Once upon a time, Americans threw away nothing. Well, threw away very little or what was beyond repair. Things were fixed, re-patched, re-sewn, rebuilt, or refurbished. Then something happened: We became a throw-away society. Perhaps we felt more entitled after liberating the world from fascism, or maybe we simply got too prosperous to be bothered with fixing old stuff […]Read Post ›
I recently had a conversation with a certified kitchen designer who said something interesting to me: She is no longer designing kitchens with one type of countertop material. Blasphemy! For eons, kitchen design has been like a one-trick pony—countertops kitted out in one material, be it stone, or laminate, or solid surface or whatever. Those walls have come […]Read Post ›
If you’re in the market for new countertops, the world is your oyster: I can think of at least 25 different materials off the top my head. The Grothouse Lumber Company in Germansville, Pa., makes a good case for why you should consider wood. From its 20,000-square foot facility located on a 50-acre farm, the company […]Read Post ›
Teak is one of the most desirable wood species in the construction industry. A favorite among boat builders and furniture makers, teak contains natural oils that resist moisture, cracking, and warping. Plus, it’s unbelievably gorgeous! The problem, however, is that teak is a tropical hardwood that is being harvested into oblivion. Wimberley, Texas-based Proteak says its […]Read Post ›
First of all, let me just preface this post by saying that we here at the Q are fans of stone. Soapstone and marble are particular favorites of ours, but we do have a problem with granite being the default option for kitchens. There are many options. We do like materials such as this Micro from Meld USA. […]Read Post ›
The coolest thing to come out of Detroit in the last 10 years is not the Chevy Volt, or even the Cadillac CTS-V coupe. In fact, it’s not a car at all. It’s a line of countertop surfacing material by Detroit-based SensiTile Systems. The concrete-based materials respond to light in strange and interesting ways that boggle […]Read Post ›
The other day I got a phone call from a good friend who had an interesting question for me: “What is the best cheap countertop I can get for my kitchen?” Flummoxed, I paused before saying, “It depends on what you mean by cheap, and what you mean by ‘is.’” (Because nothing is ever one […]Read Post ›
ThinkGlass For a while now, we’ve been preparing a long post on cool countertops. But this one appeared in our in-box (thank you, friend!) and it’s so cool we had to write about it. Instead of stone, wood, or quartz, the top is made from 100 percent recyclable glass, which should make a bold statement in […]Read Post ›
CaesarStone Quartz is now a common countertop surfacing material that is only getting more popular. Generally, the product is made from 93 percent quartz and 7 percent resins and other colors, and fillers. The result is a material that is more low maintenance than natural stone and can be ordered in tons of colors such as red or […]Read Post ›
As you may or may not know, the 2011 International Builders’ Show took place last week in Orlando, Fla. This is the home building industry’s Fashion Week, so to speak, and it’s where many manufacturers release their newest stuff. (The other big event for products is the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.) Because I have many […]Read Post ›
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