A few posts ago I wrote about various simple ways to incorporate Universal Design in your home; creating a space to allow "Aging in Place" without making your home look like a hospital room. Since then, our office has decided to hold a booth at the North Carolina Assistive Technology Expo on December 3 this year. To prepare for the show, I have put together a presentation with many more ideas to universalize your home. Universal Design is not just for the aging... it helps young & old, short & tall, handicapped and healthy. Browse through, you may be surprised by what you never thought could make life just a little easier!
-To view, click in the image below. Click on the arrows at the end of each page to flip through.-
If you are interested in a kitchen or bathroom remodel or addition, please visit our website at thekitchenandbathpeople.com
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Countertops : Cold, Hard Facts
Granite
Being extremely durable, scratch & stain resistant, requiring very little maintenance, and, not to mention, attractive, granite has become a favorite surface for kitchens and baths. There are a multitude of colors & textures and the depth & movement is unmatched with copy-cats. A word of warning, if you decide to install granite in your home, be sure to personally (or have your designer) select the slab of stone to be used. 
Every slab is different; even of the same variety. You may even go so far as to select the portion of the slab to be used, as the color and movement will change throughout the piece.
Every slab is different; even of the same variety. You may even go so far as to select the portion of the slab to be used, as the color and movement will change throughout the piece.Granite should be re-sealed every 3-5 years in a residential application in order to prevent staining. To clean, granite should be wiped free of dust regularly and periodically washed with a soft cloth, fresh water, and a mild detergent.
Marble
There are definitely mixed opinions concerning marble counters in the kitchen. It is beautiful, no doubt... but, if you really use your kitchen, it will never look the same as the day it was installed. Marble is soft and it stains and because of this, many don't recommend marble for kitchen counters. However, I like the positive spin Paul Anater, on his blog, gave concerning marble when asked his opinion, "If you like the idea of your life making a mark on things, marble is for you." It certainly carries nostalgic traits; plus, it is beautiful and timeless (think ancient Rome). But if you want a kitchen to feel "like new" as long as possible it might be a good idea to use marble for only a portion, if any, of your kitchen's surfaces; like for a pastry center. Mixing counter surfaces can add visual interest and define different zones. As far as for bathroom countertops, people across the board seem to feel that marble is an appropriate material for that application.
Maintenance is a delicate issue with marble. Blot-out (try not to wipe-up) spills as soon as they happen to avoid etching in the stone, as anything with an acidic content will begin to break down the stone. Use coasters on marble, beverage glasses will leave a ring so treat your marble like you would a wood surface. Use cleaning products specific for marble both on the counter and on any vertical surface behind the marble (like mirror or tile) to prevent any drips of a harmful cleaning product from landing on your marble surface and staining or damaging the sealer or the stone.Quartz Surface
Quartz (in regards to countertops) is an engineered stone combining rock (typically quartz) and resins. Now, there are options that integrate recycled content. Cosentino's product ECO is made of 75% post-consumer or post-industrial materials such as glass, mirror, porcelain, and stone scrape. The choices and looks for quartz surfaces are ever growing and evolving to keep up with current trends including concrete looks, stone looks, and styles with flecks of glass or mirror for sparkle. 
Ina Garten used Caesarstone, one of the many manufacturers of quartz counters, in her barn kitchen (pictured above) for its impervious quality and markings like real stone. Compared to granite, quartz has a much more consistent look but still maintains depth.
Price wise, quartz costs about the same as granite. Manufactures of the product claim it's superiority over granite for it's increased stain, scratch, and mildew resistance. Maintenance is also reduced compared to stone; engineered stone will never need to be sealed and will stand up to harsher cleaning agents. Below is pictured a few of the many looks available with a quartz surface:
Ina Garten used Caesarstone, one of the many manufacturers of quartz counters, in her barn kitchen (pictured above) for its impervious quality and markings like real stone. Compared to granite, quartz has a much more consistent look but still maintains depth.Price wise, quartz costs about the same as granite. Manufactures of the product claim it's superiority over granite for it's increased stain, scratch, and mildew resistance. Maintenance is also reduced compared to stone; engineered stone will never need to be sealed and will stand up to harsher cleaning agents. Below is pictured a few of the many looks available with a quartz surface:
Solid Surface
Solid Surface is a completely man-made countertop product. There are many pros to this product including it's nearly seamless appearance and it's flexibility in creating three dimensional shapes. It can be molded into integral sinks, drainboards and back splashes, creating seamless, easy to clean counters with no gaps where bacteria can grow; making solid surface a popular product for health-care, in particular. 
It is a non-porous material so it is naturally stain resistant with no need for a sealant. Cleaning only requires soap, or an ammonia based cleaner, and water. Be sure the surface is wiped dry to avoid a filmy build-up. Another plus, because it is a "through body" material, scratches can be buffed out and old countertops can be refinished to look good as new. Solid surface is considered a "green" product due to it's durability, repair-ability, and recycled content.
The color possibilities are nearly as endless as quartz surface colors. Solid surface will not give you that same visual depth, however, and you won't find anything with glassy, reflective flecks. It has a softer, more marble like texture to the touch. There are variety of styles including looks to mimic granite or solid styles for a more modern look. Lighter colors are recommended for high-use areas because scratches will show up white.
If you are interested in a kitchen or bathroom remodel or addition, please visit our website at thekitchenandbathpeople.com
It is a non-porous material so it is naturally stain resistant with no need for a sealant. Cleaning only requires soap, or an ammonia based cleaner, and water. Be sure the surface is wiped dry to avoid a filmy build-up. Another plus, because it is a "through body" material, scratches can be buffed out and old countertops can be refinished to look good as new. Solid surface is considered a "green" product due to it's durability, repair-ability, and recycled content.
The color possibilities are nearly as endless as quartz surface colors. Solid surface will not give you that same visual depth, however, and you won't find anything with glassy, reflective flecks. It has a softer, more marble like texture to the touch. There are variety of styles including looks to mimic granite or solid styles for a more modern look. Lighter colors are recommended for high-use areas because scratches will show up white.If you are interested in a kitchen or bathroom remodel or addition, please visit our website at thekitchenandbathpeople.com
Photo Credits : Photo 1 - The Kitchen and Bath People showroom; Photo 3 - courtesy of Cosentino; Photo 4 - design by Susan Serra Associates, Inc.; Photo 5 - design by Robert Stilin, photo by Julian Wass for House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year; Photo 6 - a. caesarstone, b. cambria, c. caesarstone, d. caesarstone, e. cosentino, f. ceasarstone; Photo 7 & 8 - LG HI-MACS
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