Changing from Dark Granite to Light!

This fun kitchen was originally done in a Dark Granite called Tan Brown. The customers decided to lighten things up a bit and changed the stone to Giallo Ornamental. They added a larger granite composite sink in a beige color to match the new stone. They also made the room more inviting and looking bigger by cutting down the high bar. Enjoy the pics :)

Granite changed to Quartz- before and after

I am so excited to share with you these pictures! Our customer purchased a home that had Santa Cecelia granite countertops throughout. Wanting to change the home to fit his needs, he purchased Latte Quartz and we fabricated it with nice straight lines to enhance the look of his kitchen. Flat Polished edges gave this quartz a contemporary feel. We were able to remove the granite without damaging his existing backsplash, which saved him money and time. It also was a great way to take advantage of the existing backsplash.

AFTER WITH LATTE GS QUARTZ BELOW:

BEFORE WITH SANTA CECELIA GRANITE BELOW:

The Santa Cecelia Granite that was already in the home as seen just above was absolutely beautiful. The homeowner was able to sell the granite to some people that were remodeling their home. We were able to take out the existing granite without breaking any pieces. This is never guaranteed, but when a customer would like to re-use their tops or sale them, we do our best to not break them.

Which look do you like better? :)

Golden Crystal Granite 3cm

I love Golden Crystal granite! It looks a lot like a Lapidus with fabulous grays throughout! Such a fantastic mix of browns and grays. This was done for a home remodel. The customer picked the granite to flow with her existing cabinets and tile. She chose a stainless sink for ease of care, and simple beauty.

There was just enough stone to do one vanity countertop out of the same color. The white sink matched the tub and toilet, however, I think a bisque undermount vanity sink would have been equally beautiful and would have flowed with the color of the stone.

Please enjoy the beauty and exotic nature of this Golden Crystal 3cm with waterfall edge and 4" backsplash.

Venetian Gold 3cm with Apron sink

This is a beautiful Venetian Gold 3cm granite with a waterfall edge. The colors compliment the white cabinets beautifully. We did a 4" backsplash on the walls to keep the backsplash below the outlets, and then a 6" on the island to make it full high and flow from the bottom to the top! 

This house has a cast iron apron sink which also ties in the white cabinetry and white appliances. I love the dark wood floor, light cabinets and medium color stone. Very lovely, and blends very well. This customer will enjoy this for years to come!

Illumination Series Arctic White Corian Countertops

This bathroom remodel was a lot of fun. Our customer wanted to illuminate her bathroom countertops. She picked the Arctic White from the Illumination Series by Corian. She then picked some fun bright lights to illuminate the tops! This bright pink surround really brightens this bathroom.

Rustic Chiseled Edge Blue Storm Granite

Can I just say WOW!!!! This job was fun and amazing!!! This kitchen shows off a 6cm chiseled edge in Blue Storm granite purchased from Carpets Plus in St. George! The accentuated wave of the chisel really gives this kitchen a look of natural stone being cut from the mountain and placed in this home.

This customer used a Blanco granite composite sink, and re-used their existing cooktop. They also shortened the bar overhang to increase the size of the dining area. A granite windowsill really topped off the finish in the kitchen.

Crema Bordeaux Granite with Tile Backsplash

This kitchen is done in Crema Bordeaux granite with a 3cm soft chiseled edge. This was a remodel, and the customer wanted to keep the beautiful existing tile backsplash. The removal crew carefully removed the existing tops, being careful to cut away at the tile backsplash. They measured carefully for heights for the installation of the granite.

When the granite was installed it lined up perfectly with with existing tile backsplash! The finishing touch of sanded caulk made the tile look like it was installed just for this kitchen!

Simply Perfection!

The large single bowl stainless steel sink is also a nice added touch to this kitchen. Single bowl sinks are great for large pans and dishes. They are becoming very popular. It adds beautifully to this kitchen.

Crema Bordeaux granite has soft creams and reds in the stone that blend beautifully with the Southern Utah landscape. Bringing this stone into the home adds a feel of nature and peace to the decor of the homes interior. The feel was exactly what this customer was looking for.

Lapidus Kitchen Remodel

This first picture was the kitchen before the remodel!

This is after the remodel! These pictures were provided by the customer. She is sooo excited with the transformation of what she calls her '80's kitchen to today. She bought all new cabinetry, flooring, and countertops. We did the countertops, of course :-).  The countertops are 3cm Lapidus with a waterfall edge. Lapidus is one of my very favorite granite colors! The colors are all in the browns, and they go with just about everything. Lapidus also has a lot of movement, and is a very fun exotic stone. Worth the extra cost! The sink is an undermount Blanco granite composite sink.

I want to add that she will love the sink! I have had this same Blanco sink at my house for the last 6 years, and I love it as much today as the day I put it in! They are very scratch resistant, stain resistant, and withstand heat up to 536 degrees farenheit!

I would recommend doing a tile backsplash for this kitchen, which I think she is doing. Hopefully I get another picture of the tile splash and I will post it for everyone to see :).

Unique Backsplash

It is so fun to do different backsplashes! This customer wanted the backsplash to resemble the beautiful mountain view out of their windows! They even custom painted their outlet covers to match the color of stone. Turned out fabulous country :)

Here in Southern Utah we have a lot of plateaus, which also make a very fun backsplash to mimic!

Doing the windowsill in the granite is also a nice touch, it ties in with the stone, and give a better shelf to decorate with!

Always be creative, and enjoy your countertops! Granite is awesome because it is custom :)

Vessel Bowls in Granite

I love the look of a beautiful vessel bowl on a granite countertop! This client wanted their bowl partially recessed. We carefully measured and recessed the bowl so that the faucet was just one inch over the bowl. It turned out stunning!

You can also put a vessel directly on the counter, and not recess it at all. When doing this, you will need to buy a faucet that is specifically for vessel sinks. This faucet will come much taller than a regular faucet. I have found the best place to find this type of faucet is online, or you have to special order them in at Lowes or Home Depot.

Granite Countertops with Corbels

Sometimes my customers really want granite countertops, but do not want corbels (the supports for the overhang). When 3cm granite overhangs over 8", we recommend the use of corbels. This generally occurs on islands, and peninsula overhangs. These corbels should be placed every 3 feet, and be supported at each end.

If no corbels are used, there is a chance of the granite breaking. Children love to hang and swing on the overhanging edge of a countertop. Or it is also a great place for "Uncle Joe" to half sit on while telling a great story.... whatever the case is, corbels really should be used.

This is a picture of a kitchen that we put the corbels in. Corbels can be wood, cast iron, or granite. This customer wanted wood corbels to match his oak cabinets. To save on money, we purchased pine corbels and stained them with an oak finish. They turned out beautiful, and the customer is happy, and saved money.

Getting Ready for Granite

We just got the job for a local hotel. We are excited to show you the progress as the front desk and prep area are completed. These first photos show the cabinets ready for granite! We will be showing the process and the completed work as it unfolds. We expect to have this project completed in 2.5 weeks :).

You can see the white templates on the cabinets, this is what we use to cut the granite. This customer has chosen Caesar Stone Baja Quartz. I highly recommend quartz for any commercial project because of the low maintenance. Quartz never needs to be sealed, and has all the benefits of granite. It is a mid-price stone to put in, but well worth it, especially in the commercial area :).

Outdoor Granite Barbeque

Custom outdoor barbecues are a great way to enjoy afternoons with family and friends! This customer built his own barbecue area with plywood, and is planning on using stucco for the final finish. We used "Exotic Forest" granite from Brazil with a 2" apron edge. Our shop pays particular attention to detail, if you notice the lines that run vertical follow through on the horizontal plane. These details are important and add immensely to the finished product.

I find that you get what you pay for. Often the "cheaper" shops do not pay attention to these details. The "cheaper" shops also often have poor seams. I have also heard customers complain of these shops actually fabricating in their driveways. Be leery of these types of granite shops.