Jennifer Baiceanu

2018 was full of surprises in the world of natural stone home décor, and 2019 isn’t far behind in surprises and excitement. Homeowners considering home improvements or new builds should keep these five fabulous natural stone trends in mind when tiling or building countertops.
If you want to know, you can read our article about the “What is the difference between quartz and quartzite“.

Five natural stone trends set to take over this 2019

• Wood and marble turn partners to make sizzling kitchen countertops
Marble has always been championed in kitchens and bathrooms, where it is used both for the floors and countertops. But 2019 will see marble being coupled with premium hardwood to create a multi-textured look and feel for countertops and tiling.

Try having hardwood floors instead of marble tiles and set a monolithic marble countertop smack in the center. This will create a dramatic visual effect – pure white in a sea of brown.

• Cool shades of granite are making a comeback
Deep greens and melancholic blues take center stage this year as classic warm granite shades are replaced with cool and dark tones. Ubatuba from Brazil, Bala Flower and Arctic Green Pearl from India, and Abrangi from Iran are some excellent options to consider.

• Integrated designer kitchens and bathrooms come in style
If 2018 was about creating the perfect all-marble or all-quartzite countertops and floor tiles, 2019 is about integrating marble, quartzite, and other natural stone accessories to the final construction.

Customized tabletops, backsplashes, sinks, toppers, shelves, and cubby holes made from natural stones that are color-coordinated with your selection and which accentuate the tiling and countertops you already have will really elevate the look of your home.

• Quartzite set to become favorite cladding material
Europe has always had a culture of cladding rooms with hardwood or natural stone. This trend now moves across the world to other shores in 2019. Another exciting trend to anticipate is the use of quartzite as cladding slabs for rooms in homes. The hardiness and superior colors of quartzite make it an excellent candidate for cladding.

• Eco-friendly miners turn suppliers for homeowners
The global natural stone mining industry is slowly moving towards environmental sustainability. These days, the preference is to purchase from home décor retailers or stone yards who procure their materials from miners who are environmentally conscious and ethical in their practices.

2019 too will see a continuation of this trend, with greater emphasis for choosing slabbing and tiling partners who incorporate ethical and environmentally-friendly practices even when working on your countertops, walls, and floors.

Grout is good.

From keeping water, mold, and mildew out of your natural stone’s pores to maintain the brand-new tile or countertop appearance for years; grout helps you maintain the strength and aesthetics of your marble, quartzite, granite or quartz stone tiling for years.

Grout also reduces tile cleaning and maintenance to a bare minimum by keeping out dust and dirt from hard-to-reach tile corners. But when it is time for a cleaning, and you do scrub your tiles, you need to know how to clean natural stone tile and grout.

Cleaning agents that can destroy grout and ruin your natural stone tiles

Grout is easy to clean – just pour the cleaning agent on and lightly clean with a damp cloth. But this is where most homeowners make mistakes. Instead of using a tried-and-tested formula like one part hydrogen peroxide and two parts baking soda, many homeowners use harsh cleaning agents and equipment that have the potential to destroy not just the grout but also your natural stone tiles.

If you wish to avoid making your grouting and stone tiles fragile, you should avoid using the following during tile cleaning:

• Cleaning acids

Acids dissolve natural stone and alter their physical composition. Using cleaning acids regularly will dissolve the grout and leave behind gaps between tiles, through which mold and mildew can enter. This will ruin the integrity of the tiles.

• Strong chemicals & bleaches
Bleach tends to oxidize stones like marble, quartzite, quartz, and granite. This can change the color of your natural stone tiling, not to mention, make the grout powdery and weak. That’s why it’s important to never use any bleaching agent to clean.

• Colored floor cleaners
Colored floor cleaners work the same way as bleach on stone tiling and grout. But, instead of stripping the marble, quartzite and other natural stones of their color, these synthetically colored cleaning agents impart their own color to the tiles, thereby ruining the color of the tiles.

Even if the stone tiles don’t get too colored, the grout certainly does; resulting in ungainly looking colored lines between your tiles.

• Large, rough scrubbers
Coarse scrubbers can chip-off the grout between stone tiles and can also leave behind marks on your natural tiles. Some tiles like marble are very delicate, and they are easily marked by rough scrubbing using coarse scrubbers.

• Plain water
Excessively cleaning your stone tiles with water can make the grout paste-like, which then becomes very friable post-drying. In a matter of days, you’ll notice the grout chipping off and your tiles getting unsealed.

This is predominantly why you are advised to gently rub your grout using a damp cloth.

Marble Unlimited offers the best quality materials please leave an inquiry, and we will schedule a meeting with you at our showroom.

There is no denying that the traditional black & white have a timeless appeal in kitchens and homes. While black & white are elegant, there are many ways to make a bold new style statement with gold. Gold can bring in an intoxicating rich look that perfectly complements your luxurious or carefree lifestyle.

It is easy to create a memorable gold kitchen using granite. Available in many different subtle and bold gold hues, granite continues to be the most popular material in the kitchen.

Here are some ways to add gold elements to your kitchen with granite:

Gold Antique granite: Where does granite come from? Quarried in India, Gold Antique granite is a perfect addition to your gold-predominant kitchen. With a white background that is enhanced with yellow and golden brown speckling, Gold Antique granite provides a contrasting relief to the otherwise all-gold kitchen while helping you create an antique or rustic look.

Magma Gold granite: Magma Gold granite is quarried in Brazil and is an ideal natural stone for bringing gold accents to your kitchen. The beautiful hints of gold blend well with warm tones of taupe and brown hues that create a stunningly rich look in your kitchen. Accessorize the magma gold granite with gold cabinets, gold lighting, and brass knobs to make your kitchen “aww” inspiring.

Veneziano Gold: Veneziano Gold granite is a perfect choice for countertops, floor, and interior walls of the kitchen. With a rich golden hue enhanced by gray and black veins, the granite easily complements all the gold accents in the kitchen.

Firenze Yellow Gold Antique: Nothing can beat the luxurious, rich look of the Firenze Yellow Gold Antique granite. While the granite makes for a perfect countertop choice in your bold gold kitchen, it can also become the center of attraction in your outdoor kitchen. Firenze Yellow granite features a rich blend of gold, black, white, and brown speckles that match bronze, brass, and gold elements in the kitchen.

Atlantis Granite: Atlantis Granite is a perfect addition to the gold kitchen with the intriguing mix of hues of busy gold intertwined with gray and orange veining. While the prevailing element is gold, there is also some contrasting relief from dark brown speckling. This granite is a popular choice when it comes to creating a focal gold point in kitchens.

While you can choose the perfect granite color to match the gold theme in your kitchen, accessorizing with gold cabinets, pendants, lighting, bar stools, and antique bronze can complete the look.