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Reply to: nope. that basalt you have isn't the right one. there shouldn't be any veining. yours looks more like a slate. Found these in a 3x9 at Fireclay tile (call Lindsey if you want a sample. tell her I sent you). these are black. $28 sq ft. Look at the pics over there of how they look installed. these would be the exact color and sheen that you want. It's only a V2 in variation, so, not bad. they make them in other shapes/sizes. this is 6" hex, or a 4" . https://www.fireclaytile.com/tile/colors/detail/basalt/ these are the floor and decor ones, 3x9, jet black basalt limestone is what it's under. they are actually very black to begin with, and would get a bit darker w/the sealer this is the grayish, honed basalt from Jeff Lewis. with an enhancer, this would deepen. this is also a J. Lewis, in a honed blacker looking basalt in a 4x16 (home depot) Home depot, Jeffrey Court 2x8.. You could see if you could get some of these at HD, and try the sealer on them. If you can find a ceramic that looks like these, I would like it as well. this is Anthracite HD also has the marble, Nero Marquina in a 4x16and a 6x12 or the Absolute Black, polished granite. comes in a box of 12x12. your tile guy could cut these in any width you like. https://www.homedepot.com/b/Flooring-Tile-Natural-Stone-Tile/Black/N-5yc1vZar8kZ1z0jooc

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Reply to: Thank you :). The grout is called Tec Power grout and the color is Praline. Good luck. Your kitchen is beautiful!!!

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Reply to: So, I've been thinking about your space and here's what I've come up with. flip the mudroom and the powder room so that the basement stairs are easily accessible from the garage and the powder room is easily accessible from the living room without going through the kitchen. This will require moving the garage entrance over a little. change out your French doors for sliders. You really don't have room for a double door swing. There are very nice sliders around that you would not know weren't French doors until you tried to open them take the desk out of the dining area. Have floor to ceiling shallow pantry on that wall. It's terrifically efficient and you won't crowd your diners move the fridge into the work triangle. My mum has that same U-shape with similar dimensions and a french-door fridge. The kitchen works very well change the opening between living room and dining/kitchen area to allow for a nice long secondary counter area. This could have a broom closet at the garage end if you liked. in the living room, back to back with your kitchen's secondary counter, put a bar cabinet and desk area. This will give you a desk when you need it (most of the time) and a nice serving area for snacks and drinks for when you have guests. This desk/cabinet may or may not be open to the kitchen depending on how much cabinetry you want on the kitchen side. Here's a mockup:

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Reply to: Be aware of space in front of appliances + the space needed for person to access it comfortably.

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Reply to: Here's EZ Stone Care's Tip of the Month: Stone Tip of the Month One of the most common questions we get is "How do I remove this stain?". Many times, these stains involve some sort of natural tannin, such as wine, coffee, tea, wood and sometimes ink. All of these types of stains can typically be treated with one common mixture: Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and Hydrogen Peroxide (HP). DE is a very fine, absorbent powder that is used for pool filtering, killing insects and many other uses. HP is commonly bought at the corner drug store and has a 3% concentration. You will want 40 Volume Developer, which is 11-12% concentration. This is the same stuff used for bleaching hair at salons, and can be purchased at a beauty salon supply store. Using gloves and a mask, mix the DE with the HP in a plastic cup into a paste-like consistency that is easy to spread. Apply the paste to the stain in question, overlapping the outside of the stain by approximately 1/2", and making the paste about 1/4" high. You can either leave the solution uncovered, or cover with plastic or Saran Wrap. In hotter, dryer climates, it is recommended to cover the solution to prevent premature drying. Leave for up to 72 hours, or until dry, then discard dry powder into a trash bin. Do not remove solution before it is dry. If the stain has only been partially removed, allow 1 day to air dry, then repeat process until stain is gone. 

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Reply to: Cheryl, thank you . Yes I can see your ideabooks , but there is no where to comment. So I will just tell you here that everything is breathtaking and beautiful ! Gorgeous materials you have selected , the openness and ceilings - just grand! So worthy of that one- in-a-million view ! I will keep enjoying your pics./ progress - and just know that I am following and thinking of you. ——— NIDNAY, thanks for letting me use your thread this once to communicate with Cheryl . I will have to fiddle around on my phone to see if something comes up there. I barely use it and as you know, I’m not so tech savvy , but I will try . Need to exercise more patience with that. :)

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Reply to: I have bought 7 American Standard Cadet 3 toilets for various houses and condos since 2007. Back then had been staying in a hotel that had Toto toilets. When we needed one soon after that, I went to a specialty plumber and ordered a Toto for $425. When I went to pick it up the lady showed me the brand new Cadet 3. They had the Toto rolled out to my car and I changed my mind. For $125 (then) I bought the Cadet 3. I think the elongated bowl at the higher seat height is up to $175 now. The Cadet 3 is absolutely equal to the Toto in my eyes. These are new technology toilets. Both come with the same size opitions, both come with the same internal flush and refill valves. The flush is quiet and takes about 1/2 second. The refill, which is also very quiet, takes about 40 seconds. According to the Canadian agency that tests toilets every year, the Cadet 3 can flush 1,000 grams of waste while the Toto can only flush 800. Both toilets have special glaze on the porcelain which prevents the growth of bacteria and mold. That feature alone is worth the price of admission. I have never seen a black spot inside a Cadet 3. For the first one I had a plumber install the toilet for me. When he left he surprised me by charging half what he quoted me because, "the toilet went in much faster than I thought." I installed 5 of the remaining 6 toilets myself, so yes, they do install very easily with the included tools. If you get the toilet at HD it comes with one seat. At Lowe's it has a different seat. One of them (don't remember which) is a quiet-close seat, which we like. If you get a Cadet 3 or 4, you will never want to switch to a Toto.

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Reply to: yes! that's exactly what I mean. drives me crazy. now they make the sheets (some of them) with wavy borders so that it fits more like a puzzle piece. otherwise, you have to peel off those stones and hand place them one by one. I've done it! Here's my bath (i've since removed the teak bench and have put up a floating vanity shelf in the same countertop material, with a vintage white mirror. the gold stool sits under it. https://www.houzz.com/projects/2444914/master-bath-redo

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Reply to: Based on the feedback, I picked up some new samples for the shower floor and bathroom floor. The wood-tile floor is a little darker to give better grounding and the shower floor has larger tiles/stones. Shown with a little square of the quartz counter next to the floor tile (bigger slab below) and a super pale gray subway for the shower. Petals (shown ungrounded) are an assortment of pale gray and other light marble pieces. I think it will be really pretty with a darker grout. The pictures are in different lights but the petals go very nice with the gray. The shower floor will be about 60x36, so there is a decent amount of shower floor tile. Do you think this works better? I really love this combo.

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Reply to: @Beth.....I need to revisit black tiles again. The one I got before was more of a gray and had sparkles in it (black basalt from what I remember), not attractive at all and horrible with the granite. I need a more solid black but matte in color. There were pics way up above in this post that you sent but I don't know if I ever figured out where the tiles came from. Second, looking at two different stools for the counter. Thoughts?

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Reply to: Ohhh @Helen I love the idea of the painted interior a different color. I am doing something similar with my builts in. Your KD has a clever idea. Now you have me thinking about the kitchen.... @Helen, I have no idea about the use of your cabs. I know how my kitchen functions but honestly I am all about food and dishware separate. I think others on here will chime in with far better advice. And what about glass shelves? Did any of you go with glass or wood? @Helen I love the idea of covering shelves that might get fingerprints etc. I need to research this. I am starting with wood as this comes with the cab order but I am thinking I want glass for lighting to trickle down to the china. My close friend (also a designer) is telling me it is going to look dated. So I may have to special order wood trimmed glass shelves for this as the cab co doesnt make them. This is a hard choice, totally understand what you are going through. @Hutchae84 and For others.. here are my pulls. Nothing fussy, simple, elegant, with a bit of contemporary for my space. Everything will have pulls. I need to think about behind my range.. Should I bookmatch or not? Inspiration photos. This one is NOT bookmatched just a single slab. Dh prefers this below. my stone Do you think it would look better bookmatched or not? Thanks in advance for your ideas.

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Reply to: mjammjam: I just spent the past 1/2 hour trying to pull up several of my posts (ca. spring 2016) that chronicled my test results (pics and all!), but couldn't find them. I thought they might be helpful. IIRC (!), the crew applied the initial coat per instructions. I was told to wait 24 hours (I think I waited 48, just to be certain the first coat dried/cured) before applying the second coat (again, per instructions -- I'm sure they're on the can of product). I then let it dry 48 hours before using. No buffer -- just lint-free cotton tshirt (not that Proseal is like a coating of sorts where fibers would get stuck). Super strong smelling, so open windows and ventilation are a must. And, yes, sealer was applied after the tops were in. (Their measurements were way off all over the kitchen, and they had to do a lot of grinding and sawing post-installation. To say it was a nightmare installation is an understatement.)

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Reply to: We have Calacatta quartzite (cross cut version of Macaubus White) in our kitchen, and it's rather porous. After testing a couple of highly touted sealers (including one that our fabricator swore by), we ended up using Proseal by Tenax -- I highly recommend it. We applied two coats, but for two years our tops have resisted both oil- and water-based stains. If DH happens to have an oily midnight snack, and I don't catch the grease spot until the next morning, no issues at all wiping it up. I had a bit more difficult time with black Sharpie bleeding over from a paper towel (my bad), and that took a little more effort (to include soaking and wiping a few times w/ isopropyl alcohol). However, this happened in a heaviest use part of our kitchen (prep area next to the kitchen sink), and it's possible that area could actually have used an additional coat of sealer. Water never did bead up as much as in other areas of the counter tops -- beading up being a sign the sealer's working -- but, then again, temporary puddles of water don't leave any 'absorbency shadow' as they would on unsealed stone. Good luck, OP.

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Reply to: "1) What are your thoughts on this seam? When you look closely it's actually a very thin line, but I don't understand why it looks like a grey line... does that have to do with the cutting process? " No. Your seam adhesive was mixed on site, probably by a man who statistically is 16 times more likely to be color blind than a woman (It's genetics, not sexism). In the lighter colors, installers need to use factory specified adhesive. I'm really good at this and I order factory for these situations. "2) The island countertop feels tippy... it is 3cm thick with mitered edges to look like 6cm, with 12" overhang and we were told it doesn't need additional support. But if you bear down on the overhang, you can see the other end lift off slightly. Is it just the silicone holding it back from overturning?" Could be. If your installer and his crew can't dance a Conga line across your cantilever, it ain't right. "3) The undermount sink is not attached a the mounting brackets provided by with the sink... The installer says he never uses those and just the silicone (or epoxy?) is sufficient. This makes me very nervous. Is this typical?" No, it is not typical. Your sink is coming down, I promise. All undermounted sinks must be mechanically fastened, with the exception of Karran Edge series. Strapped is better than clipped. The fact that your fabricator said this proves he is an idiot. You may tell him I said so. "4) There is a thin piece of countertop being the slide-in stove. One of the joints failed twice when he was installing it, and I noticed after they left that the other one is cracked as well. I will be calling them back to fix that, but I wonder what is the actual issue? Is the joint too thick? Is the piece not properly supported (it's essentially not supported at all)? Any recommendations on how to improve this?" This is too small to be hard seamed. Better to have a soft more conspicuous joint than a failed hard one. The seams behind my slide-in range are soft. "5) There are spots under the countertop that are not contacting the cabinet and I think should have shims... these are Ikea cabinets so already the locations where the countertop could be supported are limited. What is standard practice for this?" Don't span more than 24" without shim support, please.

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Reply to: Yes, we ended up doing the polished white Macaubas on the perimeters too, except for a "bar" area where we went with walnut. The walnut doesn't get heavy traffic or use. Everything else definitely does. I found a really pretty gray quartzite for the perimeters but when I tested it I found it stained and etched like crazy. The stone guys said it just hadn't been sealed, but it spooked me too much to use it. All of the gray quartz looked to grainy to me. So we went this way. Hurt the pocket book, but we truly love it.

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Reply to: Match the shape of the mirror to the space. Make the mirror extend at least 2 or 3 inches above the lowest line of your light bulbs, so they REFLECT into the mirror. Keep the mirror at least 2 inches off of your surface on the bottom... A circle mirror would interfere with the switch plates inside vertical line, and give you much less mirrored area. If you don't like rectangle, at minimum go oval in this space, but not a circle. Beveled, looks fancier, but if I had to choose for more surface area vs beveled edges, I would go with more surface area. We found mirrors at Big Box stores years ago, they come with mounting brackets, upper and lower, that just matched our areas we needed them in and they were alot less than the one we had to order custom made for one area. And their beveled edges were no different in price than the other options, so you might find a framed mirror in a store somewhere that suits your needs even...a furniture or BigBox store. There was no difference in quality between the 2 options we used, at that time, just make sure you don't see a wave if you do go out on your own to find one..

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Reply to: It goes like this: Dicusssion Write up/scope of work ( from tile pro) Prep; Cut or remove baseboard, toilet or other fixture Remove or replace trim, cut etc Prep floor /subfloor ensure level etc Tile: Install customer provided materials upon mutual inspection at site and signed approval, and agreed upon layout with drawing and drawing signed Seal as per mfg requirements Install customers selection with customer selected/provide grout, per prescribed layout and design Wash all at finish, with FINAL WASH AND CLEAN day following install Remove all materials, exception tile if customer wants saved to location in home Final paint touch up, caulk etc to any wall/trim affected, and final clean up $$$$$$_____________________________X YOUR BLOOD HERE That is how it happens

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Reply to: @niday, have you thought of looking at barn door or gate pulls to give you the size pull you are looking for? https://wildwesthardware.com/collections/door-pulls-gate-pulls-and-rustic-hardware https://www.oldworldhardware.com/product-category/large-handles/

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Reply to: @Pink, hang in there, it is going to be beautiful not everything will be as you wish but keep at them and win the war sweet lady. Your house is going to have all those gorgeous details and your hard work shows. The appliances are going to work out in the long run it just feels frustrating. Be strong you are making progress! @Robin, Terrible! But don't fret BethH will help you find an even better stone and I would bet you when they are installed it will be amazing. I have decided I am not even choosing a counter until closer to install date. Even if I am stuck with homemade plywood .That way they won't sell the slabs out from under me or claim they are lost or broken. I have seen that so often. I like a crisp white because my lighting is a bit warm so I have gone with a Super White by BM. @dtrivino a great bathroom, love your work! @Cheryl, Good progress! It will look great when everything is up. I wonder if you can change the lightbulbs to be a more blue color making the white the shade you want. Keep in mind it looks like a bright white on my monitor. Good luck all.

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Reply to: I paint them by just using a sponge type 1" brush, and dry brush them with minimal paint a couple coats works. I just use cheap plastic that comes close to color I want (there aren't that many choices) and I have even faux painted some of my clients to match a stone or marble backsplash. Fun to do. APPLIANCES, I know this is upsetting when you have put all the research, energy, etc., into these and then they aren't what you expect. But I think once they get all the protective coating off it will look fine. Sometimes focusing on all the details can make you nuts! Oh, you are nuts! (just kidding!--hoping to give you at least one smile!) Toilet victory! They actually did it with fairly minor disruption! I'm shocked but happy for you. My biggest problem with pulls on drawers, especially shaker is just what you are experiencing. Knobs fit better and really work just fine. But these are things that in time, you will adjust to as well. I don't want you to think I don't feel your pain. I have done literally dozens of homes and I guess I am just used to all these stupid problems. When the septic system isn't installed properly and that doesn't work after landscaping is in--now that is a problem. Hardware on cabinets, not so much. So try to rejoice in the victories and the fact that things are moving along. btw, people are moving toward less stainless so could be a blessing in disguise. Sleep!

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Reply to: Kitchen is really taking shape Caroline, good choice of pendant fixtures- They work well with the overall vibe of the cabinetry. I would however consider moving the recessed downlight over the left side of the range hood to the centre. If it was also possible I would consider moving these down-lights a little further away from the cabinets in order to more evenly wash the cabinetry with light, as opposed to the grazing or scalloping effect. (I wouldn't worry too much about them being a little out of line with the other lights as the effect is what you will notice more than their position. Also remember to use a flood angle bulb (GU10 Lamp LED 2700K- Philips Warm White/ dimmable work best - check the colour temp) to really enhance the cabinets true colour.

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Reply to: What a great mirror! Since your ceilings are standard height and your mirror is tall, I would mount the mirror center to the wall with 1.5' clearance at top and bottom. Then, you could get a lucite table or thin framed console to place in front of it. Something similar to this... Just be mindful of the width of the console, which should be at least the width of the mirror or close to it. You need to be mindful of proportions on a piece so large. You could also do a short bench to place in front of it as well. Something similar to this look... Hope this helps you or inspires!

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Reply to: Be careful about your dimensions if you plan to place it above the fireplace. The TV should be at eye level when you are sitting.

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Reply to: I've used Bali with my woven woods, and they've lasted over a decade. Bali is a little more expensive, but worth it. My cellulars are Bali or Levolor, I believe. I got the double cell 3/8", I believe. they've also held up very well. I got the cordless in the charcoal. I had 2 of these in my rental where after a year they failed to stay up (cordless). i called them and told them what happened and they sent me two brand new ones immediately. No charge and no fuss! They've held up for 5 years now w/no issue. https://www.blinds.com/p/bali-diamondcell-blackout-cellular-shade/46 these are on sale at 25% off, so it's a good deal!

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Reply to: I know quite a bit about appliances being a kitchen expert. The only real smudge free finish, I feel, is a panel that matches the cabinetry. Not knowing your budget hard to suggest appliances as they range greatly in price. I like Thermador for induction and Jenn Are which both need 220 watt electric, as all electrical appliances do. They have amazing retractable hoods that go down into the cabinets in the back and are great if you want to have an open look. DO NOT buy an old fashion electric oven as they're the pits, especially for cooking ,maintenance and servicing! Induction cooks better than gas, you can control the heat source, like gas instantancely and the best part, besides cooking brilliantly, is the cooktop stays cool, very safe for kids and fabulous to keep clean as you just wipe it clean! You'll just love it and thank me. 220 watt electric necessary for including electric convection and steam ovens, which you should definitely take a look at, as they cook incredibly, save time, the food comes out moist delicious, not to mention if you heat up a meal from the night before it tastes exactly the same. Not only that, but if you like or want to bake bread, every bread bakery uses steam! Soft and moist inside and crispy outside. You will throw away your microwave accept for popcorn. Refrigerators, built in Thermador and Jenn Aire and if you have 36" minimum you can get a French Door, with 2 doors and a freezer on the bottom, just order cabinet ready, so you can cover with the cabinet finish. The Jenn Aire has a stunning Black Interior, the only one. As far as dishwashers again you get cabinet ready. Miele, definitely is quiet and you can get anyone with lights, which I highly recommend. Most higher end dishwashers are all quiet today and dry the dishes, not like cheaper commercial brands. As I said at the beginning, not knowing your budget it's harder to pinpoint exactly which will be for you. Of course sub zero is fabulous but depending on size will run you $9000 and up, so that can guide you. You also have the options to get a couple of undercounter fridge units, which come in handy, so the kids can get their beverages without continually opening the big fridge which saves on energy and is a height which fits them and makes them more independent. Also wine coolers undercounter, if you are a wine drinker? I kind of selected you great appliances, which work well and are middle price range in the high end more professional cooking appliances. Good luck, Doris

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Reply to: jammjam,,,, that shouldn't have stained like that. It's Sea Pearl, yes? it is one of the hardest. but yours may have a higher concentration of calcite deposits in that area, hence the stains. tell me, if you drop beads of water on the countertop, near the stain, what happens to them? give it 5 minutes. is the water absorbed or does it sit on top. If it absorbs, it's not properly sealed. so, why are you do the stain stuff ? to see if it stains before getting sealed? Even granite will absorb oil if it's not sealed. It's natural stone. Get one of the better sealers, and seal it until water beads up on it. then try your experiment. for the raspberry,,,try this make a poultice. Mix a little baking soda with filtered water to make a paste. not a runny paste,,,a stiff paste. pack it over the stains, making sure there it's completely covered with a generous amount, place a piece of plastic wrap over the poultice and tape in place (use a tape that won't leave adhesive marks. Or you can drape a dish cloth or something over the poultice. you don't want air getting to it to dry it out. the plastic stays on to keep it moist. leave in place for 24-48 hours. it should lift the stain. they also have poultices you can buy in can. google 'marble poultice'. and get a different sealer. try 511, StoneTec or Aqua Mix

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Reply to: Thanks Boxerpal...I am happy with the quartzite...though I still suspect that it might not be sea pearl quartzite as it looks very different fm the ones I see online.....so far no etching or staining...I was super careful, first few mths but have become more relaxed now...my family is notoriously messy and there’s been coffee drips/other food leftover overnight and thankfully, it all came up easily..I also like that there’s color and movement in my stone which would hide potential stain, if it occurs ...it was sealed during installation...the installers used something called Sprint Antidrop...I am not sure if it’s easily available in big box stores...I was told they get it fm Italy...I need to seal on a yearly basis.. I was strictly told to use only water/soap to clean...occasionally I use the stone care wipes which I got fm Home Depot...Good luck w/your kitchen...I hope you will find what you love

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Reply to: Hello pink....missed seeing you around. My electricians wanted to put all my fixtures up at one time (saves them trips to the house...perfectly understandable). They gave me a little leeway with that up to a point, but any fixtures I select now I will have to install myself. My SIL installed the Currey and the sconces for bath #2 (I haven’t posted pics for them yet) and my builder installed the powder room sconces. The electricians had difficulty when they tried to install those and passed it off to the builder. The screws that attach the fixture to the wall are on the sides of the backplate (not on the front) and a special tool was needed to screw them in because they are so close to the wall....electricians just didn’t want to do them. Mirrors....when we were in the framing stage, I mentioned to my builder that I wanted to put blocking in the walls for mirrors and other heavy things. We just never got around to it. My builder uses Gorrilla hooks and says he’s never had a problem with them. Haven’t even thought about the switch plates for the backsplash. Since I haven’t selected the tile/stone, I have no clue what colors I need there. Are things now running fairly smoothly at your house?

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Reply to: That does NOT apply to bathrooms unless you plan to tile above a vanity. THEY ARE needed for protection of drywall wherever it meets vanity top, and constant cleanup at the sinks.

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Reply to: You replace what looks something like this; With something like this. The range should not stick out any further. Besides directing the heat from the oven vent pipes away from the wall, the backguard's main purpose is to be a ventilated cool air gap between the cooktop and wall (below the upper slot you see) so that you do not burn the wall when you turn the back cooktop burners on high and put a large pot or griddle over the burners. Despite its simple look, the backguard is a high-tech piece. The shielded air gap is the important part, and just a "removable stainless steel sheet" up tight to the wall would not even remotely give the same protection. At $599, it is no wonder they try to claim it is not necessary until after you already own the range. Otherwise, you may look for a cheaper range somewhere else.

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Reply to: nicc,,no,,,its a special wash that must be used within the first 4 hours of exposure. it removes the oil resins. use it on your skin and you use it in the laundry for the clothes. found a pic. Tecnu is the name

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