Natural Stone Makes The Best Countertops

I was preparing spaghetti and meatballs one day. Tomato sauce had ended up getting onto my counter and a dark stain was left behind. How can I get rid of this?

Solution:
1. Clean area thoroughly with cold water and a good detergent.
2. If stain is still present clean the area with an alkaline degreaser (Commercial degreasers are available at most janitorial supply houses). Mix with water according to directions and let solution stand on stained area for several minutes. Agitate with a cloth and rinse with clean water.
3. If stain is still not removed than poultice with powder (diatomous earth or similar powder) and an alkaline degreaser. A second poultice may be required using powder and a solvent such as toluene or methylene chloride if there is dye present.

If for some reason this stain was not removed by the solution above, contact the guys at the NSRA for assistance. you may also want to consider picking up some stone care products to prevent this type of damage in the future.

“Expect the unexpected” could be the theme of this contemporary house. The property’s unique details begin with the hot-dipped galvanized picket gate that opens onto the driveway leading to the house. A two-color brick exterior with limestone accents and horizontal banding is enhanced by green and red shingles. Architect and builder Jim Peterson’s use of Indian slate-filled steel channels and dormers with copper siding hints at the design surprises just inside the front door where the structural steel channels are repeated in the entry.

“I kept the house narrow and incorporated as many windows as possible to maximize the light coming into the house. And I planned the windows on the rear wall to overlook the lake. To add an element of surprise, I designed the house so that the rear walls are not parallel with the front wall,” says Peterson. He set the white maple floors with Brazilian cherry inlays on an angle to accentuate the angle of the house.

WARMING IT UP

Interior designer Gail Ciliberti says the challenge of a contemporary house is to create an environment that’s warm and welcoming. She and Peterson used combinations of natural materials to achieve that warmth and included various features, such as the fireplace, that are independent components to enhance one another.

The hearth and curved face of the great-room fireplace are sandstone, which complements the maple floors, with Red Dragon granite inserts. The hearth transitions into a platform that anchors a flat-screen television.

In front of the fireplace, a sunrise yellow leather sectional and cherry-base glass-top table sit on a geometric rug of muted gold, green, gray, brown and red. The rug is from Frances Lee Jasper.

A rift-sawn vertical-grain maple bookcase built by carpenter Ned Fitzgerald is the focal point of a reading nook off the great room. The bookcase holds a portion of an extensive book collection, a daughter’s paintings and an assortment of decorative accessories. An ecru leather loveseat and ottoman provide comfortable seating.

The dining area, overlooking the lake, features a square table with a black terrazzo base, cherry cabinet and Rosewood granite countertop. The chairs are an unexpected combination of bamboo, leather and stainless steel. A sculptural paper lamp hangs above the table.

DESIGN SURPRISES

The kitchen opens onto the great room and dining area. Ciliberti designed the kitchen to include a circular-form island. The contour and shape of the island are reflected in the details of the soffit. The cherry cabinets, designed by Ciliberti and fabricated by Tom Burkhart of The Burkhart Co., are accented by Blue Eyes granite and Flamed Black Absolute granite countertops. The backsplash is Ganges Kund slate. Appliances include a GE Profile oven, refrigerator and dishwasher; a GE Monogram cooktop, European hood and wine cooler; and an Advantium oven.

Peterson continued his design surprises by bringing down the scale of the opening to the master suite to be mysterious. An alcove off the living room leads to the master suite, which has a small vaulted ceiling and a 7-foot bed wall. Ciliberti created the bed wall with maple flat-panel cabinetry on the opposite side.

Ciliberti designed the master bath with attention to luxurious details. Wood and an Indian slate floor introduce a natural element. Backlit mirrors are positioned over his-and-her horizontal-grain maple vanities with Marone Cohiba granite countertops and stainless-steel hardware. Ganges Kund slate is used on the floor and in the shower, which has an unusual tiled faucet tower. Iridescent black glass mosaic and a sandblasted glass door provide striking individuality to the space.

STEP DOWN

Open-riser stairs and a single piece of undulated rail lead downstairs to the walkout recreation room, bar, office and exercise room. A 16-foot tower of windows at the corner of the stairs extends from the basement to the second floor.

The carpet downstairs is placed on a diagonal that replicates the diagonal placement of the wood floors upstairs. A bar is highlighted by a manufactured stainless-steel panel base, Uba Tuba granite countertops and stainless-steel rod bar stools with suede seats. The fireplace has a long hearth with Green Ice slate and incorporates a flat-screen television and audio-visual components. A billiards table and piano offer additional entertainment.

CHOCOLATE

Types:
Candy, cocoa, ice cream.
Problem:
Can leave brown stains in light color marbles.
Solution:
1. Clean area thoroughly with cold water and a good detergent(Ivory soap works well).
2.If stain is still present clean with ammonia and water.Let solution sit on stained area for several minutes.Remove excess solution and rinse with clear cold water.
3.If above procedures fail, poultice with Diatomous earth or similar powder and ammonia.Difficult to remove chocolate stains may require poulticing with 20-50% hydrogen peroxide.

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Slate is the quiet, little known, but serious, player in countertops for kitchens and vanities. Of course, slate is traditionally seen as a building material for flooring, roofing, cladding on buildings, wherever there is a need for a very strong, solidly performing material. So, why not kitchen countertops?

Slate keeps a low profile. Not often seen at kitchen and bath shows, rarely marketed to kitchen and bath designers, slate is, perhaps, one of the strongest, if not the strongest, materials one can use as a kitchen countertop even exceeding the properties of granite.

Slate, as a countertop material, has numerous properties that we designers look for, and need.

Color

Slate is available in a variety of colors. Mostly understated, in middle to dark tones, the colors of slate are generally seen as:

* Red
* Deep Purple
* Deep Purple/Turquoise Combination
* Turquoise
* Gray
* Black

The look is quiet, elegant, strong, simplistic, nature-like, minimalist.dependent on its application within the room. Slate is almost always honed, although it can be oiled for a slightly more glossy look.

Pattern/Graining

Depending on the variety of the slate, the grain type and pattern can vary. Some slates, as Black Lace, has a distinctive highly textural, high-design look. Other slates exhibit very little graining whatsoever. Others are mottled. Some are quiet, with little graining, except for one strong, localized grain pattern, running through the slate, for a look of pure, natural beauty. Clients must be advised that graining pattern/direction/type cannot be predicted. Photos of completed countertops in their color and a 12×12 sample is helpful.

Edging

Typically, slate edges are simple square edges with a very small radius top and bottom. Variations could be any edge one would see in granite. Due to the understated look, slate is not often seen with an ogee (OG) edge. Slate is perfect for a rough cut, exposed, edge. Try it!

Properties

One of the best properties of slate is its extremely low absorption rate, lower than granite. Designers can consider most slates as being stain-free. KBP.com has performed testing on the turquoise/green colors and has found these slate colors to be stain-free. Slate in the gray/black family may need a sealer. Get 12×12 samples of various colors from a slate distributor. In many cases, they are free.Take time to apply numerous food and acidic substances to the material.wine, coffee, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, ketchup, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, oils. Leave 24 hours, wipe clean, and observe. Or, on a 12×12 sample, apply substances to half of that surface. As a result of slate’s low absorption, the material can be considered anti bacterial in nature.

Slab material generally is available in smaller sizes than granite, resulting in an additional seam or two. Pay attention to seaming issues.

Care

Soap and water, or even a tough cleaning product such as Fantastic. If a sheen is desired, use a diluted solution of Murphy’s Oil Soap and water. Apply, and buff off before it dries.

Scratches are easily removed, simply, with a sponge, during normal cleaning of the countertop. Deeper scratches are easily rubbed out with wet steel wool.

ONLY the gray and black stones need to be sealed as they are more absorptive in nature than other colored slates. Thus, mild soaps only should be used on these colors, so as not to strip the sealer.