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You have finally found it!  The perfect natural stone countertop for the baking center of your kitchen. The natural stone countertop has an amazing feel and it is visually striking.  It reminds you of the stone countertops in a classic European kitchen, which is what you have always desired for your home. You are just about to make your purchase when a concern crosses your mind - is it really practical and wise to install a white marble countertop in the baking center of your home?  

The short answer is YES!  And you're right, Europeans have enjoyed white marble countertops as baking surfaces for centuries.  However, when choosing white marble countertops for your baking surfaces, there are a few things to consider in preserving its natural beauty and complementing its natural aging process.

Preservation

It is important to remember that, while marble is very hard, it is naturally porous and therefore sensitive to the absorbtion of oils and acidic liquids such as wine and coffee.  While polished marble is quite beautiful and shiny, it tends to lose its shine after some use and does not enhance the natural aging process of the stone.  Therefore, to maintain the look of a white marble countertop, as seen in many European kitchens, it is best to avoid polished marble for baking surfaces and instead choose white marble that has been honed and sealed by a professional.  In addition, you should clean your white marble baking surface soon after use to avoid undue staining.  

Natural Aging Process

For centuries Europeans have come to love white marble countertops for kitchen baking surfaces understanding that these countertops naturally age.  In fact, Europeans take much pride in the look and feel of their aged marble countertops.  Indeed, a well-aged white marble countertop is like a well-aged wine - both are quite rare and valuable.  A beautifully aged white marble countertop is the envy of style-conscious individuals.  Therefore, when choosing white marble for your kitchen, you should embrace this process not forgetting the preservation steps mentioned above.  Although Europeans embrace the "aging" of their white marble countertops, they also take great steps to foster the process by taking good care of the surfaces.  

There is no doubt that white marble countertops are a truly a beautiful and stylish natural stone countertop.  Once you embrace the true beauty of this natural stone countertop, you will expect nothing less for your home. You can see all your options for marbles at marbleandgranite.com and, please don't hesitate to give us a call to answer your questions or give you one of our favorite bread recipes.   

Your home is probably the largest investment you'll ever make, so properly maintaining the residence is essential in sustaining the current value of the home. Of course, there are many methods of upgrading the home, many of which have a direct impact on the value of the house, which is helpful, should you ever decide to sell the home and receive a large return on your investment. Some of the very best material used inside the house for improving value are natural products, such as wood and stone. Natural stone tiles not only age beautifully, but are more desirable than laminate and other imitation materials. If you are looking to upgrade the current fireplace or walkway in your home and have a wood floor surrounding the fireplace, your only main material option for the fireplace is some sort of stone. Brick is used often in this practice, but if you want a more organic feel to the fireplace, there is nothing better than natural stone tiles. 

Natural stone tiles come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, stone type and color. So, no matter how kind of design you are going for, it is possible with these stones. The best part about buying natural stone tiles for your fireplace, entryway, or just about any other location in your home, is you don't need one large piece. This helps it look right at home with wood paneling in the floor. Wood is already desirable inside the house, as it looks cleaner than what carpet does. Additionally, wood paneling comes in different sizes and colors (and kinds of wood) also, so you can select the perfect stain of wood and perfect size of panels to match the size and style of your natural stone tiles at home. 

Natural products blend wonderfully together, as stone tiles along side wood floor paneling gives a very nice aesthetic. You have probably been inside a house where carpet or wood flooring meet in-between rooms and gives off a rather odd look. This is usually because the designer or home owners (or both) weren't sure of how to best stop one material and start another. With wood flooring and stone tile, this isn't the case. The two items, which often are found along side one another in nature, look perfect next to each other in your home, which greatly improves not only the look, but overall home value. 

Your pool house or cabana area can become the heart of the home during warm weather months with the right amount of attention to style and comfort.  It is the hub of parties, BBQ's, and late night gatherings with friends.  It's important that your poolside design maintains your personal style, while also meshing with the outdoor ambiance that makes it such a unique and desirable living area. 

The right tile flooring is key to creating a high-end aesthetic, while preserving a natural outdoor aesthetic.

Slate Tile Flooring is a Natural Way to Create High-end Appeal

Slate is a natural occurring stone formed from layers of volcanic lava and ash.  After being compressed over long periods of time, these layers can be cut into slate tiles.  Slate usually comes in various shades of grey, although it can also include a variety of colors such as earthy greens, rusty reds, purples, and blues.

When you visit our show room, you will be able to choose from an array of shale textures and colors to ensure that your slate tile selections are consistent with your decorating motifs. You can also browse our selections online.

Slate Tile Flooring Is Not Slippery When Wet

One major benefit to selecting natural slate tiles for your pool house and/or cabana area is that they are nearly 100% slip proof when they become wet.  Because slate is a natural stone that forms over a long period of time, it is porous with a slightly rough texture.  This allows water to be absorbed into, or run off the slate.  It is smooth enough to form a comfortable walking surface but maintains a slip-proof surface when wet, which is optimal for your pool side surroundings.

Slate Tile Flooring is a Perfect Poolside Choice

Because of the naturally occurring colors and patterns, slate is even more attractive when it becomes wet.  The earth tones will become darker and more vivid when they are splashed with water, but maintain their color after they dry.  While other flooring choices will fade over time with constant exposure to sunlight and water, your slate tiles will look as as good as the day they were installed for many years to come.

Slate is easily incorporated into your landscaping designs to create a fluid aesthetic from your pool, to your cabana, to attractive garden pathways. Regardless of what colors you choose, your slate tiles will always blend in with the natural world around them.

Beautiful Bathroom Renovations By NeoLith

Bathroom and sauna renovations can be such a chore, as they revolve around one of the most functional rooms in the building. This is especially true when a total reconstruction will be taking place.

Often, folks think in terms of an all or nothing renovation. Full reconstruction can take a lot of time, a lot of money and a lot of crew involved in the project. During total bathroom renovations, a great deal of dust is generated, causing the areas adjacent to be affected, as well. Customers are unhappy with construction zones, so the quicker the project is finished, the better.

Affordable Bathroom Renovations

Those who wish to explore options other than a full renovation of a sauna and restroom area can see there are many choices available. One of the wisest considerations is the use of NeoLith. This is a wonderful material for both building managers and contractors alike. It is a manageable, beautiful and workable material that turns a well-used bathroom into a work of art.

Instead of ripping out the cabinetry around the sink, or replacing the walls, which are sound, but weathered, you can put a new face on them.

Advantages of refacing the objects in the room:

• keeps the cabinetry, instead of buying new ones, reducing costs
• changes the look of the walls, as opposed to tearing them down
• has the choice of tiles or slabs, reducing labor costs
• has the ability to custom fit the NeoLith around corners or in artful designs
• NeoLith is very light and easy to transport and carry from the truck to the area in renovation, reducing the need for labor and renovation time
• the NeoLith also is easy to install, reducing labor costs
• reduces the time spent in the overall renovation process, again reducing the cost of labor

Web designer Josh Byers says, "The proper and subtle use of texture takes a design from being flat and dead to noticeable and alive." While Byers was referring to a different kind of design when he said this, this concept applies just as well to interior design. Texture is one of the 5 basic elements of interior design. It is the tactile and visual characteristic of a surface, so it can be hard, soft, smooth, rough, shiny, matte, etc. All surfaces have texture, but it is the proper combination of various textures that makes a design balanced, sophisticated and interesting.