Blog

KBIS: New Product Launch Sneak Peek

Now that we’re in the middle of April, KBIS really is just around the corner. We are ready for our New Orleans adventure, where we will be reconnecting with colleagues and meeting new friends, as well as learning all we can about the latest trends and innovations in the kitchen and bath industry. That event host National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) is celebrating its fiftieth birthday is icing on the cake, and will surely bring an added level of excitement to the event!

Silestone by Cosentino

It’s no secret that many of our favorite countertop products come from Silestone by Cosentino, and we always look forward to what they will bring to the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) each year. Silestone products are the perfect combination of form and function. Silestone is created by using natural quartz, which is intrinsically hard and resilient. As the only countertop with bacteriostatic protection a Silestone by Cosentino countertop guarantees maximum hygiene on its surfaces. Silestone is the only countertop to feature the combination of the following:• Built-in Microban protection• National Sanitation Foundation Certification• GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification

Alternative Uses for Countertops

During the process of a kitchen renovation, choosing a new countertop is often one of the most difficult and important decisions a homeowner will face. We have had clients confess that selecting the right countertop involved months of research to find the perfect one. This week we are going to take a look at countertop materials, and discuss creative ways you can implement countertops outside the kitchen to enhance other rooms in your home.

Green Products

Our clients are knowledgeable, stylish, and up on all of the latest trends, and we take notice when they ask questions. In addition to growing inquiries about products made in America, we are hearing more questions from clients about green products. Environmentally conscious homeowners want products sourced and manufactured in a responsible, earth-friendly way. This week’s blog is dedicated to exploring products that can help your next renovation ‘go green.’

Innovative Floors and Walls

This summer our blogs have focused on innovative new products: bathroom vanities, tub and shower design, and new surfaces from Silestone have all been featured on the Cabinets and Design blog. This week we want to explore innovations in walls and flooring, but first let’s briefly discuss practical considerations when choosing flooring and walls for your bathroom.

Innovations for the Bathroom: Vanities

Continuing our series on innovative new products for the home, this week we are spotlighting some of our favorite products for the bathroom; specifically, innovative new vanity designs. In our blog about shower and bath renovations we addressed functionality issues surrounding “aging in place,” and the way designers are finding better ways of combing form and function to reduce the “institutional” appearance of these bathroom features. Designers are also applying these goals in regard to vanity design; here are some of our favorites.

New! From Silestone

We have exciting news about new products from Silestone by Cosentino! Silestone is an industry leader in natural quartz surfaces, providing customers with the most beautiful, highest-performing products on the market. Strong, scratch-resistant, anti-microbial, durable, and attractive, Silestone by Cosentino surfaces will enhance any room in your home. 

A Few Notes from KBIS

Attending industry shows is always exciting, and this year’s trip to the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show proved both productive and creatively stimulating. KBIS is the world’s largest international trade event dedicated exclusively to all aspects of kitchen and bath that specifically serves kitchen and bath dealers, designers, architects, remodelers, wholesalers and custom builders. Many of our favorite brands and designers were on-site, showing off their newest, most innovative products. Wood-Mode was out in full force, further expanding on their tradition of combining beauty and quality performance; never sacrificing style for substance, or vice-versa, Wood-Mode offers the best in contemporary and traditional styles to suit any home.

KBIS

The theme of this year’s Kitchen and Bath Industry Show is “Collaborate. Innovate. Inspire.” These three aspects of home design will be explored in detail by trade and industry partners, April 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. KBIS is the largest international trade event focused exclusively on every aspect of kitchen and bath design, and that caters specifically to kitchen and bath dealers, designers, architects, remodelers, wholesalers and custom builders. Described as “the ultimate destination to discover the latest products, designs, trends and education that industry has to offer, the show boasts:

Sugarland Home Show Highlights

We’d like to thank everyone that came out for the Sugarland Home & Garden Show this past weekend.  We were lucky enough to have a prime location near the entrance.  On Saturday over 2,000 guests attended the show and on Sunday, 1,500 guests.  Cabinets & Designs proudly showcased our new door samples including metallic finishes, knotty alder, and an artisan crackle finish.  Wood-Mode’s DVD played featuring the history of the company, how the cabinets were made, and different themes from traditional to contemporary.  We also had our design software, Chief Architect, running to show floor plans and perspectives of recent and upcoming projects. 

Silestone Sponsors MoMA Exhibition Counter Space: Design and the Modern Kitchen

We were excited to learn that Silestone is sponsoring an exhibit at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. The exhibit, Counter Space: Design and the Modern Kitchen, will run through March 14, 2011. The exhibition explores architectural modernism by chronicling the transformation of the kitchen in the 20th century. In a recent press release, Lorenzo Marques, VP of Marketing for Cosentino North America, Silestone’s parent company, said, "We are honored to sponsor this incredible exhibition and to partner for the first time with The Museum of Modern Art. The Silestone brand is synonymous with the sophisticated modern-day kitchen, and shares a deep appreciation for the important, ever-changing, role of this room in the home. The evolution over the decades is truly impressive. We hope that Counter Space inspires visitors to consider kitchen design and its significance in a whole new light." 

Cosentino Exceeds Industry Environmental Standards

This month, we’re dedicating our blogs to the Earth. In September, we’re all about going green and celebrating the products committed to the environment. We’re starting with one of our favorite products, Silestone by Cosentino. Silestone products qualify for points toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for builders, companies and individuals. In addition, Cosentino has a long history of environmental responsibility. Both you and your builder can feel good about using Silestone Quartz in your home.

Why You Should Install a Quartz Countertop in Your Kitchen

Are you planning to get a new countertop for your kitchen? Why not go for a quartz countertop this time? These countertops are made of slabs of quartz bonded together with a special type of epoxy resin. The result is a high durability countertop that goes great with any kind of kitchen décor. If your old wooden countertop has been showing signs of age, it is high time you replaced it with a much better alternative.Here are the top 5 reasons why you should get a quartz countertop: