Tag: granite

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Bathrooms Kitchens

Caesarstone celebrates 30th anniversary with five new designs

To celebrate three decades in the engineered stone world, Caesarstone have introduced five new designs to their already impressive line-up.

With exposed concrete and the industrial vibe all the rage now (if you don’t believe me, take a look at the latest reveals on The Block), Cloudburst Concrete fits the bill perfectly with its white-on-white, tonal cloud-like patina. The rough look (not actually rough!) surface finish will pair fabulously with rich timber or even stainless steel.

If you are in the market for something moodier, the Canon Terra offers a dark grey concrete and terrazzo fusion highlighted with specks of black; add some brass tapware to create a look that’s totally industrial luxe. Frozen Terra is Canon’s lighter cousin, with the same beautiful black basalt highlights on an off-white base.

On the natural stone side of things, Turbine Grey is the next generation in modern granite, featuring mid-to-dark grey veins contrasting against a white background; a great alternative to the much-loved marble options.

Of course, you can’t go wrong with white – Intense White’s bright white is modern, crisp and fresh, at home in any style.

The new designs are available through kitchen retailers nationally and are on display in all Caesarstone showrooms.

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Design Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Using stone in your home: 5 options and how to maintain them

Aussies have well and truly discovered the beauty and durability of natural stone and it’s now being seen everywhere from the bathroom to the balcony. But with so many options on the market, the process of choosing the right stone for your home can be a little daunting.

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So we have founder and owner of Prestige Surfaces, Matt Nash, here to advise. Being raised to appreciate the care required in cleaning natural and manmade surfaces by his father and grandfather — each of whom had small cleaning businesses — in 2010, he decided to open up his own company. Specialising in cleaning, sealing and protecting precious stone materials, Prestige Surfaces have a range of high-profile clients including chef Shannon Bennett from Vue de Monde, and The Block. 

Below are Matt’s top five stone options for the home:

  1. BLUESTONE (BASALT)

Commonly found in facades and flooring, bluestone is one of Australia’s most popular choices. Once treated with premium grade breathable sealants, bluestone is elegant, durable, timeless and easy to clean. Always choose a sawn cut bluestone for external flooring and honed or polished for internal use. Never use sealants that claim to darken the colour because these products can cause irreversible damage to the stone.

  1. TRAVERTINE

A form of limestone, travertine is a natural, earthy stone, popular in paving or indoor flooring for its light colour and motley texture. Available in a variety of finishes, travertine is relatively easy to maintain after it has been treated with premium grade breathable sealants. Travertine will not usually withstand acids so may mark slightly if it is used in areas where food and beverages are prepared or consumed. Travertine is becoming increasingly popular in modern bathrooms.

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  1. MARBLE

Many luxury homes include stunning marble features such as benches, bathrooms or flooring. Marble is not resistant to acids so yearly maintenance will ensure your marble surface has adequate protection.

  1. GRANITE

Best used for outdoor paving, granite is very hard-wearing and resistant to salt so is perfect for pool paving and coastal properties. Flamed granite is particularly popular outdoors. Inside, honed or polished granite can often be found in bench tops.

  1. SANDSTONE

A soft, sedimentary rock, sandstone is not resistant to salts and contact will cause it to break down. Quality sealants penetrate deep within the material and completely inhibit corrosion, so correctly treated, sandstone can be used around swimming pools and in coastal areas. Sandstone can be difficult to clean when used inside so is best used for outdoor paving and facades.

For more information visit Prestige Surfaces.

Categories
Bathrooms Kitchens

Benchtops made from semi-precious stones? So wrong it might just be right!

Now, this is one benchtop surface that’s going to divide opinion: the new Concetto from Caesarstone. First I loved it, then I hated it, then hang on, I really quite like the look of that! Hmmm…

Caesarstone_Concetto_ bathroom in 8141 White Quartz

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Concetto is a collection of extraordinary surfaces handmade from individually cut and bound semi-precious stones and it certainly makes a statement.

[contextly_sidebar id=”B7pcF8crNTAM9hFTmPR9WR2e3jGVGETV”]“It is amazing to consider that the semi-precious stones used to make Concetto are sourced from all corners of the Earth and up to 150 million years in the making. It is somewhat akin to owning a special piece of art,” said Andrew Dixon, general manager marketing for Caesarstone Australia.

“We are seeing Concetto used in very unique interiors, often as highlight elements in very contemporary, sometimes minimal ways. The development of new LED lighting technologies, often remotely controlled, is seeing the fusion of different back lighting effects being used with the six surfaces in the collection which can be backlit”

All Caesarstone showrooms can demonstrate Concetto backlighting examples by appointment.

Ideal for a wide variety of applications such as kitchen benchtops, splashbacks, bathroom surfaces, furniture pieces and feature walls, Concetto carries the same superior properties as all Caesarstone surfaces.

I’d love to know what you think?

Categories
Bathrooms

Buttrose’s bathroom tips

Ita Buttrose recently underwent a bathroom makeover in her country home and has offered her advice for a hassle-free bathroom renovation.

Granite Transformations - Ita Buttrose Bathroom
Ita’s bathroom

Less is more – a pristine, uncluttered layout utilising clever storage will make your bathroom appear spacious and inviting. Make the most of the space by adding a large mirror to make your space appear larger and more open.

Choose neutral colours – A white, off-white or neutral colour scheme gives the illusion of more space. For a pop of colour, introduce vibrant accessories and bath towels that can be updated as often as you like for a new look.

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Bathrooms Expert Tips Kitchens

A guide to using natural stone in your home

Tumbled marble used in a bathroom

By Dara Shashoua

My name is Dara Shashoua and I am addicted to stone. There. I said it. It’s true, I cannot think of a more exquisite surface to be used in your home. Truly. Every floor is unique; you are installing an actual piece of history on your floor or wall. With so many companies importing stone these days, the price and range that is on offer makes stone a lot more affordable so it can be enjoyed by many more people.

A chic bathroom using tumbled products
A chic bathroom using tumbled products

I started in the natural stone and tile industry 13 years ago, when 20x20cm tiles and decorative borders were the fashion for bathrooms; thankfully that has all changed, and quite quickly. I remember the first time we had travertine come into the showroom, I was in love! It was a beautiful cappuccino colour, featuring a beige base with taupe tones running through it. Soon afterwards we had marble, granite and finally, limestones, arrive in the showroom.

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Kitchens

The latest kitchen makeover trends

Australians are still all about the neutrals when it comes to their kitchens, but they’re mixing it up with more eclectic finishes, matt doors, deeper benchtops and deorative murals.

Copyright Eliot Cohen - Zeitgeist Photographyemail: eliot@zeitgeist.com.au

In 2012, kitchen makeover specialists Granite Transformations completed more than 8,000 kitchens in greys, beiges and whites and in response to demand, they’ve released 5 new colours exclusive to the Australian market and in time for the warmer months ahead. Ikea, on the other hand, whose catalogue launch I attended last month, has introduced a red kitchen, especially with its Australian Asian customers in mind.

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