Monthly Archives: July 2020

Last Updated on August 10, 2020

Summer is here! It’s a new season and a time to reconnect with all things that bring us joy. As we find ourselves spending more time at home these days, now is the perfect time to put your talents to work to make your heart and your home a happy place.

This month, Granite and TREND Transformations has found some fun and easy DIY projects that are sure to unleash your creativity. If you’re someone who thinks you don’t have a creative bone in your body, it’s time to give yourself some credit. There is something for everyone. You just have to find your niche. You’ll be surprised how much fun and rewarding it can be.

Planting a Flower Garden

It’s not too late to plant a flower garden. And no, you don’t need a green thumb, either. In fact, you can have a beautiful bed of blooms in no time with just a few simple steps. Skip the seeds this year and go for flowering plants, such as annuals, that can add a pop of color to any flowerbed or yard. Just be sure to read the labels so you know where the plants will grow best—sun, shade, or both.

Tip: Flowering plants grow best in soil that is loose, well-drained, and contains organic material. Be sure to space the plants apart to allow roots to grow. Then, just add water and watch them bloom.

Pressing Flowers

Making pressed flowers is a nostalgic pastime, and one that is making a comeback in a beautiful way. Whether you frame them and display as art, adorn handwritten cards or letters, or give as a special gift, pressed flowers are a beautiful way to capture a memory in time. Not to be confused with dried flowers, pressed flowers require fresh blooms to be harvested just before their peak. All you need is some absorbent paper and a heavy book. After about one week, replace the paper and let the flowers dry for another two-to-three weeks. Whether you want to preserve a bouquet from a special occasion or pick one of your favorite flowers from your new garden, the process is simple, rewarding, and makes a great DIY home project.

Tip: For best results, flowers with naturally flat blooms—such as violets, daisies and single-petal roses—are the easiest to press. Ferns make a great greenery to press.

Tie-Dye

Tie-dye is a classic art throwback from the 1960s that has never really faded away. In fact, tie-dye seems more popular today than in recent decades, and for good reason: It’s fun, colorful, unique, and extremely forgiving. Who would know if you messed up? Due to the tie-dying technique, there are virtually endless designs to make it the perfect project for unleashing your creativity. Summer is a great time to try your hand at tie-dying. It makes a great outdoor DIY home project. Try testing your talent on plain white shirts, tank tops, socks, hats, or whatever fits your groove.

Tip: You’ll need a few things to get started: A large plastic bin, heavy-duty rubber gloves, a package of rubber bands with varying widths (which add depth and varying pattern designs), and a six-pack of plastic squeeze bottles for controlling the dye.

Inspirational Canvas

We all have something to say. And what better way to express yourself than on a canvas? The best part of painting a canvas is there is no judging. It’s all you. Now is the time to show off your artistic abilities (no matter what they are), your feelings, your opinions, and your credo. Whatever your personality might be, it can be proudly displayed wherever you want. Whether you choose to paint one or several, creating canvases are a great outlet for expression and a fun way to decorate your home. You can even give them as gifts.

Hint: The holidays are only six months away!

Backyard Dining Space

Summertime is family time. And what better way to spend time together than at mealtime? While some of us still prefer dining at home these days, now is the time to splurge on some new outdoor dining extras. Think about purchasing new non-breakable dinnerware and stemware (today’s patterns are more beautiful than ever), new seat cushions, a new table umbrella, and even a new hurricane lamp with a candle to add ambiance to your table. You can also add outdoor lighting and music to set the mood. Whatever you choose, it’s sure to make you and your family feel pampered and special.

Tip: Think about what you enjoy when you dine out and try to replicate it when shopping for new items. Do you enjoy a particular style of barware or a special shape dish? Is there a special pattern or color you admire but never had the gusto to use it in your home? Now is the time to go for it.

We hope you’ve enjoyed these easy DIY home projects to beautify your home this summer. Did you know that this season is also a great time to consider a kitchen or bathroom renovation? Granite and TREND Transformations offers free virtual or in-home design consultations to kick-start your way to a beautiful new space. Our new partnership with Microban® antimicrobial technology is built into our products, giving each one an added level of product protection against the growth of bacteria.

Discover our gorgeous selection of etheriumTM by E-Stone surfaces and see how easy it is to transform your kitchen or bath. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation. Virtually or in the privacy of your own home, we are here for you to make your dream renovation a reality.

Last Updated on December 17, 2020

Keeping your kitchen and bathrooms cleaner and fresher is more important today than ever before. But how do we keep up with it all? Imagine if there was a way your countertops could lend a hand in doing some of the work. Granite and TREND Transformations’ etherium® by E-Stone surfaces are now enhanced with Microban® antimicrobial product protection to stay cleaner, fresher, and more durable for longer.

This month, we have put together a fun quiz on some of the facts and fictions about Microban® antimicrobial technology and how it ties in to our beautiful etherium® by E-Stone surfaces. See how many you know. The answers may surprise you. No cheating! You can check your answers below.

FACT OR FICTION?

  1. Our etherium® by E-Stone surfaces are the only engineered stone products to offer 24/7 Microban®   
  2. Microban® antimicrobial protection will inhibit the growth of most common bacteria, yeasts, molds, and fungi.
  3. Antimicrobial means the same as antibacterial.
  4. Microban® is built-in technology that creates unsuitable conditions for microbes to survive and multiply. The technology will not wash off, leach out or wear away.
  5. Microban® product protection reduces the need for regular cleaning.
  6. Microban® antimicrobial additives have a long history of safe use, across a wide range of product types.
  7. Microban® antimicrobial technology makes the surfaces more difficult to clean than untreated surfaces.
  8. Microban® product protection takes a few hours to work after a microorganism comes in contact with the protected surface.
  9. Microban® technology is approved for use in food contact applications.
  10. Microban® technology can be potentially harmful for the environment via wastewater.

Extra Credit: It’s easy to see how beautiful etherium® by E-Stone surfaces from Granite and TREND Transformations can look in my home.

Let’s see how well you did.

  1. FACT: Our exclusive partnership with Microban® makes it possible. Microban® works continuously by actively reducing the growth of bacteria 24 hours a day/7 day a week.
  2. FACT: Not only does Microban® antimicrobial protection inhibit the growth of most common bacteria, it has even been proven effective against a broad spectrum of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.
  3. FICTION: Antimicrobial technologies minimize the presence of bacteria, mold, and fungi** and offer a greater level of product protection by continuously inhibiting the growth of microbes on surfaces for very long periods of time. In contrast, antibacterial technologies, which are not covered with Microban® technology, are effective against a broad spectrum of harmful bacteria including E. coli and MRSA.*
  4. FACT: Microban® antimicrobial technology is permanently built into our etherium® by E-Stone surfaces during the manufacturing process, providing an added level of product protection against the growth of bacteria. The technology efficacy lasts for the lifetime of the product.
  5. FICTION: Microban® antimicrobial technology is designed to complement existing cleaning practices and should not replace them. Regular cleaning practices should be maintained.
  6. FACT: The biocidal active components of Microban® antimicrobial additives are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Once the additives are built into products like etherium® by E-Stone, the products become known as treated articles and are proven safe and effective for their specific end use applications.
  7. FICTION: Products with built-in Microban®, like our etherium® by E-Stone surfaces, are easier to clean and stay cleaner between cleanings. Product cleanliness is visibly improved without affecting the appearance, functions, or durability of the product.
  8. FICTION: Microban® protection begins to work as soon as a microorganism comes into contact with the product surface. It then works continuously to maintain a consistently lower bio-burden than would be expected on a product without Microban® protection.
  9. FACT: Microban® has food contact additives that are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States of America.
  10. FICTION: Microban® is safe and effective antimicrobial technology. It is unable to enter the wastewater as it is bound into the solid treated product during manufacture. Therefore, the potential to leach is negligible.

Extra Credit: FACT. Granite and TREND Transformations now offers virtual consultations in addition to our in-home consultations. And, as always, these consultations are complimentary. Better yet, our new Visualizer tool allows you to pick and choose from our beautiful selections of cabinets, countertops, backsplashes, and more – right before your eyes. You can switch up colors and patterns as many times as you like until you create the space of your dreams.

We hope this fun and informative quiz has answered some of your questions about Microban® antimicrobial technology. No matter how many questions you answered correctly, you now have the knowledge as an educated consumer to make the best choice the next time you’re in the market for a new countertop. And don’ forget: Many Granite and TREND Transformations jobs can be completed in as little as one day. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation – either in-home or virtual – and also learn more about Microban® antimicrobial technology.

*Treated product efficacy claims against specific microbes are dependent on the results of laboratory testing. The naming of specific microbes is not allowed in North America marketing and selling materials.

**Subject to the performance properties of the specific active ingredient manufactured in your product.