The Kitchen and Bath People's "Product of the Week" - 3Form

What can I say, I love 3Form! Though it's seen and used more often in commercial design, it certainly has its place in the home. 3Form's product line has grown more and more extensive over the years, from simple, colorful resin panels to pressed glass, then exterior materials, lighting fixtures... all using the same basic idea. 3form will take their base material, be it resin or glass, and press various materials and or objects within the material to form interesting, translucent, textures and patterns. The material is flexible and can be bent or heat molded into various shapes if desired. 3Form also, conveniently, has an entire line of mounting hardware, addressing the more popular ways their product has been used. This material is SO flexible, I can't even begin to list all its uses... but here are some ways people have used 3Form in their kitchens and bathrooms.

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As a Kitchen Backsplash

Resource: 3Form Online Porfolio; Varia, Ecoresin, with Birch

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Varia, Ecoresin, with Beargrass

Resource: Kitchen and Bath Ideas, Designer: Barbara Enberg, Photography: Ed Gohlich
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As a Counter Top

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Chroma, Sea
Designer: GSBS Architects and Light Spot Design

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Chroma
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As a Light Fixture

3Forms Light Art designer Kevin Smith has developed several "stock"fixtures like the one above.

Or, they are happy to take on commissions like this one pictured above.
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As an Accent on the face of a Bar or Island

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Designer: King and King
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As a Privacy Panel or Room Divider

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Varia, Ecoresin with Beargrass
Designer: Living Homes, Tom Bonner

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Varia, Ecoresin, Bios, Mango
Designer: Adrienne Gamba

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Varia, Ecoresin, Thatch
Designer: ADH
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As a Cabinet Inset

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Varia, Ecoresin
Designer: Mitzi Sullivan and John Kendrick
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As a Door

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Chroma, Lagoon
Designer: GSBS Architects and Light Spot Design

Resource: 3Form Online Portfolio; Varia, Ecoresin, Tempo Copper
Designer: Jacobi Interiors
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As a Feature Wall

Resource: O Magazine; Varia, Ecoresin, Tea Party
Designer: Danny Seo

So, as you can see, 3Form is fabulous! Your imagination is the limit with this product. Click here for more ideas from 3Form.

The Kitchen and Bath People's Product of the Week : Semi-Precious Stone Slabs

If you're going for a real WOW feature - back-lit, semi-precious, semi-translucent, stone slabs have an incredibly interesting appeal.

Design by Lori Carroll, Product Source Unknown

This product can be used in a multitude of applications... counter tops, windows, accent walls, your imagination is the limit.

Photo Courtesy of Cosentino, Prexury Collection

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.

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:

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

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