Sun Valley Home and Design / Fall 2006 / Counter Culture

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Counter Culture

(page 4 of 5)

Porcelain-Glass Tiles

Ever more popular, glass tiles are now available in a wide variety of colors, patterns and shapes—everything from marbled patterns to clear tiles in every possible color or shape. They can now be applied with nearly zero grout line applications, adding to their flare and beauty (and usability). Porcelain tiles have been around for centuries and offer an endless array of color and design choices. The beauty and craftsmanship of hand-glazed porcelain tiles adds a timeless look to any application. Glass tiles are stunning on countertops for a more modern application. Also great on walls, vanity tops and tub surrounds, but not recommended for floors. Expect to pay more for installations, as glass tiles are often difficult to work with and require more time.

Best Use:
• Kitchen Counters
• Vanity Tops
• Bar Tops
• Showers & Tubs
• Flooring (porcelain tiles only, glass not recommended)

Colors:
• Endless Color Options
• Custom Colors & Finishes

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Slate

Slate is a beautiful, earthy stone that is reasonably priced, sturdy and durable. Formed from clay on ancient sea beds, slate is strong but also can be flaky. Many slates contain beautiful examples of fossils, either in the form of lovely fern-like plant material or swirling strands of tiny sea creatures. There is also a lot of variety in slate in terms of color, so if you have your mind set on certain tones in a multi-color variety, be sure to order extra so that you can hand-select the tiles you want to highlight. It is a siliceous stone that, like granite, is highly resistant to heat, as well as the acids found in lemons, alcohol and cleaning products—this means it won’t etch or stain the surface. A solid slate slab is a good countertop choice and tiles are great for a backsplash (but not recommended for countertops because they can be rough in texture and fragile on the edges). Once only readily available in tiles, slate is now widely available in slab as well. Usually honed for a matte finish, slate can also be sandblasted for a rough, textured finish, or ordered with a cleft finish that leaves the surface of the stone rough and uneven. It is too soft to be polished to a high gloss finish like granite.

Best Use:
• Backsplash
• Table Tops
• Showers
• Tub Surrounds
• Flooring & Walls
• Counters (slab options)

Colors:
• Blues & Greens
• Gold, Brown & Rust
• Reds, Pink & Salmon
• Copper Colors
• Gray & Black
• Multi-color Options