The Beauty of Soapstone.....

I recently was treated to a meal cooked by Wayne Wanamaker of Great Mountain Soapstone, on a piece of soapstone which was incredible. The food was cooked so that the meat and fish were seared on the outside and the inside was very moist.  If one can cook on it, then one can surely have it as a countertop.

Guest blog by Wayne Wanamaker -

Soapstone is becoming the “newest” oldest trend in countertops. It is gaining in popularity with architects, interior and kitchen designers alike, as they are drawn to soapstone’s soft feel and matte finish.   It is becoming a highly coveted material and is both a much needed and excellent alternative to quartz and granite.

When you mention soapstone, the first thing that comes to mind is the carvings of the Canadian Inuits.  There are essentially two categories of soapstone; Artistic and Architectural. Artistic soapstone (including most soapstone from Canada) has a very high talc (a soft mineral) content, approximately 80%, making it quite soft and ideal for carving and sculptures.  

Architectural soapstone on the other hand has a lower talc content, approximately 30%, making for a superb countertop and sink material. It still has the appearance and properties of Artistic Soapstone, but with the strength and durability needed for use in the home. This grade of soapstone typically comes from the United States, Brazil or India.

Soapstone’s talc content makes it smooth and waxy to the touch, also making it very water resistant and chemically inert as well as being absolutely stain resistant.   Red wine, lemon juice, acids, oils, vinegars, etc. will not impact the surface.  Unlike granite, there is no chemical sealing required, and so no unwanted toxins on your counter surface.  The only regular maintenance of soapstone that is required is the periodic application of either food grade mineral oil or a wax made from linseed oil and beeswax. While not required to seal the soapstone, these two products can be used to enhance the color and pattern of the soapstone. 

Another huge benefit to using soapstone is that it is heat resistant, which allows you to safely put a hot pot directly on the surface with no fear of damage.

 Soapstone can also be used to make sinks.  They can be made to any size or configuration leaving its design limitations to only ones imagination.  The sinks are put together using a blind mortise and tenon joint, fastened with epoxy and guaranteed not to leak for life.  The bottoms are sloped on all four sides to the center drain basket. The sinks are also made from the same slab as the countertop to ensure colour matching.

Soapstone is also an excellent material for use on countertops and tables in outdoor kitchens because of its non-porosity and stain resistance. Also its earthy, organic appearance lends itself to the outdoor setting.

The design possibilities with soapstone are endless for both interior and exterior projects. When designing your next project, it might be worth it to consider soapstone.

Great Mountain Soapstone currently stocks 9 colors, ranging from grey/black, green/black, grey, charcoal, black to dark green.  The slab sizes are similar to those of granite, but can vary in size, depending on the colour, and are worth the time to check out in person. We now have a full slab gallery showroom located in the International Centre as part of the SOFA family of showroom.  We are open Monday to Friday, 10 to 5. 

Beautiful Outdoor Spaces

Now that we are starting to enjoy some nice weather it is time to get our outdoor spaces ready for some relaxing and entertaining in the coming months.  Whether you have a small balcony, a deck, patio, pool or complete oasis you can take some inspiration from the photos below to bring some excitement into your own space

 

Let's take it Outside....

Spring has finally arrived and with it hopefully some warm weather soon to be followed by summer!  Everyone is moving outside to enjoy the months of warm weather.  How nice to be able to enjoy your outdoor space as much as your indoor space.  Over the years we have greatly changed our way of looking at our outdoor spaces.  We now invest in furniture, which is comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, and create wonderful outdoor rooms.



There are so many options available on the market today from very moderate pricing to very high end.  We can select everything from dining furniture, living room style banquets and settees, chairs with ottomans, coffee and end tables, outdoor lamps as well as outdoor kitchens.  Gone are the days when a couple of discolored plastic chairs and the small charcoal barbeque sufficed.  We have evolved!  We want to relax in style!



How can a decorator help you?  Well, sometimes it is difficult to sort out just what would work best in a particular outdoor space.  You have to decide how you want to use the space – will you be relaxing, entertaining, gardening? What exposure do you have?  What type of green space is currently in place?  What about your hard scape?

Furnishing your outdoor room can be a lot of fun and there are certainly a lot of whimsical as well as elegant items on the market these days.  You do not have to spend a fortune to have a good looking and comfortable outdoor space.



Some of the main functions of a decorator when working on an interior space carry over to the exterior space.  Decorators are skilled at placing furniture; making colour choices; fabric selection as well as carrying out the indoor theme and style to the exterior.  For example, the interior of a home could be very ultra modern and streamlined, the transition to the outdoor space would flow better if the outdoor furnishings were also on the modern side, rather than rugged cottage style twig furniture.

Decorators can also help you with planning how your garden flows and the plant material, which will work well with your choice of furnishings and colour scheme.

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When working on an outdoor space, it is definitely important to recognize that the plantings are best specified by a professional landscape gardener and not the decorator, however, decorators have been trained to know what works well together and can unify the overall look.

So let’s get outdoors and enjoy the summer in style!

•             remove heavy draperies and let the sunshine in, try some matchstick or bamboo blinds

•             roll up your dark, heavy area carpets and let your floors shine or add a light summer weight area carpet

•             add lots of fresh flowers to your rooms - all the spring blooms look and smell fantastic

•             change the covers on your toss cushions for something e lighter in color and texture

•             do a little de-cluttering by removing some of your accessories to lend a more relaxed & light feeling for spring

•             add a ceiling fan for that southern feeling as well as comfort

•             pack away any thick wool or faux fur throws and save for fall and winter

•             change bedding to something light in colour and weight, pack away that heavy duvet

•             purchase a few glass dishes to mix with your everyday dishes for a summer feel

•             open up your windows and let the fresh air in

50 shades of Gray.....

Interior designer Vicente Wolf dives into the gray spectrum, bringing modernity, harmony, and comfort to a traditional Westchester home.

2015 Interior Design Trends

2015 will be a year for bold colours, oversized canvases and eco-friendly designs. The home décor trends of the year will provide you the opportunity to express yourself through creativity, extravagance and versatility. 

Let the bathroom makeover be your focus in 2015: 

You can expect the bathroom to see the biggest changes out of any room in the house in 2015. Bathrooms will be moving toward a more clean and contemporary look. The National Kitchen and Bath Association’s style report says they won’t completely lose their cozy, rustic charm, but they will transition to a more minimalist modern vibe in the New Year. You can expect
 • Quartz countertops replacing granite. 
• Soaking tubs replacing rain showers. 
• Shades of grey replacing white walls. 

Be inspired by these colour schemes for 2015: 
• “Gray will be the hottest neutral of 2015 because it sets a great backdrop.” Jeff Andrews, LA Interior Designer. 
• Paint your bedroom olive green, a warm and organic neutral. Use white or cream accents in the room. 
• Bring in colours from the outdoors. Embrace the organic colours that feel right in your home. 
• Use a colour from a frosted pastel on the bathroom walls and choose a colour from a bright palate for your vintage tub. 
•Other areas: 
• Try a combination of greens, plums, cerulean blue, beiges and whites in your living room. Don’t be afraid to throw in lots of pattern. 2015 Interior design trends 8 9 It’s important to create balance when selecting the colors in your home. Choose a colour palate you like and then use the more decorative, bold colours on the furniture and other accessories. Don’t be afraid to have fun with colours from different palates, you may be surprised what works together. 

Other Trends to Watch For: 
• Oversized paintings on canvases 
• Eco-friendly materials 
• Animal prints and textures will be popular on couches, pillows, chairs and more 
• China dinnerware will be a must-have 
• Stand alone mirror in the bedroom 
• The mixing of patterns and textures, as seen in many Renaissance paintings 
• Expect combinations of rustic, contemporary and traditional in the same space 
• Accent features such as furniture or light fixtures that work both inside and outside will be popular 
• Metallic or gray kitchen cabinets 
• Warm metal kitchen fixtures Remember to be bold, resourceful and imaginative, but most importantly, be you. If you see a piece of furniture that inspires you, buy it and build a room around it. Don’t be afraid to take risks and to be unique. Which trends will you incorporate into your home decor for 2015

article courtesy of Improve Canada Magazinehttp://www.improvecanada.com/imagazine/vol3_issue1/i_Magazine_vol3-issue01.pdf

Go from bland to beautiful by Jane Lockhart

How to go from bland to beautiful with colour in just a few hours!

Here are five quick tips to take your family room from bland and boring to beautiful in just a couple of hours!

1. Paint

The quickest and most effective way to add colour in a new room is to paint! If you are too afraid to paint your whole room a new colour, consider painting just the focal wall. Remember, this is the first wall you see when you walk into the room; this is your ‘money wall’.

2. Switch out tired pieces of furniture

Most of us have a living room composed of a few pieces of furniture with great bones and then those ‘other’ pieces we have picked up along the way. If you want to makeover a room, but don’t have a large budget, keep the solid pieces and update the others that are looking tired and worn.

3. Accessorize

If you are adding a new colour into your décor, this can be easily done with accessories! Choose three colours you want to use. Make sure one is bolder and stands out against the others. Buy blankets, throw pillows, maybe a new rug and smaller accessories to carry this colour theme right through the room.

4. Art

Art will make or break any room. I find sometimes people will get 90% of the way through a makeover and then drop the ball when it comes to the art. Art is just as important as the rest of the room. Decide what look you are going for and choose artwork that fits your theme. In this room, we did a gallery wall and combined both canvas art and framed art.

5. Everything doesn’t need to match

In the picture here, I choose a couple different wood types, in a pretty similar colour and put them together. This creates a theme called ‘found Object’, which basically means it looks like you picked really eclectic pieces from all over and put them together to create the perfect room! I also did this with the artwork, the frames don’t match, but still look great together!

These 5 simple and easy tips will help you take your room from ordinary and make it extraordinary!

Nice Living Rooms

 A few nice living rooms by famous designers

 Victoria Hagan

 Martin Lawrence-Bullard

Darryl Carter

Suzanne Kasler

James Huniford

Which is your favourite??