It's probably a fair statement to say that most people want to give their kitchen a full blown makeover. Of course, completely overhauling every detail of any kitchen's design is a huge investment of time and money. While a total makeover isn't a practical option for the vast majority of people, we think there's still something that many people can do to refresh the look of their kitchen. Today's showcase is a perfect example of the smallest changes you can make to your kitchen which have the biggest impact on its style!
We think that, for your money, the most effective change you can make to your kitchen is getting granite countertops and a stone tile backsplash!
Both the stone countertops and tile backsplash look right at home among warm colors of the kitchen. If we look back at the kitchen before it was renovated, though, it's hard to believe it's the same room! The decorations and surrounding furnishings all remained the same, but the plain white countertops were doing the space no favors.
Thanks to the cabinets and the decorations, a warm color palette was already welcome to the kitchen's design. So, when the owners were choosing materials for their countertops and backsplash, it made sense to use the earthy tones and textures of the Giallo Fantasia and stone tile. Instead of making a departure from what was already present, the new materials actually seem to complete the kitchen. That is, it's almost as if they belonged there right from the start!
So why does adding granite countertops and a tile backsplash seem to have such a tremendous impact on a kitchen's look? We think the biggest reason is color.
The counterspace of a kitchen is a major focal point of any kitchen's design. We spend the most time using and decorating this space because it's easy to reach, which means that we'll ultimately spend a lot of time looking at it. If the counterspace's colors are ill suited to the surrounding elements, the entire kitchen might seem ugly. So, by the same token, updating the countertops and adding a backsplash can tie an entire kitchen together.
So if you're wanting to renovate your kitchen, we hope you'll consider today's Showcase as a pattern to follow. Few simple changes can have a big impact on the beauty of your kitchen.
In this Showcase, we're pleased to introduce to you a very unique series of stone countertop vanities we fabricated and installed. There are three vanities in this client's home which are topped with Cappuccino Onyx. The stone has a very soft character, resembling, as its name suggests, the swirling colors of a cappuccino.
The most unique feature of these lovely countertops, however, is their ability to be independently lit. A number of LED lights line the interior of each cabinet, underneath the stone. Thanks to the translucency of the Cappuccino Onyx, the bright light emitted by the LEDs shies through. The result is spectacular, as you can see below. The warm, soft light that is projected from the Cappuccino Onyx is multiplied by the surrounding ornaments. The lights are bright enough to light the room, yet delicate enough to not disturb any sleeping eyes.
The crystal bowl sinks at each vanity enhance the glow of the backlit stone with a vibrant sparkle.
You may have noticed this tiny pillar of stone on the master bathroom vanity. Though it may resemble an artistic stone lamp, and even function as such, it's actually a toothbrush cover! It's a welcome decoration as it only enhances the beauty of the room. Thanks for reading!
In a quiet corner of suburban Fairhope sits a rather quaint home, rendered in architectural details that suit both contemporary and traditional styles. This is the “Fairhope Cottage” style which lends a very distinctive appeal to a few homes in the area. Having generously large windows and such a slim profile, you might not expect that the home is hurricane proof! In fact, the owners have taken several measures to ensure that the home is as safe, comfortable, and efficient as possible.
For starters, the entire home is a styrofoam block and concrete structure, which makes for an extremely resilient defense against all sorts of dangerous weather. The home is certified by the IBHS as “Fortified”, meaning 185mph winds won’t cause any damage to the structure. As a bonus, there’s no need for any form of insulation due to concrete’s thermal mass. Again though, such impressive structural characteristics aren’t necessarily evident in the home’s design, which is as warm and welcoming as Southern homes can be
The kitchen is wrapped in white beadboard, in accordance with the walls of the entire first floor. This sets the stage for some strong contrasts, which the variety of materials used in the kitchen’s design utilize. The granite used for the countertops is named Terra Brizillie. Being predominantly brown with swirling strokes of black, the granite resembles something like a wood grain or a beach’s sand. It’s highly energetic and pairs nicely with the tile backsplash. The black subway tiles were in fact installed by the owner!
The kitchen is, on the whole, darker in color than the areas surrounding it. Except for the white grout in the backsplash, not much in the kitchen is entirely white. That includes the cabinet hardware, the cooktop, and everything in between. So, despite having a very open floorplan, the kitchen does feel like its own distinct space.
As the kitchen transitions into the dining room, the color palette reverts back to bright and airy lightness. The Terra Brizillie extends up and over the kitchen sink and into a bar, supported by a few corbels, made out of wood from trees from the same property. Some 40 pecan and pine trees were transformed into the corbels, door frame moldings, the fireplace mantel, and several other details throughout the home. This aspect is another contributing factor to the efficiency of the home’s construction
All in all this home represents a hallmark of both safety and style! We’re proud to have been a part of its construction. One last thing... the cat door has been adorned with Alabama White marble. We felt that was worth mentioning.
When viewed from the front, it would be hard to believe that more than half of this home’s total volume is an outdoor space. Yet, as you proceed through the home, the Cleopatra stone flooring and the abundance of windows begin to blend the sights of the surrounding landscape into the home itself. On a good day, the sliding wooden door on the far wall of the foyer will be opened, exposing the home’s main event: the pool.
The pool area is by far the most impressive aspect of the home’s design, in terms of both its structure and the variety of stone applications. By passing through the foyer, we enter a very inviting patio, which frames the pool as though it is a courtyard. The Cleopatra floor tiles proceed unaffected by the transition from indoors to outdoors. In fact, the tile runs at precisely the same elevation all the way through the home to the other end of the patio. Within the patio is a grill and bar. Colonial Gold granite is used again here to top the grill workspaces and the bar.
Upon passing from the patio into the poolside proper, we’re met with a panoramic vista of the skies and back bays of Gulfport, Mississippi. The screen enclosure, being almost more symbolic than functional, keeps debris out and holds up a few light fixtures. The sight of it, however, indicates that a portion of the outside air and sky belong to the residence. The mesh of the screen even adds to this, suggesting the that the outside is thoroughly blended into the inside, making it clear that the entirety of this massive space is just another room of the home. Back on the ground, the whole scene is brimming with exquisite stone details. Besides the Cleopatra tile which fills the whole floor, the pool itself is treated with a colorful mosaic of square tiles. An adjacent hot tub is also framed by the same type of installation.
Thanks for reading! We hope you've enjoyed this brief tour of a truly beautiful and unique home! If you missed the first part of this Signature profile, be sure to check it out here.
Out in a serene landscape, facing the back bays of Gulfport Mississippi, is a towering tribute to the lifestyle of the outdoors. The home is nothing more than an open atrium where the calm air of the surrounding environment passes through. This theme, where nature permeates the halls and rooms of this luxurious home, endures in every detail of the design. Specifically, there are several stone details which Stone Interiors played a part in fabricating and installing which highlight the presence of nature throughout.
Placed frequently all throughout the home are large, broad windows. This ensures that no matter where you find yourself in the home, the serene glow of natural light reflects off of every interior surface. In the master bathroom, Calacatta Gold granite extends the natural glow provided by the large windows adjacent to the tub. The granite is tinted very slightly with a creamy gold, as the name suggests. Here, it tops the tub deck and runs over the vanity’s countertops.
In the corner of the room, in contrast to the brightness of surrounding materials, is a shower lined with dark blue glass subway tiles. The brassy shower hardware, matches the rest of the hardware in the bathroom, meshing it with the bright style of the rest of the room. What really ties the whole look together, though, is the floor tile. Varying sizes of this beige tile, called Cleopatra, are placed on the entirety of the bathroom’s floor, including the shower. This treatment is not limited to the bathroom, however. Just like the windows, Cleopatra tiles are found in abundance, flooring the main areas of traffic through the entire house.
To demonstrate this, let’s take a look at the kitchen, where the floor is indeed composed of Cleopatra tiles. The layout of the kitchen is relatively compact, and if you notice, does not obstruct the linear flow of the adjacent wall and the tiles below. That is, the implicit movement generated by the open, navigable spaces of the room is maintained even as the kitchen cabinets take their place on the floor. The countertops here are Colonial Gold, a more aggressively colored granite that the variety found in the master bathroom. An additional teak wood eating bar protrudes outward from the granite, adding more warmth to the space. The Cleopatra tile, though distinctly earthy in texture, is rather neutral in color, so these extra warm colors of the kitchen add an individual character to the room.
Next time we’ll keep following the Cleopatra tile to where the home truly expresses its connection with nature. The spaces coming up are a literal blending of the outdoors and indoors, to an incredible effect!
