Quartz for the Kitchen and Bath – Better Than Granite?

Filed under Bathrooms, Kitchens, New in the Showroom by on August 30, 2011 at 2:49 pm {no comments}

What is quartz?

Quartz Crystals

a. A rock?
b. The second most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust?
c. A fine crystal used in jewelry?
d. A commercially important source of silicon?
e. A countertop?
f. All of the above?

Quartz is a word which today commonly refers to a group of materials used for the construction of countertops, tabletops, wall panels, floor tile and many other applications. A more correct phrase might be “engineered stone” but this is not a synthetic or imitation product; it is up to 94% natural quartz, the substance that gives granite its hardness.

Over the last few years granite has become one of the most popular choices for kitchen countertops. It is beautiful, and like many people I long thought that granite was the most durable choice. I recently discovered this is not true. In fact, a quartz countertop can be considered superior to granite in several ways. Quartz will not have the softer compounds found in natural granite that may cause surface imperfections or weak spots (granite is 40-60% quartz). Quartz products are are very resistant to staining and do not require sealing to keep a good surface. This makes quartz a very sanitary product and indeed many brands have been NSF certified for use in food preparation areas.

Cambria Buckingham

We recently remodeled our kitchen display area and went searching for a material for the island countertop. We wanted something that would look rich and be able to hold up in a commercial space. For us Cambria was the answer. There are a couple of things I really like about Cambria the first of which is the range of colors that they make. I think Cambria has gotten the closest to the look of natural granite. The color “Buckingham” is a good example; it has the kind of “movement” one sees in many granite slabs. Cambria is also the only quartz product manufactured in the USA.

This project brought us the opportunity to work with a company called Stone, etc, one of the top fabricators in the SF Bay area. We are now teaming up with Stone, etc to offer quartz products to our customers in the Napa Valley. In addition to Cambria we now carry Caesarstone and Silestone.

Caesarstone is probably one of the best known makes of quartz products. It is also one of the most versatile, not just in colors but in the range of applications for which it is suitable. Caesarstone’s distribution network means that the product is readily available so less time waiting for your top to be installed. Caesarstone is always adding to their portfolio of colors and base patterns on stones like slate or travertine and well as brighter options like their “Warm Red” or “Apple Martini”. Caesarstone offers a lot of design choice.

Silestone may be the largest manufacturer of quartz. When it comes to colors Silestone does a couple of things differently. For one Silestone is adventurous. Yes, you can find selections that are very natural looking but check out the “New Life” series for bright greens and blues or the “New Zen” series for soft plum, pink or grey. In addition the “Leather” series offers a new texture for quartz. Silestone is unique for “Microban” an anti-microbial element added to the material to reduce the growth of bacteria.

While quartz is probably most often used in countertops it can also be used for vanity tops and shower walls, tub decks and flooring. If you are interested in seeing what is available please visit our showroom and check out our displays. We will show you color options and discuss what might be right for your project.

By the way the answer to the question is “all of the above”. Quartz is a very versatile stone.

Waterstone Faucets – A Unique Faucet Collection

Filed under Kitchens, New in the Showroom by on October 28, 2010 at 10:37 am {no comments}

Waterstone is a high quality, innovative maker of kitchen faucets and accessories.

Waterstone Towson Kitchen Faucet

All Waterstone faucets are made of solid brass or stainless steel and are manufactured in the USA. What makes Waterstone unique is their commitment to developing full line kitchen faucet collections.

There are many manufacturers of high quality faucets out there but in most cases individual manufacturers do not offer a complete collection. So you may buy your faucets and soap dispenser from one brand, the air gap and strainers from a second brand and the instant hot from a third brand. Yes, we can get very close on color and compatible in style but it isn’t really a true suite.

Waterstone Annapolis Gantry faucet

Waterstone saw this and decided that it was time to offer complete collections. Today Waterstone offers 6 styles; Annapolis, Fulton, Hampton, Hunley, Parche and Towson. Each collection includes a main sink faucet, prep sink faucet, bar and filtration faucets, deck and wall mount pot fillers, side sprays and soap dispenser, air switch and air gap and instant hot faucets.

In addition each suite includes Waterstone unique “Gantry” style faucet. The “Gantry” builds on the design of a commercial pre-rinse faucet and adapts it for use in the residential kitchen, combining a standard spout and separate pull-down spray. The “Gantry” is not for everyone but is perfect for someone who wants unique style, quality and function.

Hunley Positive Lock Pull-down mini suite by Waterstone

This year Waterstone has introduced their Positive Lock Pull-down kitchen faucet mini-suites. These “mini-suites” include a pull-down faucet, air gap, air switch and soap dispenser. The positive lock  holds the spray head firmly in place, avoiding the loose connection sometimes seen on less well made faucets. The spray head extends 18″ from the spout and uses a pre-positioned counterbalanced weight to provide smooth operation. 

If you want addition items you may  combine the pull-down faucets with the Hunley family for a complete suite.

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Amazingly, Waterstone offers their faucets in 30 different finishes including the basics (chrome, brushed nickel, stainless), the unusual (5 bronzes, 4 coppers, plus distressed and matte colors) and the precious (satin and polished gold). This gives you the options of coordinating with a huge range of interior finishes.

All Waterstone faucets include 360 degree spout range, ceramic disc cartridges and a limited lifetime warranty. Additional features offered on certain collections are outlined in the Waterstone “Features and Benefits” statement.

We display Waterstome in our American Canyon showroom. If you would like more information or just have a question please feel free to give us a call or use our contact form above. Thank you!

Jason Whirlpools – Quality and Family

Filed under Bathrooms by on August 13, 2010 at 8:49 am {no comments}

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit the Jason International factory in Little Rock, Arkansas. Jason is a family company with a deep history in the whirlpool business. 

Many people do not know that Jacuzzi was a family name before it was a whirlpool tub brand. The Jacuzzi family settled in Northern California in the early 1900’s and the four brothers went into business, first in manufacturing for aviation and later working with deep well injector pumps. (for the complete story click here).

The Jacuzzi Family

In the 1940’s Kenneth Jacuzzi, a son of one of the original four brothers, developed rheumatoid arthritis and the brothers turned their skill to the development of a hydrotherapy system to ease his pain. This was a unit that could be added to a home bath tub. Eventually their inventions lead to the creation of the Jacuzzi Bath Company.

Candido and Kenneth Jacuzzi with Whirlpool Pump

The family ultimately sold the Jacuzzi company and name to a large conglomerate. After the sale Remo Jacuzzi, who had been president of Jacuzzi Brazil and is the son of one of the original four brothers, remained with the company as president of Jacuzzi. In 1982 Remo left Jacuzzi to form his own company, Jason International, producing luxury-class baths in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Because he could no longer use the Jacuzzi name he called the company “Jason” (as in Jacuzzi Son).

Four Jacuzzi Brothers

 What was most interesting to me on this trip was the factory tour. Remo V. Jacuzzi (son of the founder) took us through the plant from the beginning to the end of the manufacturing process. The process begins with thermoforming the acrylic tub shells. This is a fun process to watch. First the sheet of acrylic is heated in a giant oven, then it is introduced to the mould and vacuum pressure is used to pull the acrylic into the shape of the mould. In the factory we were able to stand near the oven (it was hot!) then watch as the sheet was pulled into the shape of a tub. Neat! The shell is allowed to cool before moving on to the next step.

Jason Production Line

 Acrylic shells are great as a finish surface but have no structural strength. The next step is to apply the fiberglass that will provide the structural strength of the tub. The shell is placed into a spray booth and the fiberglass material is sprayed on. The raw fiberglass comes in a string form that is pulled into the machine, mixed with epoxy and then ejected as a thick spray onto the exterior of the acrylic shell. It takes a skilled worker to do this quickly and effectively and the men working at Jason seemed to be very good at the job. Once the all the fiberglass has been applied workers use handheld rollers to roll the fiberglass material flat and remove any air pockets.

So far the process has been pretty standard but now Jason begins to add some features that

Foam Level Base

one does not see in most acrylic tubs. First is their “level-foam base” which is applied to the entire bottom of the tub. This saves the installer from having to use a mortar base; assuming the floor is level he can just set the bathtub down and he’s done. In the factory we watched as one of the technicians poured the foam into moulds and then trimmed the finished product before applying it to a tub.

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Whirlpool Ergonomics

Now that the shell has been finished it is time to drill holes for mounting the jets, drain and accessories. Did you ever wonder why the jets are placed where they are in a tub? At Jason they employ physical therapists to work with tub designers to determine what jet locations will produce maximum benefit for the bather. They really think about how the body will fit into a particular tub and place the jets accordingly. This makes a huge difference to the effectiveness of the hydrotherapy.

 Because drilling locations need to be accurate this phase of the work is done by robots. If you have ever seen industrial robots work you know what I mean when I say it is very cool to watch. It seems almost alive with a long arm that moves quickly around the tub drilling and trimming the shell. A couple of times we thought the robot had made an error in a cut only to see it go back and correct itself.

Jason Jet

Now the bathtub is ready to have the jetting system installed and again Jason adds a little extra.  If you have ever used a whirlpool with standard jets you have probably experienced the skin irritation that is caused when a narrow jet of water is directed straight at your body. The “Perfect Pressure/Perfect Flow” jets used by Jason have a larger capacity which provides a strong massage without the stinging of smaller jets.

 After seeing how these tubs are made and talking to the people in the factory I was pretty impressed. Still, while everything I saw lead me to believe that this was a special product I hadn’t actually experienced a Jason whirlpool (I did sit in a few of the models but it isn’t quite the same). But the folks at Jason had already thought of this and they had a plan.

 There is a showroom in Little Rock that has most of the Jason models on display. One, an LX635, is working and located in a private area with a changing room so clients can bring a bathing suit and try out a tub. So, Saturday morning they loaded us up in vans and drove us to this showroom (which fortunately was closed to the public that day) so we could try a tub for ourselves. It took a little while but we all had a chance to use the tub and experience Jason hydrotherapy firsthand.

Jason Whirlpool in Action

 I enjoy a bath but I have never been a big fan of jets as I have experienced the irritation I mentioned above. This tub truly was different. I can honestly say that these jets were very comfortable and I would have been content to stay in that tub for quite awhile. The tub included the jetted neck pillow option which I highly recommend and the LED chromatherapy.

Sani-design

One thing that made the experience more pleasant was something that Jason calls their “Sani-design”. These design details include self-draining jets, cleaning access and an ozone sanitizing system; all designed to insure that the jet system stays clean and free from germs and impurities. Knowing the tub will always be clean adds a lot to the enjoyment of a whirlpool.

Jason also offers a host of features and options that allow you to add sound, light and aromatherapy to your bathing experience.

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I have been on a number of factory trips over the years and sometimes they can be tedious. Not this trip. The people at Jason clearly believe in their product and their enthusiasm is apparent. Having a good product is important but so it having good people. Looks like Jason’s got it right on both counts.

Bathroom Vanities – Where Quality Counts

Filed under Bathrooms by on July 21, 2010 at 5:13 pm {2 comments}

Quality shows itself over time. Poorly made products may look good new but can’t hold up to the wear and tear of daily use. This is particularly true of bath furniture.

Quality Bathroom Vanities – the Water’s Fine

Water can do a lot of damage. Steam, splashing and wet towels mean that

Features to Look For

bathroom vanities must hold up to wet conditions that other furniture doesn’t have to. Product made of particle board quickly show damage if exposed to water and will swell, discolor and peel. When shopping for bathroom vanities it’s important to look below the surface.

There are certain features to be aware of when shopping for a new vanity. For the bath, all wood construction is preferable to particle board, especially for any part of

the cabinet that may come into contact with water. Take a look at the drawer box and make sure the drawer slide allows the drawer to open all the way. It is nice to have an adjustable hinges and a soft close system so doors don’t bang shut. Finally, think about what kind of storage you will need.

In our showroom we carry several brands of bathroom vanities and furniture both semi-custom (you can order modifications of wood, door style, color and other details) and stock (available in specific configurations with no modifications available). Our semi-custom lines include Strasser Woodenworks and Woodpro. Our stock lines are Fairmont Designs and Sonia.

Strasser Woodenworks builds their furniture in Woodenville, WA, about 20 miles from

Strasser Furniture Vanity Maple Natural

 Seattle. Cabinets are offered in maple, oak or cherry and door styles include shaker, slab, mitered and beaded. In addition to wood finishes Strasser offers vanities in a range of

Strasser Wall Mount in Yellow

paint colors including green, yellow and matte black. One nice feature of the Strasser line is their drawers which have a metal drawer box with European style slides for easy access and durability. Strasser cabinets come in both traditional and furniture style vanities. Strasser offers a lifetime warranty on their products.

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Woodpro Heirloom Series

Woodpro Cabinetry is based in Missouri, in the town of Cabool, pop. 2100. Starting in 1977 as a two man cabinet shop Woodpro has grown into an almost fully custom bath cabinet maker. Woodpro has two vanity series: Premier which consists of 10 collections of overlay and molding

Woodpro Fireside Vanity Series

 overlay designs and Royale which has five vanity collections. Collections are differentiated by details like drawer face construction, edge profiles, crown profile, drawer leg style and hardware finish. Each collection offers multiple doors styles and wood selections including hickory. Woodpro offers over 60 finishes plus custom color/wood combinations.

Lambiere Wall Mount Series

But wait, there’s more. Woodpro offers modifications that one does not typically see available in bath cabinetry. Options like extended styles, hinging, face frame only linen option, increase or decrease of cabinet height and trim options are available for most vanity collections. This means you don’t have to settle for a vanity that is “close enough”. Instead you can customize it to the details you want with the features that you need.

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Fairmont Shaker 48 Open

Fairmont Designs, based in Buena Vista, California, does not make custom products. Instead their focus is on creating collections of distinctively designed pieces to meet a variety of bathroom interior looks. All cabinet are wood construction with features like adjustable hinges and soft close doors. Traditional, contenporary, Asian influence and many other looks are available.

Want an “Old World” look? Try “Belle”, an attractive bombe

Fairmont Belle

 silhouette vanity. Or “Villa Veneto” which has an 18th century Italian styling. Prefer a more urban look? How about “Tribeca”? Or “Concorde”. Both have clean contemporary lines and finish that show off the beauty of real wood.

All collections offer a range of sizes and can be ordered with or without countertops and sinks.

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Sonia Nouveau White

Sonia is based in Spain and is part of the Ferrer Group, a leading manufacturer of automotive hardware. Sonia cabinet designs reflect their European origin but what is really amazing is what you don’t see. Sonia cabinet construction is exceptional. Marine grade plywood and paint finishes result in cabinets that are practically impervious to water. Sonia often displays samples of their doors in a tank of water to demonstrate just how well the furniture will hold up in a wet environment.

Sonia other strong point is their unique designs. “Nouveau” is a collection of furniture style vanity pieces with a delicate filigree pattern or exotic hardwood design. “Atic Colors” are one of a kind door designs integrated with wall hung vanity cabinets. “Europa” is probably one of the most copied designs out there and is a clean combination of wood and glass.

“Versatile” combines euro-style colors with contemporary wood furniture. The “Play”

Sonia Versatile Vanity

 series is offered in a variety of wood finished and colors as well as the “touch” option which is a unique textural finish.

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We display vanities from all of the manufactures discussed in this article. If you are remodeling, or just thinking about it, we invite you to visit our showroom and discover the possibilities.

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