One of the main benefits of quartz countertops is that they are extremely durable.Like other hard surface countertop materials, quartz is non-porous so it resists staining much better than granite, marble and concrete.
" In 2019 I crossed the ocean and have already launched a successful business in the USA. Now I’m ready to share my knowledge and help you to find your passion or improve existing business. Furthermore, I always stay on the verge of current trends and apply combination of classical result-proven methods with up-to-minute marketing innovations that suit exactly your case."
I am Zach Begec, the proud owner of Smart Granite & Cabinets. I founded this company 12 years ago with a passion for creating beautiful and functional spaces in homes and businesses. I am still as excited to work with people today as I was when I first started this business. It gives me great joy to help people create the most important spaces in their homes - their kitchens and bathrooms.Seeing the happiness of our customers is what drives us every day. We take great pride in our work, and we install countertops and kitchen cabinets every single day.
We love seeing the results of our hard work and dedication. In addition, we are also great at designing kitchens, bathrooms, and even entire houses. We are a modern company, and we are always looking forward to new ways to innovate and improve.At Smart Granite & Cabinets, we are committed to providing the highest level of quality and customer service. We believe in working closely with our clients to ensure that we understand their needs and exceed their expectations. Our team is made up of skilled professionals who are passionate about their work, and we are constantly striving to improve and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques. We are honored to have served many satisfied customers over the years, and we are excited to continue providing top-quality products and services for many more years to come. Thank you for choosing Smart Granite & Cabinets as your trusted partner in creating your dream spaces. Best regards,Zach Begec
1. How Will the Stone Perform? Tom “TK” Kenny, partner at Scott Simpson Design + Build, an integrated design/build firm specializing in new home construction, historic renovations, and eco-conscious green building projects in the Chicagoland area feels the most important question to ask is about the porosity of the natural stone you want to use. “It is important to know this as it will dictate how easy the stone will be to maintain,” says Kenny.Anna Gibson, AKBD, owner and chief designer of AKG Design Studio, a firm that provides curated kitchen and bathroom design services for the DC metro area, agrees that it’s important to know how a stone will perform. She recommends marble for bakers, since it is an ideal surface for rolling out dough. For busy families, she often recommends they consider natural stone such as granite or quartzite for its durability and low maintenance. “We had a client whose dog tends to jump on the counters,” Gibson said. “We went with quartzite.”Buddy Ontra, owner of Ontra Stone in Bridgeport, Connecticut, always educates his customers on their stone. He created a document that provides maintenance instructions for the stone, covering everything from wear expectations to “do’s and don’ts” for the material to ensure that they understand how the stone will perform and how best to care for it. Be sure to talk to your fabricator about any cleaning, maintenance, and sealing questions you may have about your stone. 2. How Durable is the Stone? The type of natural stone you choose in a kitchen will dictate how you live in the space, says Kenny. He often recommends quartzite because it has many of the features homeowners want –it’s beautiful, but its durability also makes it relatively low maintenance.“Quartzite is durable and easy to clean but also as beautiful as other more porous stones like marble,” he says.Some homeowners may think the fact that they use their kitchens and are hard on their countertops mean that they shouldn’t choose natural stone. Our experts recommend not underestimating the durability of real stone. Kenny notes: “A natural stone offers depth that a synthetic material, no matter how well-made, can never mimic.” In addition to the durability of the material, Kenny appreciates that the craftsmanship of the quarrier, fabricator, and installer can shine through the material: “You can see the labor of love from someone who toiled over it to somehow make it even more beautiful.” That isn’t possible with a synthetic product. 3. How Thick is the Natural Stone Slab & What Type of Finish Is Preferred?Finally, in addition to the density and strength of the stone you should consider the thickness of the slab, Kenny advises. “We can miter the stone to make it look thicker but it should still be a consideration if you want to avoid this additional labor,” he adds.People should also think about what type of finish they prefer. Kenny is noticing many of his homeowner clients gravitating toward a leathered finish, which he says adds texture. Honed or leathered finishes are also growing in popularity for light colored stones because they tend to disguise etch marks. Natural Stone As Art In the end, many people are drawn to natural stone because it is unique and one of a kind. No slab is like the other which means you will always have a one-of-a-kind kitchen. “Natural stone is like looking at art: you always find something else to look at, another detail that you may have missed when you wiped it down after breakfast,” says Gibson.Kenny agrees. “No two pieces are alike,” he adds. “Some of the stones have explosions of color where you can almost see the violence of the creation, like when the volcano erupted. Yet sometimes that creation is a patient one that happened over millions of years of tectonic pressure.”
Trends in Kitchens.When it comes to kitchen trends, Suzanne Shumaker, principal of Shumaker Design + Build Associates, LLC, is noticing the mixing of materials, including natural stones: two different types of stone for countertops, or a kitchen island that is different from the perimeter countertops. Homeowners are choosing stainless steel appliances with brass hardware and light fixtures. She’s seeing it in the use of cabinetry, too—for example, pairing white upper cabinets with a fun contrasting color on the base.Nancy Epstein, founder & CEO of Artistic Tile, is definitely seeing more color in kitchens designed today. Where kitchens have been dominated by white over the past several years, Epstein is delighted to see color finally making a comeback. “We’re seeing more ornate and colorful backsplashes, and in a continuing trend, those backsplashes are now going up the entire wall behind stoves and above countertops,” she says. “Where designers once created smaller decorative panels, now they’re using more decorative elements on the entire backsplash, and turning backsplashes into feature walls that envelop hoods, surround cabinets, and reach up to the ceiling.” Epstein is also seeing use of waterfalled slabs for countertops and islands, and a move toward the modern minimal look of slabs flowing from countertops up onto backsplashes, and waterfalled at the countertop edges so they run from ceiling to floor, with vein-matching or book-matching across each component. Natural stone’s millennia-long popularity in kitchens has not flagged one bit, and Epstein and her team are seeing movement towards more highly veined materials and back towards more colorful natural stone. That’s not to say it’s all about color all the time. “White and grey will likely remain popular for several more years, but more adventurous designers and homeowners are beginning to embrace striking stone like Invisible Grey, Botanic Green, and Fusion Wow, whose intense movement and dramatic colors make a statement out of a surface,” explains Epstein.
1. It can be sealed to add stain protection.One of the main concerns that homeowners have about choosing real marble for kitchen countertops is that will stain. While marble can be more susceptible to stains or etches from acidic foods and beverages (such as red wine and tomato sauce), there are precautions that can be taken to help avoid this. Your countertop fabricator can ward off stains by applying an impregnating sealer that fills the pores just below the stone’s surface to slow the absorption of liquids, allowing more time to clean up spills. Today’s sealers are highly effective at preventing staining, without altering the look of the stone itself.While no sealer can prevent etching, which is a dulling of the stone when it comes into contact with acidic materials, a high quality sealer can go a long way in shielding your new marble from stains for years, or even decades. Ask your fabricator if they offer a multi-year stain warranty to help put your mind at ease. 2. Honed marble is just as gorgeous as polished, and you won’t have to worry about etching nearly as much.Honed marble has a more matte surface finish, meaning any dullness that may occur from a rogue lemon slice will be much less noticeable than it would be on a highly polished surface. Honed marble has a soft, satin finish rather than a glossy shine – a look that many home owners actually prefer.3. Every slab is unique.Some homeowners choose to install manufactured quartz countertops that look like marble products, which can be made to mimic natural stones like marble, believing that they will be easier to maintain. While an engineered material might be lower maintenance than marble, it will never have the same depth, unique patterns, and range of colors as natural stone. Plus, when you install a true marble countertop or vanity, you have the opportunity to select a 100% unique slab. No other kitchen will have the exact same veining and characteristics that you have in yours.4. Marble is naturally heat resistant. If you’re a baker, you’ll be happy to learn that marble is one of the most heat resistant stones out there, and is much more heat resistant than a common competitor – resin-based engineered quartz. This quality makes marble a popular choice for fireplace surrounds as well as counters, islands, and vanities.5. Natural stone increases the value of your home.Stone countertops will increase the value of your home and appeal to potential buyers, if and when you’re ready to sell. Updated countertops made of natural stone are aesthetically beautiful, and show that you’ve invested and cared for your home.Still on the fence? Talk to your countertop fabricator before you make a final decision. Most will be more than happy to give you a sample of the marble color you’re eyeing so you can take it home for a field test. Pour some lemonade on it, leave a coffee ring, drop a tomato slice – put your sample to the test to see how it reacts. Better yet, try a sample of both polished and honed marble to see the difference in performance.
Home Upgrades That Increase Your Resale Value Spring has officially arrived, as has the busy real estate season. First impressions count if you have your house on the market. Even if you’re not selling your home, you might be wondering what updates or upgrades will increase the value of your home.Many homeowners might pause at the cost of natural stone compared to other materials. What they don’t always consider is that not only does natural stone add more value to a home, its longevity is unmatched. “Stone does not break down and can stand the test of time. Stone features are there for the long haul, which you cannot say for other materials,” says Jan Johnsen, co-principal of Johnsen Landscapes & Pools, a design/project management firm and author of The Spirit of Stone.Our experts share seven ways that natural stone can help boost your home’s value at any budget, both indoors and outdoors.UPGRADE #1. STONE PAVINGUsing Natural Stone in Your Home’s Exterior.Wide Stone Walk to Front Door. Wide walks accent the front of a house and make it appear more stately, says Johnsen.UPGRADE #2. GRANITE OR MARBLE COUNTERTOPS Using Natural Stone in Your Home’s Interior As one would expect, most of the projects indoors involve the kitchen and bath. A complete overhaul isn’t required to increase a home’s value. DiSera often visits tile stores with his clients to pick out materials that will help increase resale value.UPGRADE #3. CURB APPEAL Increasing Curb Appeal with Natural Stone Whether you’re looking for some new ideas to spruce up your home’s curb appeal or want to update your home for your own enjoyment, incorporating natural stone can be as easy as adding stone planters to your landscaping or including stone accents in a kitchen or bathroom renovation project.
We Service Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York - Quartz, Granite, Marble, and Stone. Free Estimates - Schedule Instantly Online - Financing Available - ALL Slabs in Stock. QUARTZ, GRANITE, MARBLE, QUARTZITE, and more to choose from in our INDOOR warehouse. Financing available. Locally & Family Owned. 12 Years
Looking for new countertops for your kitchen or bathroom? Look no further than Smart Granite & Cabinets! Our team offers a wide selection of high-quality quartz countertops that are perfect for any residential or commercial space. Plus, with our efficient fabrication process, we can have your new countertops installed in just two days. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services, and schedule your installation! — OLga R, partner
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