Here is a great article from Kitchen Sync about the details of wood and its characteristics in kitchen cabinets. Excellent information for anyone thinking about a kitchen renovation and for people like us who know nothing about cabinets. We know stone, but wood is a whole different animal. That is why we always keep an eye out for good information that we can pass along.
Kitchen Sync is another excellent blog that we recommend. Kelly Morisseau is a Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer and a Certified Interior Designer. Her blog is overflowing with great ideas, smart ways to solve problems, and excellent advice that you can only get from a person who has an extraordinary amount of experience and training.
Kelly has a tip for people who don't want any natural variations in their wood cabinets - either be prepared to pay extra or go with something else. As she says, "The beauty of wood is in its characteristics."
We sometimes run into similar issues regarding natural stone. We think the natural imperfections, color variations and veining or holes in the stone add to the beauty. But some people request that we hand pick stone with certain characteristics for their order. For example:
"Pick stone with no holes at all."
"Choose only lighter colored tiles."
"Pick a combination of shades of off white and beige colors with a preference towards the beige."
Yup. That last one is for real. We do everything in our power to give someone what they have requested and our regular practice is to reject tiles with significant holes, cracks or chipped edges. But if you know you are too OCD to handle the inherent tumbled edges, shading variations and small imperfections - natural stone tiles are probably not for you. It's okay to admit it. There are plenty of ceramic tiles* to choose from.
Our Grape Harvest mural on 6x6 Light Travertine is a good example of how the natural variations in the stone enhance the beauty of the warm, rustic artwork.
*We do have a way to put our designs on ceramic or porcelain tile, but we use an outside service and the lead times can be 2-3 months out. It is not something we have added to our main product line, but we can do special requests. The lead time on our natural stone products is 2 weeks in production and then it is out the door.
Kitchen picture at the top is courtesy of Bartel Kitchen & Bath in Buhler, Kansas.
Kitchen picture at the top is courtesy of Bartel Kitchen & Bath in Buhler, Kansas.
