Countertops

Apr 30 2024

Quartz Couture: Bold Color Palettes and Statement-Making Surfaces

Quartz countertops are popular in kitchens, bathrooms, and other home applications all over the world. There are many excellent reasons to choose quartz countertops.

They’re extremely tough and durable and are resistant to scratching, heat, and other types of damage. And despite being one of the toughest options for countertops out there, they’re extremely lightweight compared to natural stone countertops.

The secret is in quartz’s composition. Unlike granite countertops or marble countertops, quartz countertops are made of engineered stone. They’re made of about 90% powdered quartz and 10% resins, polymers, and pigments.

It’s this construction that makes quartz weigh less and maintain untold strength. It also means that quartz doesn’t need sealing to keep out water and avoid damage, and that quartz countertops can stand up to all kinds of chemicals and cleaners.

But did you know that quartz is also available in more colors than any natural stone countertop? Manufacturers can add many different pigments in many different patterns to create gorgeous recreations of natural patterns or fantastic swirls and swoops that look like nothing in nature.

There are bold color palettes to suit every aesthetic, and at Olympia Stone, we’re proud to provide homeowners and builders alike access to some of the most beautiful quartz on the market. Let’s take a look at some of these impressive patterns!

Et Dor

This beautiful quartz pattern mimics marble, but with rich gold veining that stands out against the creamy white surface.

Posidonia Green

This beautiful soft sage green quartz countertop gives the impression of seaglass with its delicate color and polished finish.

Stellar Night

Deep, rich black is dotted with tiny shimmering flecks that mimic the twinkling of stars in the night sky. This quartz is perfect for a sophisticated, sleek installation.

Arabetto

Dynamic veins of jade and copper twist and weave throughout the warm white surface of this quartz pattern. Gray stripes and speckles add complexity and contrast to the delicate interlaced threads.

Ice Max Black

Dark quartz countertops don’t get more dramatic than this! Stark white veining pop on the polished black surface, their impact made even more incredible by the galactic-inspired swirled halo that highlights the veins.

Choosing A Quartz Countertop

With so many amazing color options and such high performance and quality, choosing to use quartz countertops in your home is an easy decision.

The hardest part is selecting the right quartz pattern, and that’s where we come in. At Olympia Stone, we love helping homeowners and builders in the Indianapolis area choose the perfect quartz countertop for their installation.

We’re completely committed to your project, so contact us for a free estimate or schedule a showroom visit today and see what we have to offer!

Apr 23 2024

8 Must-Know Tips for Choosing the Perfect Granite Countertop

So you’ve decided on a granite countertop for your kitchen or bathroom. Excellent choice! Granite is a stunning natural stone that looks fantastic with every home design aesthetic, and its durability means that you will be able to enjoy your countertops for decades to come.

Now comes the hardest part: choosing the perfect countertop. With so many different granite options, how are you to choose? That’s what we’re here to help you with!

The Olympia Stone team has the expert advice you need to pick the perfect granite countertop. Here are 8 tips to keep in mind as you make your selection.

1. Color and Pattern Selection

Consider the overall color scheme and design theme of your space. Granite countertops come in a variety of colors and patterns, ranging from subtle to bold. Choose a color and pattern that complements your cabinetry, flooring, and overall decor.

2. Quality and Grade

Granite countertops are available in different quality grades. Poor-grade granite is prone to cracking and chipping, so make sure that the fabricator you choose offers only the best-grade granite.

It is worth it to visit your fabricator’s showroom to see the stone for yourself before installing it in your home.

3. Thickness

The thickness of granite countertops typically ranges from about ¾ of an inch for bathrooms and 1-1¼ inches for kitchens. Thicker slabs provide more durability and can withstand heavy use over time.

However, thicker slabs are also heavier, and may prove challenging to use in second floor installations. Consider your usage needs and aesthetic preferences when selecting the thickness.

4. Edge Profiles

Granite countertops offer various edge profiles, such as bullnose, beveled, ogee, and eased edge. Choose an edge profile that complements the style of your space and enhances the overall look of the countertop.

Your fabricator can show you different options and help you envision which edge profile would look best in your space.

5. Finish Options

Granite countertops come in different finishes, including polished, honed, leathered, and brushed. Each finish offers a unique appearance and texture, and you should look at sample stones to pick your favorite.

Consider factors such as maintenance requirements and aesthetic preferences when selecting the finish.

6. Sealing Requirements

Granite is a porous natural stone that requires sealing to prevent staining and etching. Ask about the sealing requirements of the specific granite slab you choose and follow the fabricator’s recommendations for maintenance.

7. Budget Considerations

Set a budget for your granite countertop project and explore options within your price range. Keep in mind that factors such as slab size, thickness, quality, and customization will affect the overall cost.

8. Professional Installation

Granite is expensive and heavy, so you shouldn’t try to DIY a granite countertop installation. Instead, hire a reputable and experienced fabricator.

This will ensure proper measurement, fabrication, and installation of your granite countertop. Professional installation will help maximize the lifespan and performance of your countertop.

At Olympia Stone, we’re here to help you every step of the way, from choosing the right granite to milling the edge ourselves, to creating a perfect installation. Contact us today for a free estimate for your new granite countertop!

Mar 30 2024

8 Eco-friendly Countertop Materials for Sustainable Living

When it comes to environmental friendliness, we don’t always think of renovations and our choices of materials. Nonetheless, this can be an important consideration.

Many homeowners today opt for eco-friendly materials that offer a cleaner footprint and make use of novel or recycled materials. To better understand, let’s explore eight eco-friendly countertop materials for sustainable living.

1. Quartz

Quartz is a highly versatile semi-synthetic stone type. While not all quartz is considered eco-friendly, some manufacturers might include recycled materials such as glass in their quartz offerings.

Quartz is also highly durable, which means it doesn’t require frequent replacement.

2. Slate

Slate is a gorgeous natural stone type that can be considered eco-friendly because it won’t need to be replaced often.

What’s more, slate is a beautiful stone known for its unique texture and appearance.

3. Granite

Granite is another natural stone type, one that offers the beauty of natural veining.

Due to its longevity and the fact that it doesn’t require excessive processing, it’s often considered an eco-friendly material. What’s more, granite is gorgeous and offers extreme hardness and heat resistance.

4. Soapstone

Soapstone is another natural stone type that can be considered eco-friendly due to both its longevity.

What’s more, soapstone is soft to the touch (hence its name), which adds to its draw.

5. Recycled Glass

Recycled materials, such as glass, can be extremely eco-friendly, giving a second life to what would have otherwise been wasted. What’s more, recycled glass can be used in materials such as quartz countertops.

6. Bamboo

Bamboo is known for being highly renewable, making it an eco-friendly option. Bamboo grows quickly and isn’t particularly resource-intensive. What’s more, it’s gorgeous.

7. Reclaimed Wood

Like other recycled materials, reclaimed wood can be highly eco-friendly, giving used materials a second useful life. Reclaimed wood offers a charming rustic appearance that can create an inviting space.

8. Recycled Paper Composite

Recycled paper composite is a particularly eco-friendly composite solution, offering used paper a second life and a high degree of practicality.

The Bottom Line

Environmental friendliness is an important consideration. If you’re passionate about sustainable living, it is helpful to think about the materials we use for our homes, including countertop materials.

Whether you take the approach of sourcing high-quality, long-lasting new materials or recycled components, or even a combination of the two, there are many ways to make a positive impact with our choices.

Remember, if you’re looking for high-quality, durable materials that will stand the test of time, expert installation, and unparalleled customer support, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

At Olympia Stone in Indiana, we’re committed to making sure that your countertops are exactly what you’re looking for. Contact us today for a free quote.

Mar 12 2024

The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Kitchen Countertop Materials

Outdoor entertainment spaces are more popular than ever, and outdoor kitchens are one of our favorite home-building trends.

When you’re putting together an outdoor kitchen, you need to carefully consider your building materials.

The strain of weather, temperature fluctuations, and UV exposure all mean that outdoor kitchen countertops must be exceptionally durable—but you also need them to look great. Here is a guide to the most popular outdoor kitchen countertops.

Granite

Granite countertops are a great choice for an outdoor kitchen. Granite is extremely durable and has a natural resistance to the elements. Granite is an igneous rock formed by volcanic processes.

So unless you’re literally barbecuing on a volcano, you can rest easy knowing that your outdoor granite countertops will withstand harsh weather conditions, UV exposure, freezing and thawing, and anything else Mother Nature throws at it.

This resilience means that outdoor granite countertops maintain their structural integrity and visual appeal over time, making them ideal for enduring outdoor environments.

Additionally, granite’s wide range of colors and patterns allows for versatile design options, enabling homeowners to create stunning outdoor kitchens that seamlessly blend with their surroundings while offering unparalleled durability and longevity.

Stone

Granite isn’t the only stone you can use for countertops! Using stone for the countertop in your outdoor kitchen adds a touch of natural beauty and elegance while offering unmatched durability and resilience against the elements.

Stone countertops, depending on their materials, can often withstand harsh weather conditions, UV exposure, and moisture without compromising their integrity or aesthetics.

With their heat resistance and nonporous surface, stone countertops are perfect for outdoor cooking areas, providing a sturdy and functional surface for food preparation and entertaining.

Additionally, the wide range of colors and patterns available in stone allows for versatile design options, ensuring that your outdoor kitchen reflects your personal style and enhances your outdoor living space.

Concrete

Selecting concrete for your outdoor kitchen countertop offers a chic, modern aesthetic and durability. While lacking the natural warmth of stone, concrete countertops provide a sleek and versatile surface that complements contemporary outdoor designs.

With proper sealing and maintenance, concrete countertops withstand outdoor elements, making them suitable for outdoor cooking and dining.

Despite potential drawbacks, such as susceptibility to sun fading and the need for periodic resealing, concrete countertops remain a popular choice for homeowners seeking a stylish and functional addition to their outdoor living space.

Conclusion

Your outdoor kitchen countertop needs to do more than just look good—it has to perform in much more challenging conditions than an indoor kitchen.

That’s why you should talk to the experts as you build your outdoor kitchen. Olympia Stone has the materials and design expertise to help you create the outdoor space of your dreams.

Feb 29 2024

Family-Friendly Marble: Practical Tips for Keeping Your Kitchen Safe and Beautiful

Marble countertops are gorgeous. Marble’s natural, elegant veining can elevate nearly any space, offering a touch of lightness and a sense of beauty. Marble is often seen as a luxurious material, and for good reason!

But if you’re in the market for marble countertops or you’ve recently added marble to your kitchen, you might have some questions about maintenance.

While marble is a highly durable material and maintenance is often simple, it’s important to be aware of some basic tips and tricks for keeping your kitchen safe and beautiful. Let’s dive in.

Choosing the Right Cut

Importantly, counters can be cut in a wide range of edge configurations. To ensure the safety of your kitchen space, consider how a new counter will be cut.

Sharper edges can pose a risk of injury, especially compared to smoother, more rounded edges. As such, this can be an important safety consideration when making a family-friendly kitchen.

Choosing the Right Configuration

Another important consideration when making a family-friendly space is the layout of your countertops.

For smaller kitchens, for example, it may be helpful to choose countertops with a shorter overhang so that they offer more foot traffic space and present less protruding edges.

Maintenance: Spills and Stains

While marble is renowned for its durability, lasting for ages when properly cared for, it can be particularly prone to staining and spill damage, as it is a relatively porous natural stone type. Fear not: through regular maintenance, it’s often simple to stay on top of. Clean spills immediately so that spilled liquids don’t have time to seep into the stone.

Remain cautious of dark-colored liquids, and consider using countertop placemats when setting meals or food.

Additionally, be wary of acidic materials, such as citric acid (found in orange juice, lemonade, and tomato juice) and vinegar. These and other acidic substances can pose a risk of etching into your marble countertop.

If you spill an acidic substance on your marble counter, be sure to wipe it clean promptly to avoid this outcome.

Sealing and Resealing

Marble countertops may be sealed to reduce the risk of staining. While this does less to protect from acidic etching, it can be a helpful way to enhance the durability of your marble. If your countertop was sealed when you got it, be sure to consult with the manufacturer and installer to determine when it may need to be resealed and how it should be done.

If your countertop requires regular resealing, be sure to adhere carefully to any timelines that you discuss with the manufacturer; this can go a long way toward protecting your counters.

Mitigating Heat Damage

Another important consideration for marble countertops is their exposure to heat. While marble is known for being quite resilient in the face of heat and is rated quite high for handling hot objects, it’s still important to be mindful of extremely hot objects.

Consider making use of trivets and oven mitts when placing hot objects on your counter to protect it from potential heat damage.

The Majesty of Marble

While marble is a gorgeous stone that offers durability and practicality, there are still some important considerations to take to ensure that your kitchen remains safe and beautiful. These include choosing the right cut and configuration for your space, periodic maintenance and resealing if applicable, mitigating the risk of heat damage, and prompt cleaning of spilled liquids—especially those that are acidic or dark-colored.

Remember, if you’re looking for expert installation, a wide range of high-quality marble, and next-to-none customer service, contact Olympia Stone. To get started or learn more, get your free estimate today.