Natural Stone Sinks are a great option for today's Modern Atlanta Kitchen

Have you considered having a Natural Stone Kitchen Sink?

Natural stone is already known as a classic material for use on the countertops of today’s kitchens and bathrooms.  Now natural stone is turning a very utilitarian object - the sink - into a piece of art.

The new stone sinks that are available on the market are not really “new” at all.  Stones had been used for sinks for hundreds of years.  So why has the stone sink be recently re-discovered?

First and foremost, stone sinks are used for aesthetic reason.  Homeowners are often drawn to the seamless look of a sink that blends with the rest of the countertop.  In order to meet the demand for this look, more and more stone fabricators are creating sinks of the same granite that has been crafted into countertops.

Beyond the aesthetics of stone sinks there are also practical benefits.  Sinks that are created from stone slabs have unmatched flexibility of size.  The sink can be fabricated to a custom dimension that suites the design of the space.  This means that the kitchen or bath design does not have to be limited to accommodate the standard sink sized that most sink manufacturers offer.

Install a Natural Stone Sink

In addition to flexibility of size, stone sinks also boast the ability to add custom features.  Drain boards can be carved into the countertop, which enables liquid to flow directly into the sink.  Custom depths can be created.  The number of dividers in the sink can be altered, so a sink can be long and trough-like or divided into separate sections.  The sinks can also be customized to accommodate a cutting board that fits over the sink.  Custom faucetry can be worked into the stone sink design simply by drilling a hole into the sink to accommodate the faucet.  Stone sinks can be installed as “undermount” sink or can feature a traditional apron front.

The popular “vessel” sink is being interpreted using natural stone including granite, marble, limestone, travertine, onyx and soapstone.  Along with the many stone options now available, there are also several options for how to install vessel sinks.  The sink can be set into the countertop so that only a small amount of the top edge of the sink is visible.  Or it can “sit” on top of the countertop to show off the entire bowl-shape of the vessel.  The vessel can also hang from brackets on the wall to accommodate wall-mounted faucetry.  A stone vessel sink can be placed on a stone pedestal, making it an option to replace the traditional porcelain pedestal sink.

Natural stone sinks combine flexibility in size, shape and color with the strength and beauty that has made stone countertops a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

The intrinsic beauty of a stone sink is enhanced by the fact that no two sinks will ever be exactly alike.  This fact alone makes selecting a stone sink an artful, natural choice.

Granite Atlanta by G&L Marble

Superior service and selection with over 200 varieties of granite in stock.
 

Granite Atlanta by G&L Marble delivers the finest in natural stone for tile and flooring throughout Atlanta and Georgia. There is a style and color appealing to any discriminating taste.

Come visit us and select your tile!

Showroom: Atlanta

Granite Marble Slate Limestone Travertine Onyx

Natural Stone Flooring Quartz - Masada Stone IceStone -"Green" Eco-Friendly Countertops Tile Mosaics

The showroom is stocked with thousands of slabs on display which customer can view and immediately reserve for purchase by the fabricator of their choice. In addition to kitchen counters, the Granite Atlanta showroom also has on display a large variety of tiles, mosaics, and trim pieces for floors, walls, or to simply compliment any existing or on-going project. Save time and money by speaking to a stone expert!

Slabs and Countertops
Granite Atlanta is by G&L Marble,which owns and operates nine granite quarries in Namibia, Africa, along with a processing factory in South Africa. The quarries produce approximately 25 color selections that are processed into slabs and tiles at various factories and distributed throughout Atlanta and all of Georgia. These colors can be seen in our showroom on Armour Drive in Atlanta.

Want to come see and feel the differences in materials? A stone expert is available at our showroom to help you make the most sensible decision.

Because G&L Marble, who brings you Granite Atlanta, imports and distributes natural stone from all over the world (including the United States), we have a great opportunity to be a part of an industry that has grown by leaps and bounds with improved technology and resources. Our showroom in Atlanta and our eight other U.S. city locations, and our global distribution network are the means by which we promote the ever-changing colors, finishes, and available sizes of stone to the public and the trade.

There are literally hundreds of slabs and colors to choose from. The prices for slabs and tiles are as varied as the colors. Availability, color, and country of origin are major factors that affect the price of natural stone slabs and tiles. Many granites are offered at the same price, or sometimes less than man-made products. The natural movement and pattern flow, colors, and crystals of granite are properties that even though attempted, remain unmatched by any man made surface.

Need help finding a good, honest fabricator? We can help you find one in your area.

So what is so special about granite?

A simple answer is every single piece! Whether it is a slab, tiles or any other dimension, you will not find two pieces exactly the same. Because granite is extracted from the earth in its natural form, each piece represents the earth's formation at that particular place in the landscape. This is what makes up the 'look' of natural stone. The movement, veining, size of crystals and colors are geographically unique to the history of that region, the climate's cycles, and the shifting of the earth's surface. Granite is millions of years old. If the crystals could talk, we'd hear quite a story...probably stories of dinosaurs and mammals, volcanoes and icebergs, pyramids and kings, earthquakes and tsunamis. How cultures began and how our ancestors survived. Without question, granite is durable.

Do you have a favorite place in the world? Maybe you've been there. Maybe you're from there. Maybe it's the state you live in. When you select granite for your home, you have the opportunity to express yourself. Through history or geography or just feeling passionate about the colors themselves, granite can be your keepsake of a place that holds true to yourself.



Granite's hardness and porosity vary depending on the region from which it hails. Some are very hard and dense and some are not as hard and are more porous. When you apply a penetrating repellent known as a 'sealer', the pours of the granite absorb the liquid which in turn repels food and liquids from penetrating the stone. This is as easy to do as applying furniture polish to your wood. It does not coat the stone, it is absorbed by it. This is the only 'maintenance' required for your granite countertops. The hardness of your granite and the type of repellent you choose will determine if you need to seal your stone once a year, every 5 years, or anything in between. Sealers are available through any stone professional or retail store specializing in stone.
Granite slabs come from blocks that when excavated from the earth are cut into either a 2cm (3/4') or 3cm (1 '') thickness. Since the blocks usually range from 7' in length to 11' in length, the slabs sizes will range as well. If seams are an issue for you, keep that in mind when you make your slab selection. Good fabricators and installers are craftsmen. Often times the seams or joints are so tight they are difficult to notice. Often the movement in the stone overshadows the seam, and often the slabs will be large enough that a seam or joint is not required. Not all fabricators are craftsmen, so ask for references.
There are literally hundreds of granite colors to choose from. The prices are as varied as the colors. Availability, color, and country of origin are major factors that affect the price of granite. The natural movement, colors, and crystals of granite are properties that even though attempted, can be unmatched by any man made surface.
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For hundreds of unique and beautiful selections of granite and natural stone, visit Natural Stone Atlanta ; info@naturalstoneatlanta.com ; 404-592-5597

Natural Stone Floor Warming Systems

One common occurrence with natural stone flooring is that it may feel a little cold to bare feet. While this may be a desirable feature on a sultry summer afternoon, it can be a slightly jarring wake up on a chilly winter morning.

Some easy solutions to this for many natural stone flooring owners include wearing a warm pair of socks or house slippers, or strategically placing about several throw rugs.

However, some homeowners with stone flooring are taking it a further step by installing a radiant sub floor heating system. Such a system consists of a series of “warming blanket” mats which are set just beneath the tile, resting on the sub floor. These mats contain electric resistance wires, which are hooked up to a 120 volt GFCI circuit.

Using an attendant thermostat, homeowners can adjust the amount of heat that is radiated throughout the floor.

Installation of a sub floor warming system is easiest if performed during the initial tile installation. This is because often the tile is adhered directly to the warming mats, to ensure that the system is as efficient at heat distribution as possible.

The heating pads should be installed directly onto a concrete subfloor. If the home has a wooden sub floor, it may be necessary to install cement board over this before installing the sub floor warming system.

Often, a small heating system can be wired directly into an existing GFCI circuit. However, if the total area being warmed is large or if the particular tile thickness requires more warming heat output, it may be necessary to install a dedicated circuit for the sub floor heating element.

A very important safety aspect for these systems is to be sure that the installer performs resistance checks on all of the wires to ensure these wires were manufactured properly and were not damaged during shipping. Installers should also follow any manufacturers instructions regarding power limits, installation, and use.

Some summary notes on the sub floor heating system for natural stone floors:

- sub floor heating system is not used as sole source of heat in rooms
- usually made up of a series of flat mats with electric resistance wires; mats warm up, and send heat through the stone floor tiles
- mats usually wired to a 120 volt GFCI circuit
- adjustable thermostat controls the heat
- mats laid over a concrete sub floor, do not install heating mats directly on wood sub floor
- adhesive added to mats to adhere to cement sub floor, then these are thinset to the tile placed on top
- perform a resistance check on the heating wires to ensure that they were properly manufactured, and weren’t damaged during shipping
- the size of the installation determines whether the system needs to be hooked to a dedicated GFCI circuit, or if it can patch into an existing one.
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info@flooratlanta.com
678.391.9147

From Granite Countertop Atlanta: New Home Sales Rise 4.7% in February

Sales of new one-family houses in February 2009 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 337,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 4.7% above the revised January rate of 322,000, but is 41.1% below the February 2008 estimate of 572,000. The following is the unedited transcript of the news release from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Sales of new one-family houses in February 2009 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 337,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 4.7 percent (±18.3%)* above the revised January rate of 322,000, but is 41.1 percent (±7.9%) below the February 2008 estimate of 572,000.
The median sales price of new houses sold in February 2009 was $200,900; the average sales price was $251,000. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of February was 330,000. This represents a supply of 12.2 months at the current sales rate.
(article from 123jump.com)

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Zambezi discounted granite. Exotic, Imported and ready for your home. info@granitecountertopatlanta.com ; Granite Countertop Atlanta

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From Granite Countertops Atlanta: 10 Things You Can Do With Chicken

Chicken is a basic ingredient in many kitchens. It's more nutritious than red meat and there are so many ways to cook it. Try these hints the next time you're hungry for chicken!
1. Have you tried steaming it? This is perfect for a quick meal for one or two. Put a boneless, skinless chicken breast into one of those zippered steaming bags that you can find in your grocery store. Sprinkle in a little seasoning salt, some fresh ground pepper and a couple Tablespoons of BBQ sauce. Zip the bag closed and give it a shake. Cook it according the directions on the steaming bag: about six minutes for a chicken breast.
Be careful when opening- it will be hot and steamy! You will be amazed at how tender and juicy the chicken is- in no time and NO mess!
2. Make your own gourmet pizza! Use Alfredo sauce, if you like or BBQ sauce add your chicken breast, some mozzarella and bake. Who needs take out?
3. Citrus chicken sandwich- Want a sandwich that looks gourmet and tastes that way too? Brush a chicken breast with oil and grill until done. Slice it horizontally and then toss it up with a squeeze of lime juice, some sour cream and a Tablespoon of sweet chili sauce. Serve it on a crusty roll with some crisp lettuce and spinach leaves.
4. Marinate boneless skinless chicken breasts overnight, covered with Italian dressing. These are best cooked on the grill, but you can broil them as well. Toss the extra dressing. Because of the dressing, this will tend to flare up if you aren't careful, so keep an eye on it. It's worth the trouble.
5. Make kabobs. Cube chicken breasts and skewer them with alternative chunks of peppers, onion and zucchini. Brush with olive oil, squeeze on some lemon juice and grill or broil.
6. Cube the chicken breast and stir fry in wok or skillet until starting to brown. Add a bag of frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Season with lemon pepper. Turn the heat to med-low and cover. Simmer for about 6 or 7 minutes, stirring once or twice, until veggies are done, but still firm. Serve it up!
7. Cut chicken breasts into small strips or cubes and brown. Add one can cheddar cheese soup and ½ cup salsa. Heat through and spoon ¼ cup of the mixture onto one-half of warmed, soft flour tortillas. Moisten the edge of tortilla, fold over and press down the edges to seal. Bake in 325° for about 5-7 minutes.
8. Add chicken breast and broccoli to creamy macaroni and cheese. This is best if you use the creamiest macaroni and cheese you can. Choose homemade, frozen or the shells and cheese brands.
9. For a Mediterranean style chicken flavor, mix diced cooked chicken with some plain yogurt and Greek-style seasoning mix. Serve this on a croissant or in a pita shell.
10. Fry chicken breasts lightly in olive oil. Add sliced onion, chopped red pepper, zucchini and a clove of garlic, diced or crushed. Fry for just a few minutes and add some dried basil and a can of chopped tomatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Take off the lid and simmer 5 minutes longer. Serve with rice.


(Christine Steendahl – Ezine @rticles)

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Beyond beautiful and affordable Gallo Fiorito granite.*Up to 36 months, same as cash, no payments, no interest financing plans available!see details at:Granite Countertop Atlanta 678-391-9146 info@granitecountertopatlanta.com

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Installing Marble in Atlanta Kitchens

Installing Marble in Atlanta Kitchens

The speech. You know the one. You tell someone you want marble countertops in the kitchen and you’ll hear it-probably more than once. People will tell you you’ll never be able to drink red wine again. They’ll tell you you’ll need a degree in chemistry before you will be able to clean the counters for the first time. Bottom line, they’ll tell you no. But you’ve seen marble kitchens in the magazines. You’ve been to Europe. You remember the white marble in the soda fountains of your youth. So what is everyone so afraid of?

The truth is, you can put marble on your countertops. It is after all, your kitchen. You could upholster the countertops with silk if you wanted to...it all boils down to how much maintenance you are willing to live with. So how much time and energy is involved? We’ve spoken to the Marble Institute of America (MIA), stone fabricators and homeowners to compile what it’s like to live with marble. Here’s what we found out.

Typically when a homeowner is looking for natural stone countertops the first stone they think of is granite. The reason for this is granite's reputation for durability and performance in the kitchen. According to the MIA, granites are undoubtedly the most popular stone type used in countertop applications today. These stones are some of the hardest, offering high levels of resistance to abrasion, scratching and heat. The primary minerals in the granite are resistant to virtually all chemicals commonly found in a residential setting.

Marbles on the other hand are made up primarily of calcite crystal. Due to their mineralogical makeup, all marbles are vulnerable to either abrasion or chemical attack. Scratching could occur from common kitchen utensils. Lemon juice, tomatoes, vinegar and any other acidic solutions would etch the surface, removing the polish on the stone. Although red wine is the most commonly feared liquid near a marble kitchen, foods that have both acidic and oily qualities are usually more harmful because the oil acts as a carrier into the stone. Salad dressings and marinades are common culprits.

The use of abrasive cleaners must be avoided for the same reason-no bleach or ammonia based products should be used. So how do you clean the counters? There are many marble friendly natural stone products on the market. If you have someone come in to clean your home, be sure that they are only using the products that you provide, not the strong chemical based commercial cleansers typically used. Because of the high absorption rate of most marbles, a sealer should be applied to help slow the rate of water and stain absorption into the stone. Depending on the life to the sealer, it will need to be reapplied periodically. Sealers are readily available on the market and can be easily applied by the homeowner. However, many homeowners have a misconception about stone sealers. Even though a stone is sealed, it does not mean that it is an impervious surface. The sealer can help slow the absorption process, but it does not mean that no staining will occur. Although sealers have improved in recent years, there is not a product that will completely protect marble from staining or etching. It is simply a characteristic of the stone that this will occur.

The vulnerability of the polish on marble is one of the reasons marble is often honed when used in the kitchen. Removing the polish helps to camouflage the wearing of the stone and makes the surface have patinaed, or "aged" effect. It is difficult to see etches or rings on the stone when it is honed because the entire surface has already gone through an etching process in order to remove the polish. Jennifer Van Horn is a homeowner with honed Piel Serpentine marble in her kitchen. "I like the honed marble surface because the veins and pattern of the stone help to hide the surface dirt on the counter. I have polished concrete where my range is and it shows every little thing. On the marble, it's hard to tell what is part of the stone and what isn't." This camouflaging effect is one of the benefits of having a marble with veins. A white marble with little veining, for example, would be more likely to show wear, while a darker material with more movement would help to blur the line between stains and variations within the material.

So how do fabricators feel about installing marble in the kitchen? Mike Knox of Stonecutters Guild in Huntsville, Alabama, responds, "Here's what marble will do in your kitchen-it will ring, it will stain, but it will be beautiful. Most of my clientele has traveled the world and they see patinaed marble, they see that there is nothing more real than that. I love working with marble and if a client wants it, I'll do it. But I'll also tell them that they are not going to call me every week to clean up an orange ring or a glass ring. If the homeowner is not going to appreciate what marble does and how it looks as it ages, I won't do it in their kitchen." John Howard, a salesperson in the G&L Marble Atlanta showroom is in agreement. "In the last few years more and more homeowners are asking for marble or limestone for the kitchen. They see it in magazines, their designer tells them about it, and they want it. I always tell them about the staining and the scratching and if they still want it, then I say 'go for it'. However, there are people that want the marble to look brand new forever, and for those people I don't think marble is a good idea."

If a homeowner is hesitant to have marble in vulnerable areas of the kitchen, for example, around the range, then mixing materials in an option. Installing granite in the work areas and marble in the areas that receive less traffic is one way of having the best of both worlds. Kitchens today often combine more than one cabinetry style or finish, and the same is true of countertops.

In the end, the only person that can answer the question of whether marble is right for the kitchen is the individual homeowner. Homeowners need to ask themselves what there needs are and have the proper expectations of marble as a work surface. Every kitchen is used differently. Some kitchens are used more than others. Some kitchens are used by small children. Some kitchens are designed to look as if they have been there for many years and would benefit from an "aged" surface, while others may be served better by a countertop that looks the same as it did the day it was installed. Regardless, with more natural stones on the market than ever before, there truly is a natural stone out there for everyone. It is simply a matter of determining which is the right choice for you.

Granite Countertop Atlanta by G & L Marble delivers the finest in natural stone for granite kitchen counters through out Atlanta and Georgia. With over two-hundred varieties of granites alone in stock, there is a color appealing to any discriminating taste. Showrooms are conveniently located in Midtown Atlanta and Alpharetta.

Granite Countertop Atlanta info@granitecountertopatlanta.com