the kitchen to achieve this goal. To allow more light into the room, she removed a row of hanging cabinets that blocked views out the windows. She also incorporated colors and materials used in the rest of the condo: sand-colored CaesarStone quartz countertops, teak cabinets and drawers, and blue glass tile for a watery shimmer on the backsplash.

The entire home gives a very earthy feel, inspired by three elements of fire, water, and air. Tan floors, sandy countertops, warm wooden surfaces and ice blue ceilings create a pleasant beach-like feeling.

“We are so happy that this was made into reality with Lena’s help,” Vadim says. “All of our friends and guests feel so comfortable here—when we invite someone over for tea, they end up staying three or four hours.” The Goncharenkos enjoy their home so much that sometimes they too find it hard to leave. After moving in, Galina told Fomichev, “I don’t want to go anywhere. This place is heaven for me.”

For more information on this design visit the original article here. For more information on CaesarStone Quartz Countertops please visit here.

Sneak Peek at the 2009 Showtime House

Metropolitan Home and Showtime have teamed up again this year, following the success of last year’s Showtime House with even bigger and better plans for this year’s installation. This time, 14 renowned designers will transform not one, but two New York penthouses into the ultimate multimedia showhouse with rooms inspired by Showtime's 6 Original Series; Californication, Dexter, Nurse Jackie, The Tudors, United States of Tara and Weeds. Each piece of the rooms, from flooring to countertops to furniture to window treatments, will be inspired by elements of the 6 shows.

One local blogger gave the public a sneak peek at the designer’s sketches and intended designs straight from Metropolitan Home. While last year’s centerpiece muse was Dexter, this year’s seems to be Hank Moody (character played by David Duchovny) of Californication. The hit show fuses Hank’s hometown of NYC with his latest place of residence, Hollywood, and all the sinful temptations that come with it. With Hank, Hollywood, sex, and bad habits as their inspiration, designers Markus Dochantschi, Susannah Drake, and Joannah Kornak for Holly Hunt each interpreted the sinful plotline as fuel for their stunning spaces.

For Dexter, who’s been leading a much different and conflicted lifestyle in recent plotlines of the show, designer and former TV Producer Marie Aiello created a Foyer/Gallery, Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen and Terrace to capture the many sides of this complex character played by Michael C. Hall. Whether Dexter is passing through the foyer, hanging out in the living room with the kids, or thoughtfully cutting vegetables on the kitchen countertops with a newly sharpened knife, Marie Aiello has designed a space to accommodate the many sides of Dexter. “I want my space to speak to Dexter’s conflict and inner torment but be rendered in not so obvious ways. Each room is sophisticated and seductive but not too pretty,” says Aiello.

From Showtime’s Press Release: Building on last year's success, Showtime is incredibly excited to once again partner with Metropolitan Home for this one-of-a-kind experience," says Len Fogge, Showtime Executive VP, Creative & Marketing. "The combination of the latest in innovative modern design and Showtime's cutting-edge programming forms an organic environment where consumers can physically experience and explore the Showtime brand. The house allows visitors to get a deeper insight into the characters and storylines that solidify Showtime as the premiere destination for compelling programming.”

This year's line-up of incredible design talent includes Marie Aiello, James Biber, Christopher Coleman and Angel Sanchez, Markus Dochantschi at Studio MDA, Susannah Drake, Francine Gardner, Holly Hunt and Joannah Kornak for Holly Hunt, Andrew Kotchen and Matthew Berman of Workshop/apd, Paul Latham, Piero Lissoni, Kara Mann, Richard Mishaan, and Surfacedesign. Each designer has been assigned a room and an inspiring Showtime series, such as Californication, Dexter, Nurse Jackie, The Tudors, United States of Tara, and Weeds. Interior designers from the Savannah College of Art & Design are also creating an innovative entryway for the showhome.

Today’s top brands will integrate their products within the house including premier sponsor Time Warner Cable and preferred partners AKO, Alessi, Benjamin Moore, Blanco, CaesarStone Quartz Countertops, Crystallized - Swarovski Elements, Elica, Flou, Kraftmaid, Miele, Molteni & C, Napoleon, and Swarovski Crystal Palace.

Original blog post: http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/2009/08/sneak-peek-of-2009-metropolitan-home.html