Paramount Granite Blog

Soapstone Kitchens…

Barb — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:29:34 +0000

When most people think of natural stone, for countertops, they usually think of granite, or marble. Soapstone however, is also a fairly popular choice. Soapstone has been used for centuries for tools, sculptures, vases, fireplaces, etc. because it is relatively soft, which makes it a good material for carving. More recently, soapstone has been popular for sinks and countertops. Soapstone is a steatite stone that is primarily composed of the mineral talc, which is rich in magnesium and feels soft and/or soapy to the touch.

Soapstone is a material that is inert and unlike granite, marble and most other natural stones, acids and alkalies won’t affect it. That is why soapstone has been popular in science classrooms and labs over the years. Soapstone is also popular for fireplaces, wood stoves and pizza ovens because it tends to heat quickly and distributes heat evenly.

Soapstone tends to be light gray in appearance and takes on a darker appearance with aging, as it goes through an oxidation process. Sealing with mineral oil is recommended every few weeks for the first year to enhance the oxidation process after installation. Abrasive cleaners such as Ajax are not recommended for this product.

Let’s take a look at a soapstone kitchen:

Soapstone Kitchen installed by PGC

If you are looking for something unique for your countertops and like an aged, or weathered look, soapstone might be a material that is appealing to you. Feel free to stop by our showroom to take look.

Here’s a photo of our current stock:

Soapstone

Thanks for reading!

Barb

White Kitchen Options…

Barb — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:45:18 +0000

While there are many colors available these days for countertops, there are still many consumers that attracted to the color, white, and why not? White portrays a sense of elegance, is neutral and reflects cleanliness and purity. When it comes to granite, there are white options, but none are pure white. Often they will include other tones including gray, black, brown, etc. If you are looking for something a little whiter in a natural stone, you may want to look at marble. Although white marbles will often contain other tones too, there are a few options available that are “more white” including Statuatory White, which is very white.

If you are looking for a very white countertop, you might want to take a look at some engineered stones. Many engineered stones provide a more “pure” white in their product line.

Let’s take a look at a few options:

Difiniti Pearl

Yukon Blanco Silestone

Snow White Dupont Zodiaq

Pure White Caesarstone

Whether you are looking for a white countertop, or some other color in natural stone, or engineered stone, make sure you stop by our showroom and check out our color selections.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Recipe: Asian Chicken Kebabs

Barb — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:48:02 +0000

Here’s a good looking recipe I found on Pinterest, that has my mouth watering. I am going to give it a try this weekend. If you like chicken, sesame and a little heat, you will probably like this one!

Asian Chicken Kebabs

Marinade Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 teaspoons Sriracha (or other hot sauce)
3 slices fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Kebabs

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces

In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the soy sauce, oil, honey, Sriracha, ginger root, and garlic. Heat in microwave on medium for 1 minute, then stir. Heat again for 30 seconds, watch closely so it doesn’t boil. Set aside.

2. Thread the chicken, green bell pepper, onion, and red bell pepper pieces onto skewers alternately. Place skewers in a shallow baking dish and cover with marinade. Cover dish and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

3. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill Asian Chicken Kebabs until chicken is just cooked through, turning occasionally, about 9-12 minutes. Serve with rice and asparagus, or another vegetable.

Enjoy!

Barb

Learning Links— Backsplash Options

Barb — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:38:15 +0000

When it comes to designing a kitchen, there are a lot of options to take into consideration. One option that is sometimes overlooked, in the kitchen, is backsplash. Many consumers get so focused on the countertops and cabinets, etc., that they may not consider a backsplash from the start. Backsplash options however, can play a dramatic role in the overall look that you are trying to achieve. Keep in mind that there are literally hundreds of choices available for backsplash options, especially if you are looking for tile. Many consumers, these days, combine both tile and a backsplash that matches their countertops. This option works well to establish a uniform flow from one material to another and also helps in preventing staining on tiles from spills, or splatters when cooking. Full height backsplashes are also quite popular, especially behind stoves and cooktops. A full height backsplash, provides for a consistent flow from the countertop up through the back wall.

Following are a few links I wanted to share that provide some backsplash ideas:

Thanks for reading!

Barb

A Toast With Silver…

Barb — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:56:08 +0000

Today my husband, Chris, and I are celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary. The 25th Wedding Anniversary is considered a milestone by many, as spending a quarter of a century with one person is something to be celebrated and cherished. It is also referred to as the “Silver” Anniversary. In honor of our special day, I thought I would present some silver granites.

So here are a few choices for countertops—and trust me, they will last way longer than 25 years!

Silver Galaxy Granite

Silver Gray Granite

Silver Pearl Granite

Silver Gray Quartz

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Captivate Your Bath With A Capolavaro Granite Vanity…

Barb — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:57:19 +0000

In this blog, I wanted to take a look at a bathroom vanity we recently fabricated and installed using Capolavaro granite. Capolavaro has a unique look with shades of dark chocolate brown. Various other color tones can be seen throughout the stone including green, copper, black and cream. While the stone is dark in nature, it provides an over all neutral look that works well with a variety of wood tones. Notice how the light pine walls and the dark cherry stained alder cabinets work well with this stone. The dark vanity compliments them both.

If you are interested in this color, other darker stones, or want to view other colors available, please make sure you stop by our showroom. We are here to help with all of your selections.

Capolavaro Granite Vanity

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Get Variety With Our Exclusives Color Selections For Spring…

Barb — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:13:57 +0000

I know I posted several blogs recently with some new colors for our Exclusive line we’ve received in this spring, but I wanted to show them all together. I also wanted to define exactly what our Exclusive Colors are, as we get a lot of questions in our showroom about them.

So here goes…

Our Exclusive Colors are typically hand-selected from a variety of our suppliers, based on color trends we see in our showroom. We also make selections based on the uniqueness of a stone, that we feel will sell well. There are other times, that we may bring in a container ourselves of a variety of colors that we feel will be well received by our customers. We currently have over 30 colors available in our Exclusive Color line, many of which have a unique look. Our Exclusive Colors provide a variety of color tones and patterns are all priced individually, meaning they do not necessarily fall into our Group A, B, or C pricing structures. Please make sure you stop and take a look at them, as well as our other colors.

Here are our most recent additions to our Exclusive Color line…

African Ivory

Bianco Antico

Colonial Gold

Geriba

Golden Crystal

Madura Gold

Molokai

Murano

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Why Do Some Stones Have A Mesh Backing?

Barb — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:04:13 +0000

Consumers these days, have a lot of choices when it comes to color selections for granite countertops. That’s because over the years, better technology and equipment has improved the quarrying process allowing for more stones to be removed from the earth. Many stones that once may have broke, or crumbled during the extraction process are now available. While it is true that more colors may be removed and more are available to the general public, many still may have mineral compositions that make then fragile and they may include geological flaws such as veins, fissures, or voids. To make these slabs more stable and less susceptible to breaking, many quarriers and block fabricators add a mesh backing to these slabs for added reinforcement during the shipping and handling processes.

If you have selected a stone with a mesh backing, it may be considered more fragile than some others available. In most instances however, the mesh backing will provide enough support to fabricate the stone with no problems. Please note that once the stone is fabricated and installed there are no worries.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Granite Countertops—Spotlight On African Ivory

Barb — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:53:37 +0000

In this blog, I wanted to spotlight the color, African Ivory, which is quarried in South Africa.

African Ivory

African Ivory is a beautiful stone with tones of brown, cream, beige, taupe, gray and pink. African Ivory has a gentle flowing pattern that moves throughout the stone. Areas of quartz often appear throughout the stone giving it some depth and character. African Ivory would work great for a kitchen island, countertops, bathroom vanity, bar top, or fireplace surround. If you are looking for neutral colored stone and like a variety of brown shades and accents, you might want to take a look at African Ivory.

Here’s a picture of our current stock…

African Ivory

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Recipe: Quinoa Salad With Black Beans, Avocado and Lime Dressing

Barb — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Here’s a good recipe I recently tried and shared at a gathering with some friends. It is easy to make, good for you, and tasty!

Quinoa Salad With Black Beans, Avocado and Lime Dressing

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 -3/4 cup water
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, chopped into chunks
handful cherry tomatoes, quartered, or 1 regular size tomato chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Small handful cilantro, diced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp cumin, or turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Warm the olive in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the rinsed quinoa and toast for about 2-3 minutes until it starts smelling nutty. Add water, stir once, cover, and simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking, prepare all other ingredients. Prepare the dressing by combining the lime juice, oil, cumin or turmeric , and salt & pepper. Whisk it aggressively. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
When the quinoa has finished cooking, remove it from heat and fluff with a fork. Add black beans and toss to warm them through.
Let the quinoa cool for about five minutes and then add all the remaining ingredients, including the dressing, and mix. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with tortilla chips and your favorite margarita, or low cal margarita.

Enjoy!

Barb