One of the great things about natural stone, and granite in particular, is the wide range of colors, shades, tones, and patterns it is available in. Each slab is unique, producing a great aesthetic in your kitchen, bathroom, or other parts of the home. So, when you’re choosing the style and color of your granite countertops, should you go darker or lighter? Let’s look at some of the differences and the pros and cons of each.

Dark granite countertops

Black granite countertops are extremely popular and produce a striking aesthetic. You can also find a range of dark grays and deep shades of colors like blue, green, and purple. Dark granite countertops can offer a sleek, elegant, and modern look for your kitchen or bathroom, with black countertops especially going well in monochromatic spaces. So, if you’re choosing light kitchen cabinets or light floors, then you may want to contrast this with darker countertops.

One benefit of choosing dark granite countertops is that they hide spills and stains better than lighter shades. This gives you a bit more flexibility when it comes to cleaning your countertops, and it can mean they stay looking great for longer even if they do pick up some stains over time.

Light granite countertops

White granite countertops are also popular choices in modern, monochromatic kitchens. Other popular granite colors are available in off-white, cream, light shades of gray, and lighter shades of more colorful hues. As we mentioned before, contrast can be key to an attractive aesthetic, so light granite countertops can be paired with darker kitchen cabinets or a dark backsplash, for example.

White or light-colored granites will show water spots more than darker colors, so you may find yourself having to wipe your surfaces more often to keep them looking sparkling clean. Light countertops can be a good choice in smaller kitchens or those that don’t receive much natural light, since the lighter colors can create the impression of light and space. Similarly, if you’re looking for a more earthy or even a beachy style to your space, then light granites can work perfectly, especially when paired with wood-finish cabinets or floors.

For expert installation and high-quality granite, come to Amanzi Granite for your kitchen and bathroom countertops around Winston Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Kernersville. Get in touch to find out more about our stone and our services.

If you’re looking for something a little different from your kitchen remodel, then an industrial style kitchen could be a great option for you. Exposed pipes, wooden beams, metallic finishes, and other unique features can make for an attractive and interesting industrial space. If you’re considering this style for your kitchen, then read on for some tips and ideas to help inspire you.

High ceiling

Think of a large, airy factory space when planning the design and layout of your industrial kitchen. Lots of open space, so it suits rooms with high ceilings. Open ceilings and exposed beams are often incorporated to increase the height of the room, or at least the appearance of it.

Exposed elements

Speaking of exposed beams, the idea of having exposed elements is popular across the industrial style. It isn’t a priority to neatly hide away infrastructure such as pipes and cables. In fact, exposed metal pipes (particularly copper) lend extremely well to the aesthetic of the industrial style. Along the same lines, open shelving and storage are often used instead of closed cabinets. Exposed brickwork is another popular feature.

Industrial color schemes

The bright colors of copper pipes are typically offset by more muted and darker shades when it comes to the color palette of an industrial kitchen. Gray and black elements can be contrasted by soft neutral colors, with the monochrome effect being popular in this style. If you’re looking for more color, then darker shades of green and blue are a good choice. And add splashes of color with your kitchen appliances, such as bright kettles and toasters with a metallic finish.

Choosing your countertops

Stainless steel and other types of metal countertops are popular for industrial style kitchens, but a variety of natural stone countertops also work well in this environment. The industrial style commonly pairs manufactured materials like metal with natural materials such as brick, wood, and stone.

Granite and manmade quartz countertops are both good choices to complement the aesthetic of an industrial kitchen, particularly those without a polished finish. Unfinished stone countertops can add a rough and rugged appeal to your industrial kitchen, and reclaimed stone or granite remnants are another great choice as vintage elements are also popular.

For stylish and high-quality natural stone countertops to add to your industrial style kitchen, contact Amanzi Granite or visit us in our Kernersville showroom to see our stone up close.

Granite tiles and other types of natural stone tiles can make great floors for your kitchen and bathroom. They’re durable and aesthetically pleasing, making them worth the price. Another advantage of natural stone floors is that they are reasonably easy to clean and maintain. So, let’s look at some tips and advice on how to clean your granite floors and other natural stone floors.

Choosing cleaning products for natural stone floors

You don’t want to use any cleaning products that could potentially damage or weaken your stone floors. Just like your stone countertops, anything that is overly acidic can stain or etch your floors. It is best to look for products that are “neutral” rather than too acidic or too alkaline. Products that say they don’t leave behind a residue are also good choices. Cleaners that are specifically designed for natural stone floors could be your safest bet.

If you want to use homemade cleaners instead of store-bought ones, then avoid acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and ammonia. A mild dish soap mixed with warm water can do the trick in most instances, although you may need something stronger for more stubborn stains.

Sweep and vacuum regularly

Natural stone is a tough material, but it isn’t immune to scratches and dents. Sweeping and/or vacuuming regularly will keep your floor free of debris and small particles that could scratch the stone as people walk over it. A quick sweep every day is a simple task that could help to keep your floors in good condition.

Mopping stone floors

Next, use your chosen cleaning solution to mop your floors with warm water. Or you may just be able to spray your cleaner on the floor and clean the surface using a dry mop, depending on what kind of product you’re using. Make sure to get into those grout lines between the tiles as well. It’s a good idea to scrub the grout lines occasionally with a smaller cloth or tool to clean them deeper, preventing dirt and grime from building up too much.

Sealing stone floors

You can keep your natural stone floors in good condition for longer if you seal them to reduce their porosity and help to prevent staining and scratching. Have your stone floors sealed when you get them installed and then reseal them once a year or so to keep the sealant intact.

If you’re looking for quality granite or other types of natural stone for your floors, walls, or countertops, then contact Amanzi Granite to get a quote, or visit us in our Kernersville showroom to see our stone up close to help you decide.

Are you looking for more ways to do your bit for the planet at home? Small changes can add up to big differences if we all get involved, and one small way we might be making a negative impact on the environment is the cleaning choices we make. When it comes to cleaning your kitchen, let’s look at some ways you can make your habits more environmentally friendly.

Buying green cleaning products

The types of cleaning products you use in your kitchen can have the biggest impact here. Many store-bought cleaners contain toxic ingredients that get washed down your kitchen sink and into the water system and the environment. Check the packaging – here are a few ingredients to avoid when shopping for cleaning products:

• Bleach
• Ammonia
• Phosphates
• Triclosan (often found in antibacterial cleaning products)
• Phthalates

More “green” or “eco-friendly” cleaning products are now being developed and sold in stores, so look for these if you’re looking to reduce your environmental impact in the kitchen and other rooms of the house.

Make your own cleaners

By using homemade cleaners, you know exactly what ingredients are going into the products you use. And you’ve got the bonus of knowing that no immoral practices were used in creating or packaging your cleaners. When it comes to making your own kitchen cleaners, here are some ingredients that work well:

• White vinegar
• Baking soda
• Lemon juice
• Borax
• Olive oil

Just remember that acidic ingredients like vinegar and lemon juice shouldn’t be used on natural stone surfaces such as granite countertops, floors, and kitchen islands.

Reusable cleaning materials

Materials like paper towels and antibacterial wipes simply get thrown away after each use, which adds up to a lot of waste. Wipes in particular can be bad for the environment because they are creating plastic waste. Sponges and cloths are a better option, but even some of these need throwing away and replacing fairly regularly as they get used up and dirty.

The best option is a cloth that you can wash and reuse over and over again, one that won’t degrade easily as you wash it. Microfiber cloths are a good choice for this. Or you can look for bamboo paper towels that are more eco-friendly to produce. You can even recycle your own belongings and reuse them as cleaning cloths, such as an old t-shirt or pair of socks that you were about to throw out.

Rely less on air fresheners

Aerosol sprays have a negative impact on the atmosphere, often contributing to greenhouse gases. Plus, their packaging isn’t particularly easy to recycle. Try using natural ingredients to scent or deodorize your home, such as potpourri, essential oils, coffee grounds, or vinegar and baking soda. Also, opening your windows regularly will let some air in and help to keep your home smelling fresh.

Natural stone floors and countertops are a sustainable choice since they’re made of natural materials and are long-lasting, plus they’re nice and easy to clean. Contact Amanzi Granite to find out more about our kitchen countertops.

Are you looking to brighten up your kitchen and add some more life to the room? Houseplants are the perfect solution. You can place small houseplants on your kitchen countertops, windowsill, or kitchen island, or you can have larger houseplants on the floor in your kitchen. As well as looking nice, houseplants have the benefit of cleaning the air inside your home by reducing toxins, and releasing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide as they photosynthesize.

Let’s look at some of the best houseplants to grow in your kitchen…

Aloe vera

If you have trouble keeping plants alive, then an aloe vera plant is a great option as it’s really low maintenance. This plant looks nice and won’t shed petals or pollen onto your kitchen countertops. And you have the added bonus of being able to harvest aloe vera for treating burns and stings, for example.

Cacti

Cacti are another low maintenance type of plant to grow in your kitchen as they don’t need watering as much as other plants. They’re perfect for windowsills where they can get access to plenty of light. Here are some of the different types of cactus you could have in your kitchen.

Spider plant

No, it doesn’t attract spiders. This plant is named after its long, hanging leaves. The spider plant doesn’t need lots of sunlight, so you can place it pretty much anywhere in your kitchen. This one’s particularly great for purifying the air of odors and pollutants.

Pothos

This long, trailing plant is perfect for placing on top of high cupboards and cabinets in your kitchen. It’s a hardy plant that can survive in lots of different light conditions, and only needs watering once every week or two, so it’s easy to keep it growing indoors.

Growing herbs for the kitchen

Growing herbs in your kitchen gives you the twofold benefit of having something nice to look at and some fresh ingredients for your cooking. Grow some fresh basil and oregano to complement your Italian recipes, parsley for seasoning fish and other dishes, or mint to add to your homemade mojitos. Herbs are really versatile and reasonably easy to grow as long as they get plenty of sunlight. Here are some tips to help you grow herbs indoors.

Get your kitchen looking great with quality natural stone countertops and some nice plants growing on top of them. Contact Amanzi Granite to find out more about our natural stone for your floors and countertops, and our maintenance and installation services around Winston Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Kernersville.

At Amanzi Granite, we want to help you make your kitchen a functional space as well as an aesthetically pleasing one. One important part of this is safety. There are a lot of potential hazards in the kitchen, for yourself as well as if you have small children or pets in your house. So, let’s look at some basic tips to help keep you, your family, and guests safe in your kitchen.

Know the different kinds of fire

There are lots of appliances that produce heat in your kitchen and that could potentially start a fire. If you need to attempt to extinguish a fire yourself, then it’s important to know how to deal with different kinds of fire. Your first instinct may be to pour water on it, but this is extremely dangerous in the case of grease fires. If food in a pan has caught fire, turn off the heat, put on oven mitts to protect your hands, then cover the pan with the lid so that oxygen can’t get to it.

Invest in a good set of knives

It may sound counterintuitive, but ensuring you have sharp kitchen knives can make food preparation much safer. When chopping veg with poor-quality or blunt knives, you have to put a lot of force behind it. So, if something gets in the way – like your finger – things can go very badly.

With good-quality, sharp knives, on the other hand, so can apply much less pressure to chop things easily and smoothly. So, if you accidentally make contact with your skin, you can easily pull back from it before doing too much damage. And you’re likely to handle a sharp knife more carefully because you know it’s sharp.

Think about what you’re wearing

What you wear while preparing or cutting food could put you at risk. Think about long, loose clothing while you’re working over a gas stove, for example. Make sure that any loose sleeves or long hair are kept safely away from open flames. Tie your hair back and roll your sleeves up to be safe. Wearing footwear in the kitchen can also be wise in case you drop a sharp knife on the floor.

Avoid putting hot things on your countertop

As well as damaging your countertops over time, if you place a glass dish or bowl on a cold surface (like your countertop) while it is still hot, then it could cause the glass to shatter. You could place it down more safely on a wooden cutting board or mat, for example.

Consider your own safety and teach your kids the essentials about kitchen safety, and make sure you have a working fire or smoke detector fitted. You can check out our blog for more kitchen tips, and get in touch if you’re interested in high-quality, natural stone countertops around High Point, Greensboro, Winston Salem, and Kernersville.

If you’re planning home improvements, big or small, it’s important to understand how much they’re likely to cost so you can properly plan and set a budget. So, how much could you expect your home improvements to cost and how do you figure this out? Let’s look at some tips and things to consider.

How much can you afford?

The first step should be determining how much you are willing and able to spend on your home renovations. Think about how much money you have to spare and also consider how much is reasonable to spend on your renovations. Renovations can help to increase the sale value of your home, but only to a certain extent, so don’t go too overboard. One rule of thumb is to spend no more than 10-15% of the home’s value on remodeling a single room.

It’s advisable to set your budget as 10-20% less than what you can comfortably afford. Things might go wrong that cause your project to run over time and over budget, so it’s a good idea to plan for this and have a cushion ready.

What improvements are you planning?

Once you know how much you’re planning on spending, it’s time to think about what improvements you want to make. With your budget in mind, you can then determine how much you can spend on each aspect, especially if you’re remodeling multiple rooms. This is a good time to decide your priorities. Where are you willing to compromise in order to stay under budget?

Start researching costs

You can do some research online to help inform your budget. Websites like HomeAdvisor give you average costs for different projects and installations. And you can easily check for prices of things like furniture and kitchen appliances online. This kind of research will help you start to get an idea of the overall costs. When you’re ready, call local providers and laborers to get an estimate for your project, including the cost of materials and labor.

Get help from online tools

You can find websites and online tools that will help you estimate your project costs based on different factors. For example, our Project Estimate Tool helps you create a realistic budget for your kitchen remodel based on dimensions, materials, countertop edges, appliances, and more factors.

If you need countertops or other natural stone features and accents for your remodel, then contact Amanzi Granite to find out more about our stone and our expert installation services around Winston Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Kernersville.

There are a lot of things to consider when remodeling your kitchen, from design to installation to those finishing touches. If you’re planning a big kitchen remodel, then here are some important dos and don’ts to keep in mind.

Do…make a budget

When you start planning your kitchen remodel, make sure you have a good idea of how much you can spend on it, and then try to stick to this as you work through. It’s easy to go a little over here and there, but this can soon add up to be a lot over budget. If you’re working with a designer or contractor, then make sure they’re aware of your budget.

Don’t…overcrowd the space

Don’t try to do too much in your kitchen, or else it could become overcrowded either functionally or visually. You might end up with narrow pathways that are difficult or uncomfortable to navigate, or the space might look cluttered in terms of the design if you try to add too many colors or design elements. Remember that less can often be more when it comes to design.

Do…consider clearance space

You’ve designed and installed a kitchen that looks amazing, but then you go to open the kitchen door or a cabinet door and realize that it gets in the way of something else. Maybe your kitchen door clashes with the kitchen island or a certain drawer can’t open when the oven is closed because the handle is in the way. Make sure you consider the clearance space of all doors and appliances when designing your kitchen.

Don’t…underestimate countertop space

If you have to sacrifice something to create more space in your kitchen, then we’d recommend that it not be countertop space. It’s easy to underestimate how much space you need in your kitchen, but you’ll soon notice if you don’t have enough. Think about the different things you’ll need counter space for, including storing dirty dishes before they’re washed, preparing food, and space for any countertop appliances.

Do…let light in

If you’re working with a small space, then letting plenty of natural light in can have a big impact. More natural light will help to give the impression of more space. Add a large window or a couple of windows and consider which side of your house the sun shines on at different times of the day. Painting the walls a light color can also help.

And do come to Amanzi Granite if you need support designing or installing your new kitchen around Winston Salem, Kernersville, High Point, and Greensboro, then get in touch to find out how we can help with kitchen countertops and more.

In every kitchen, no matter the size or the style, there is something that designers and other professionals call ‘the kitchen work triangle’. Many believe that this triangle is the key to designing an efficient and functional kitchen. Read on to find out more about the kitchen triangle and how to consider it in your kitchen remodel.

What is the kitchen triangle?

The kitchen triangle is an imagined space that is connected by three key points: the stovetop, the sink, and the refrigerator. These are thought to be the most important points of the room when it comes to functionality. You need to be able to easily move from one point to the next when cooking, cleaning, or preparing food, for example.

How does this impact kitchen design?

The general idea is that the 3 points in this work triangle shouldn’t be too far from each other or too close to each other. Here are the figures that should be applied when considering this theory:

• No side of the triangle should be less than 4 feet
• No side of the triangle should be more than 9 feet
• The distance of the 3 sides combined should be between 13 and 26 feet

As well as this, your kitchen should be designed and laid out in a way that doesn’t impede the flow of this work triangle. So, cabinets, kitchen islands, and any appliances should not cut too far into the triangle in a way that disrupts the flow. And the room shouldn’t be designed in a way that means there is a lot of foot traffic going through the kitchen triangle.

This may sound like a lot to take in, but you still have freedom in terms of the positioning of these points and other areas of your kitchen, as well as a little freedom when it comes to the distances. Of course, they are not hard and fast rules you have to follow, but these guidelines can help you improve the flow and efficiency of the space.

You may even choose to break these rules depending on what you use the space for. Maybe other parts of the kitchen are more important to your flow, such as a seating area that is frequently used for meals or entertaining, particularly if you don’t cook much in your kitchen.

If you need help designing your kitchen or installing new countertops for your kitchen remodel, then contact Amanzi Granite for our design and installation services around Kernersville, Winston Salem, Greensboro, and High Point

Remodeling a kitchen is a serious undertaking that can be extremely challenging, especially if you don’t have much experience with renovations. At Amanzi Granite, we want to make sure this process goes as smoothly as possible to help you save time and money on your kitchen remodel. A successful kitchen remodel can be as much about what not to do as it is about what to do, so here are some common mistakes and things to avoid doing during your renovations.

Changing your mind

Making changes to the scope and design of your kitchen remodel once the work has already begun can be costly, both in terms of time and money. Make sure you take plenty of time to plan and think through every detail before you give the project the green light. This will make it easier to stick to your budget and makes it more likely that you’ll be happy with the finished result.

Cutting too many corners

Sure, you want to save time and money on your kitchen remodel, but you shouldn’t do this to the detriment of the kitchen design. Cutting too many corners and always choosing the cheapest materials and contractors, or trying to do everything yourself, could cost you more in the long-run. For example, a granite countertop may be pricey, but its higher quality and longer lifespan could make it a better option than a cheaper material like laminate. Try to find a compromise between price and quality for the best results.

Skimping on storage

It’s easy to underestimate just how much storage you need in your kitchen. You don’t want to end up with insufficient storage because you were going for a minimalist design or wanted more open space. Carefully consider how much storage space your kitchen needs as well as varying between different types of storage.

Overlooking counter space

Another commodity people often find lacking in their kitchens is counter space. Again, you may find yourself cutting back on countertop space in favor of bigger appliances, more storage, or more open space. But it’s important to make sure you have enough countertop space for preparing and cooking food, placing dirty dishes, and storing appliances and food or drink items.

Neglecting workflow

Your kitchen needs to be a functional space as well as an attractive one. So, it’s important to consider your workflow and movement around the room. Make sure you have enough space around key areas like the kitchen sink and stove, and that these areas are logically placed so that you can easily move around the kitchen when cooking and cleaning.

If you need any more support with your kitchen remodel, from design services to granite countertop installation, contact Amanzi Granite for all of our services around Kernersville, High Point, Greensboro, and Winston Salem, NC.