A New Sink On The Block: Composite Granite

Much like how solid surface quartz materials took over the counter top market a while back, we now have another engineered material for sinks! Composite granite is a solid surface material made from granite stone dust and acrylic resins molded into a sink form. And I am seeing more and more composite granite sinks popping up...

While the material is made from granite, it has a uniform color and appearance, unlike actual stone. But the true advantage of this material is its extreme durability. Where porcelain can chip and stain, and stainless steel can dent and scratch, composite granite is highly scratch resistant, and in fact might break glassware should you drop any in the sink. Its non-porous nature also makes it stain resistant.

Many companies now manufacture composite granite sinks such as Kohler and Franke.

Blanco has a line of newly reformulated composite granite sinks made from what they are calling SILGRANIT®.

Features of a granite sink in SILGRANIT® :
- Rock hard granite durability
- Heat resistant up to 536° F
- Unsurpassed cleanability backed by industry leading 7 patents
- Resistant to scratches, stains and all household acids and alkali solutions

As you can see, the sinks from all manufacturers are available in many different styles and sizes, including single or double bowls, farmhouse or apron sinks, and drop-in or undermount applications.

Happy designing!

A Stunning Kitchen Transformation by Fiorito Interior Design

When my clients, a young professional husband and wife, bought their home, they knew it needed a lot of work. But the first night the wife spent there, she cried. She was pregnant with twins and I knew we needed to get them a fantastic, new kitchen as soon as possible. The original space was a cramped galley right off the front door—a wall visually cut off the view from the entrance to the rest of the house and felt unwelcoming. The kitchen barely had any counter space—or any space for that matter—and was in desperate need of a remodel. So we removed the oppressive wall and opened up the kitchen to the family room and the cozy adjacent fireplace. Then we expanded the new kitchen into the tiny eat-in nook that the former owners used as a dining room.

The result is a spacious kitchen full of light and life. Fresh white plays with wood tones for a pleasant, organic feeling. The new kitchen features a large island with a prep sink topped by LED pendants by Tech Lighting which sport a fabric shade and coordinating wood trim. The darker wood of this island grounds the lighter colored space and is topped with White Spring granite that brings in white, grey, and the warm burgundy of the wood while the perimeter counter top is a dark-toned Caesarstone to contrast with the granite. And Just in time for two adorable and hungry bundles!

We also overhauled the adjacent fireplace...some of you may recall the sneak peek of this entire space I posted here a few months ago. The previously dirty brick fireplace was redone with a new cladding of stacked stone by Sydney Peak Stone. A custom mantel and built-in entertainment center make good use of dead space next to it, continuing the fresh white color scheme into the family room.

The fireplace looks so much more sophisticated yet retains a casual, organic warmth just like the kitchen. We also installed recessed ceiling fixtures to wash light down the front of the fireplace breast, to highlight the beautiful rough texture and bring out the lovely, almost sparkly gold tones.

All after photos by Bernardo Grijalva

Dreaming of a new kitchen? Give me a call.
Happy designing!