A Look At Sandstone…
When it comes to natural stone, there are a lot of choices including granite, marble, slate, limestone, soapstone, onyx, travertine and sandstone. While granite is by far the the most popular stone when it comes to countertops, and marble a close second, many other stones are gaining popularity due their unique mineral composition and distinct look that sets them apart. Sandstone is one stone that is often overlooked. While some sandstone can be used for countertops, the varieties are limited. Although sandstone tends to be porous in nature, quartzite, which is a metamorphic rock that is formed from sandstone, can be of exceptional strength, density, and hardness, and has become fairly popular for countertop applications. Sandstone is commonly used for exterior cladding and flooring.
Following is a photo I recently took in the mountain ranges of Sedona, Arizona, which is comprised of sandstone and limestone that I wanted to share:
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona, Arizona
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Natural Stone, Uncategorized on November 30th, 2011 by Barb | | 2 Comments
Countertops—Spotlight On Van Gogh Quartzite
In this blog, I wanted to focus on the color Van Gogh.
Van Gogh Quartzite
Van Gogh is a premium quartzite that is quarried in Brazil. Van Gogh is a unique looking stone with various shades of blue and gray that often contains other vibrant colors such as maroon, gold, cream, and green. Van Gogh could work for a variety of applications including a bar top, or an island, etc. Although Van Gogh has a unique look, keep in mind that this stone runs on the high end when it comes to cost.
Following is a photo of our current stock:
Van Gogh Quartzite
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Spotlight Colors on November 28th, 2011 by Barb | | 2 Comments
Black Friday—Why Not Gift Yourself With A Black Granite Countertop?
Black Friday is typically the busiest shopping day of the year. Why not gift yourself with a new black countertop, or whatever other color suites your fancy? Make sure you stop by and check out our stock color slabs and partial slabs.
Here are a few black colors to choose from:
Absolute Black
Academy Black
Black Forest
Black Beauty
Brazil Black
Crocodile Caesarstone
Ibere Black Bird
Mesabi Black
Thanks for reading and enjoy your shopping!
Barb
Posted in Engineered Stone, Granite on November 25th, 2011 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Gratitude—The Right Attitude!
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
—Melody Beattie
Thanksgiving is that time of year that many people take time to reflect and are grateful for what they have, including family, friends and loved ones. In our daily lives, it is easy to get down and give into negative emotions, especially when we are constantly being bombarded with bad news from the media, or faced with repercussions of a down economy. The good news is that we don’t have to give into negative emotions. We can choose to be happy and grateful for what we have and where we are right now. In fact, according to Zig Ziglar, “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions, and the more you express gratitude for what you have, the more you will have to express gratitude for. On the other side of that coin, the more you complain about your problems, the more problems you will have to complain about.”
Isn’t that the truth?
At this time, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our customers, suppliers, and employee’s. Without you, we would not be where we are today. We appreciate your business, hard work, time and talents. I would also like to express my appreciation and gratitude to our family and friends who give so much meaning to our lives. We enjoy your company, companionship, and love.
While it is natural to give thanks and appreciation at Thanksgiving time, this year, I plan to make a conscious effort to extend my attitude of gratitude well beyond just one day, and hope you do too.
Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Company, Uncategorized on November 23rd, 2011 by Barb | | 0 Comments
2011 Coty Awards—Another Success
The 15th Annual COTY Awards, which were held Friday, November 18th at the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota Campus proved to be yet, another successful event. Fellow NARI members attended the event to recognize colleagues that stand out in the remodeling industry, as well as other associates in the organization. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our congratulations to the following companies who won this years awards:
Congratulations to all:
Residential Project Under $15,000
Winner: Closets for Life
Honorable Mention: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen
Residential Kitchen $60,000 and Under
Winner: Posch Builders, LLC
Honorable Mention: w.b. builders
Residential Kitchen $60,001-$75,000
Winner: James Barton Design-Build, Inc.
Honorable Mention: DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc.
Residential Kitchen $75,001-$90,000
Winner: Structural Dimensions Inc.
Honorable Mention: J Carsten Homes
Residential Kitchen $90,001-$120,000
Winner: Bluestem Construction
Honorable Mention: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen
Residential Kitchen Over $120,000
Winner: White Crane Construction
Honorable Mention: Streeter & Associates, Inc
Residential Bath $30,000 and Under
Winner: Metamorphosis Group, Inc.
Honorable Mention: J Carsten Homes
Residential Bath $30,001-$60,000
Winner: James Barton Design-Build, Inc.
Honorable Mention: Knight Construction Design, Inc.
Residential Bath Over $60,000
Honorable Mention: w.b. builders
Residential Interior $150,000 and Under
Winner: Finished Basement Company
Honorable Mention: Schrader & Companies
Residential Interior Over $150,000
Winner: Jones Design Build LLC
Honorable Mention: Streeter & Associates, Inc
Residential Interior Specialty
Winner: Structural Dimensions Inc.
Honorable Mention: Closets for Life
Commercial Interior, Exterior or Specialty
Winner: Pure Design Environments
Residential Addition $200,000 and Under
Winner: TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders
Residential Addition Over $200,000
Winner: Awad + Koontz Architects Builders Inc.
Honorable Mention: TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders
Residential Historical
Renovation/Restoration
Winner: Vujovich Design Build
Honorable Mention: DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation, Inc.
Residential Exterior
Winner: Sicora, Inc.
Honorable Mention: Southview Design
Residential Exterior Specialty
Winner: Mantis Design & Build, LLC
Honorable Mention: Knight Construction Design, Inc.
Entire House $250,000 and Under
Winner: College City Design/Build, Inc.
Honorable Mention: Building Arts Sustainable Architecture + Construction
Entire House $250,001-$500,000
Winner: Streeter & Associates, Inc
Honorable Mention: Sicora, Inc.
Entire House Over $500,000
Winner: Northway Construction Services
Honorable Mention: TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders
Universal Design
Winner: Jones Design Build LLC
Associate of the Year
Winner: All, Inc.
Honorable Mention: Granite Tops, LLC
Best Newcomer
Winner: Metamorphosis Group, Inc.
Best of Show
Winner: Northway Construction Services
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Industry News on November 22nd, 2011 by Barb | | 0 Comments
