Dark & Elegant

Don’t get us wrong, dark kitchens are not easy to pull off. Nonetheless, when well executed they can reflect a mysterious, elegant beauty that brighter kitchen designs cannot imitate. Below is an image taken from House & Garden of Gwyneth Paltrow’s kitchen in her home in the Hamptons. The light countertops and white chandelier do a wonderful job of offsetting the dramatic black cabinetry. If you are considering a similar color scheme, Perla Bianca Trend Stonegranite veneer overlays would be an excellent choice for your countertops. Silver hardware, faucets, and appliances can also make dark cabinetry pop and bring a little bit of brightness to the room.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Dark Kitchen

Colorful & Fun

If you want your kitchen design to a reflect  a more playful ambiance , a great technique is to add bright splashes of color throughout. You may choose to paint the walls or cabinets a vibrant color – blues, yellows and greens are popular options for kitchens. If you want color but are worried about overdoing it with paint, our Trend Mosaic backsplashes are a great way to add color without going overboard.

A Colorful Kitchen with a Granite Transformations Backsplash

White, Light & Bright

The best thing about a white kitchen is that the color will never look outdated. White kitchens are classic, clean, and versatile. However, they are more likely to come off as bland or uninspired than either of the color schemes mentioned above. There are a few things you can do to avoid this pitfall. Try to add some dramatic dark pieces to the kitchen, such as a dark wood table or chairs, black countertops, or pops of color in appliances and decor. Remember, if you ever get bored with your white design, all it takes is a coat of bright paint to shake things up again!

White Kitchen, as seen in House Beautiful

• Store Items Within Reach

Use a vase or narrow jug to store kitchen utensils with long handles, especially those that you need to keep within easy reach. Tongs, whisks, wooden spoons, ladles, and spatulas are perfect candidates

• Use a small bookcase or floating shelf to store cookbooks.

However, avoid placing them too close to the stove as steam will likely cause the pages to ripple and stick together.

• Rack Your Spices.

Speaking of shelves, you will want to find efficient storage for spices. Organize them alphabetically on a spice rack or by rows in a drawer.

• Make a recipe box for loose recipes.

Write them down on 4×6 notecards and file them according to category, e.g., deserts, salads, chicken, and pasta.

• Weed Out Useless Items.

For all you packrats out there, try to weed out everything you don’t need or use. It can be difficult, but if you’re honest with yourself, you will soon realize that you never did get around to using that cherry pitter. Ditto the shrimp de-veiner. Donate these items to a thrift store, sell them at a garage or stoop sale, or even re-gift them – doesn’t your second cousin have a wedding coming up soon?

• Clear your counters of all unnecessary clutter.

Store items that you don’t use on a daily basis in cupboards. Keeping your counters clear will make your kitchen more efficient and give it a more streamlined appearance.

• Hang pots and pans from the ceiling.

This will free up a lot of cabinet space and will display your cookware in a way that is both attractive and highly functional. If you have overhead beams, you can simply put nails or screws into the beams and hang the cookware directly from them. If you are not lucky enough to have conveniently placed beams, you can buy a hanging ceiling rack for as little as $40.

• Make it Make Sense.

Check that your organization scheme is logical and won’t interrupt the natural flow of work in the kitchen. Keep the knives next to the cutting board and the colander next to the sink. Keep frequently used items on cabinet shelves that are within easy reach.

These small measures will make a big difference in your life and who knows, they may even spare you from having to undertake a costly kitchen remodeling job.

1. Cabinets

Cabinets from Granite Transformations

Cabinets are the face of your kitchen. They set the tone for the entire kitchen and are the first thing your guests notice when they enter the room. So, what can you do if your cabinets are unsightly or outdated? You might have considered replacing them entirely, but this can cost you between $15,000 and $40,000. If these costs don’t work with your budget, don’t worry – you don’t have to continue living in the 1970s. Painting can be an affordable way to update your kitchen without doing extensive construction. It might take a little time to complete the task, but when you’re finished you will find your kitchen completely transformed. White, or a similarly light color, can help add a bright touch to an otherwise dark room. You may also choose to have your cabinets refaced. Cabinet refacing costs about half as much as a full cabinet replacement and the work is completed in 4-5 days by professionals who replace cabinet doors, drawer fronts and hardware.

2. Cabinets…continued!

If you have glass cabinet doors or a system of open shelves, try painting or using wallpaper on the cabinet interiors to make a bold design statement.  Replacing ugly or generic cabinet handles can be another great way to add a little pizazz to a kitchen that may lack that special something. Anthropologie has a beautiful selection of unique drawer pulls that can double as cabinet handles, all around $18. For a cheaper selection, browse Amazon.com, which has literally hundreds of styles starting at as little as $1 each!

Cabinet Hardware from Anthropologie

3. Add an island

If you have open space in your kitchen and have always dreamt of having extra storage or seating, you might consider adding an island. Many retailers, including Walmart, Target, JC Penney, and Amazon.com carry freestanding kitchen islands at a range of prices, starting at around $100. With these low prices, an island is an easy, affordable way to add a new centerpiece to your kitchen without breaking the bank. Alternatively, if you like to get your hands dirty, diynetwork.com can teach you how to build your own kitchen island.

Kitchen Island from Walmart

4. Change the Lighting

Lighting has such an important effect on the way a room feels, yet it is often overlooked. Try playing around with different types of lighting in order to create a look you love. Different light fixtures will create varied types of light. It’s completely up to you how muted, bright, warm, or cool you decide you’d like the light to be. No matter what direction you take however, new lighting is bound to shake things up in your kitchen.

Inspired Kitchen Lighting, Photo by tandemracer

Photo by aunto CC BY 2.0

Are you in the midst of a kitchen remodeling? Are you possibly rethinking your current kitchen design? There are likely many considerations you are keeping in mind – price, style, and quality to name a few. But there’s one more thing we want to remind you of before sending you out into the land of Kitchen Remodeling Design – Don’t forget to go green!

Below we have compiled a great list of tips to help you go green in your kitchen. Some of them will require a little bit of upfront investment, but you will surely see a return as the years go by.

Look for the EnergyStar Logo

If you are remodeling you kitchen, appliances will probably factor largely into your design plan. Be sure to always look for EnergyStar appliances. These appliances have met strict efficiency guidelines provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and can help you save up to a third of the cost of your energy bill. Furthermore, try to look for appliances that will last a long time (we’re talking ten years or more) as this will help reduce waste.

Look for This Logo

Recycle

Whenever possible, try to recycle the appliances you are replacing. Give them away to your friends, family, or neighbors, donate them to your local salvation army, or list them on craigslist (for free or try to make a little money back). If you’re up for it, you could even try looking for recycled materials for your own kitchen!
Be sure to use energy efficient bulbs in any new fixtures you install. As old bulbs burn out replace them with energy efficient ones. These bulbs use 75 percent less energy and last about 10 times longer than regular bulbs.

Get a Dishwasher

Invest in a dishwasher if you don’t already have one. Obviously, this might be impossible for renters, but for those who own their own home, running a full dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand in a sink with running water.

Pick Sustainable Materials

Use recycled materials as much as possible. Bamboo is beautiful choice for floors and cabinetry, and it’s highly sustainable so you can rest easy knowing you are doing what’s best for the environment.  If you’re in the market for new countertops, our Trend Glass countertop overlays are made from recycled glass and semi-precious, man-made stones. They will add luster and beauty to your kitchen while also helping you stay green.

How to go green even if you aren’t remodeling your kitchen.

And now for the really fun stuff – We can all keep the following tips in mind to reduce our impact on the environment.

Try A Natural Approach

A great natural alternative to common household cleaning products is a vinegar-water solution, which will clean virtually any surface in your home. Vinegar is great at removing stains, from tile grout to coffee mugs. Vinegar can be found in any grocery store and it will only set you back a few dollars. Try adding a squeeze of lemon to the solution to give your home a fresh citrus scent.

Choose Local

Lastly, eat local! Obviously, this one can sometimes be difficult. You will need to spend a little more time searching for products that have been grown locally in your area.  However, farmers markets are popping up everywhere these days and large retailers like Whole Foods often showcase locally grown products, making them easy to identify.

Photo by yourdon

Granite Countertop

If you are considering new countertops, granite is an excellent option that will bring a special touch of beauty and elegance to your home. However, you will likely have concerns regarding how difficult the installation will be and the extent to which it may interrupt your daily life. Choosing an overlay countertop is a great way to lessen the headache of installation and be rewarded with stunning results. Trend Stone is a custom-fitted overlay engineered from the world’s highest quality granite, stone, and quartz. It adheres directly to your existing countertops so the hassle of demolition is avoided.

The process is very simple and installation is finished in the space of one day. After all measurements are double-checked for accuracy, a custom Trend Stone overlay will be produced to suit your countertop. It is then cut, and brought to your home where it is applied to the existing countertop with a powerful adhesive. The surface is remarkably strong, even stronger than traditional granite. And just like that, your countertops are completely transformed and ready to be enjoyed by you and your family. With the help of the professionals at Granite Transformations, the installation of your countertops will be quick, easy, and entirely painless!

Some Granite Countertop Colors

Choosing the right color is a crucial step in granite countertop installation. While having a granite countertop installed will inevitably add beauty to your home, the perfect color will help tie the room together. A good rule of thumb is to go with a color that contrasts well with the colors of the room in which the countertop is being installed.

Good contrast will make the countertops stand out without detracting from the overall décor of the room. Contrast works well when you have a solid colored room where the cabinets and walls are a uniform color, such as eggshell white. In this example, a nero stella or nero galaxy colored countertop would create a stunning contrast between light walls and dark countertops. If you are working with a colorful kitchen or bathroom, it might be a good idea to refer to a color wheel to see which shades will best fit with the colors already present in the room. If you are aiming for an exact match of room color to granite countertop color, you will want to get the name of the color to ensure that it matches perfectly.

Granite Transformations has over 25 different granite countertop colors. Our professionals can help choose the perfect colors for your new countertop and help you choose the best color so you can have a beautiful look and design in your home.

Glass Kitchen Counter

Everyone loves a beautiful kitchen counter, but making the right choice for the perfect counter can be tough. Some of the difficulty lies in determining which color will best complement the décor of the room. For darker rooms, many people like to go with granite or trend stone to give the kitchen a beautiful luster which compliments the dark shades of cabinets, walls, and appliances.

What about lighter kitchens? Sure, a granite countertop or trend stone counter can be good option, but you might also consider a glass kitchen counter. Glass kitchen counters are strong, sleek and have a lovely polish. They will give your lighter kitchen a new radiance and are sure to “wow” your guests every time. Of course, glass counters are easy to install and maintain, so you are certain to enjoy them for years to come.

Click to learn more about the glass we use to make our glass kitchen counters . And don’t forget to  visit our website for a free consultation. We hope that everyone had a wonderful 2009 and we wish you all a happy new year.

Here at Granite Transformations, we often get questions about maintaining newly installed granite or trend stone countertops. We hear from a lot of people who want to know how best to care for their countertops. One of our clients recently posed a question which I would like to answer here so others who had the same question can benefit. The client asked how he should go about caring for and cleaning his granite countertop.

To maintain the beauty of your countertop, is fortunately quite simple. If you notice a stain or any spills on the countertop such as oil, sauce, or cooking fluid, make sure to clean the surface as soon as possible. All you need to do is dip a soft cloth or sponge in warm water and gently rub the surface of the countertop. Avoid using soaps, alcohols or detergents as these will only damage your countertop and destroy its beautiful luster.

Cleaning your countertop doesn’t have to be difficult! We hope the simple tips provided above will help you maintain your countertop for the years to come. If anyone has further questions, please pass them on and we will gladly answer them here.

Granite is a tough material, but how do we measure the hardness of granite, or any substance for that matter? The answer is Mohs scale of hardness which is used to measure mineral hardness based on one mineral’s ability to scratch the surface of other minerals. The minerals are ranked on a scale of 1 to 10; the higher the number, the harder the mineral. The strongest mineral, diamond, is a 10. Minerals that are lower down on the Mohs scale cannot damage higher number minerals. Granite is a composite, made of feldspar and quartz, with a hardness of 6 and 7 respectively. This makes granite a fairly tough material!

Looking at trend stone, we see a mixture of granite and other stones. Why is trend stone so much stronger than regular granite? The stones mixed into trend stone have minerals with a hardness of 8 or higher. As a result, trend stone is stronger, more durable and tougher than traditional granite.

Trend stone can withstand the force of a bowling ball dropped on top of it. Traditional granite will break given such force. This may seem like useless information, unless you bear in mind that scientists have equated the force of a frozen turkey hitting the ground to the force of a bowling ball being dropped on the same surface. Let’s face it, accidents happen – dishes, pots, pans, and food are bound to be dropped on your countertops over the years. So while traditional granite is great, trend stone is a stronger, and much more durable option. Visit one of our counter top specialists to learn more.

You might start by checking for any certifications relating to environment and health. If a company itself, or its product or service, is certified by a recognized organization, this will likely be highlighted on the company’s website or in other communication forums. So, before purchasing a home improvement product, be sure to do some research to see if the product’s manufacturer, or the product itself, has received any certifications acknowledging its safety and greenness.

At Granite Transformations, we are proud to tell our customers that our company and products have been certified by several renowned organizations, for our commitment to the manufacture of products that are safe and environmentally friendly. Highlighted below are some of the certifications and recognitions we have received, acknowleding that our products are safe to human health as well as the environment.

	NSF Certification — The certification is granted by NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) to consumer, commercial and industrial products that relate to health and safety. NSF Mark conveys that a product has been regularly tested and complies with the relevant health standards set forth by NSF.
	GREENGUARD Certification — The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) grants GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification to low emitting interior building materials, furnishings, and finish systems. Certified products have been tested for their chemical emissions performance to comply with indoor air standards.
	USGBC Membership — A membership at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is granted to those organizations that share USGBC’s goal of a more sustainable built environment. The membership signifies an organization’s commitment to helping deliver USGBC’s vision of green buildings and communities for everyone within a generation.
	Radon Safe Mark – This mark does not indicate any certification or membership. Nevertheless, it shows that our products have been tested by an accredited radon testing laboratory, and the results have proved our products to be all radon safe.