Qualified Remodeler Magazine

OCT 2017

Qualified Remodeler helps independent remodeling firms to survive, become more professional and more profitable by providing must-have business information, namely best business practices, new product information and timely design ideas.

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natural looking quartz surfacing drawing attention. "We've received great feedback on colors like Silestone Calcutta Gold, which is white with gold veining; Charcoal Soapstone, which imitates the look of a natural soapstone; and Silestone Marquina, an evocation of black Marquina marble. ese colors make more of a statement than a solid color," he says. Additionally, the company is seeing an in- creased demand for matte finishes. Silestone calls its matte finish Suede, and it's available for 26 Silestone colors, including the entirety of its Silestone Eternal Series. e finish pro- vides a softer appearance with little reflection, and the surface remains smooth to the touch. ough Cosentino launched Silestone 27 years ago, it certainly is not done with in- novating, as further evidenced with the in- troduction of N-Boost technology this year. Ballucchi explains the technology "provides greater color saturation and extraordinary lus- ter, along with an enhanced water repellent property that makes [the surfacing] even eas- ier to clean and maintain." Silestone N-Boost modifies the surface of quartz at a molecular level to make it nonporous and further in- crease its durability and ability to resist stains, scratches and impact. COSENTINO Silestone by Cosentino sees neutrals continu- ing to be a trend. Solid colors, like its Iconic White and Iconic Black, remain popular, but Massimo Ballucchi, marketing director for Cosentino North America, anticipates more launched two design tools—Cambria AR and DragonVision—to help professionals and homeowners visualize and plan spaces. Using Apple ARKit technology, Cambria AR is an augmented reality app that can virtually map countertops and overlay Cambria designs in a home enviroment. DragonVision is an inter- active design tool that allows users to select from three kitchen styles and apply over 50 of the company's designs. e design suite also allows for the mixing and matching of countertop designs, cabinets, edge profiles and paint colors. Once a decision has been made in the design phase, Kath notes it is an average of a 14-day turnaround from template to install. Along with the additional design tools, Kath says Cambria is focused on education when it comes to the quartz market. "ere is really no governing body right now on what it means to be a quartz countertop surface, and that's something we're trying to change. Some of the things coming in—we call it 'adulter- ated quartz'—are being offered at half the price and do not have the same performance attributes," she explains. "I think there is an assurance [from] us saying we're an American- made product that is completely safe and lives up to everything that quartz is supposed to be. at's an education process we're going down the path [of ] right now—knowing what it is that you're putting in your home and where it came from." SILESTONE BY COSENTINO believes colors like Silestone Marquina (left) can make more of a statement than a solid colored surfacing. Similarly, its Suede finish (right) can make a statement and is available for all colors of the Eternal Series. Circle 6 on inquiry card Steve Becker from HANSTONE QUARTZ believes interest in veining colors, like Strato (above), will remain high. The company also sees interest in its Leather finish (left), which provides a concrete look. Circle 7 on inquiry card 48 October 2017 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com PRODUCT TRENDS: Quartz Surfacing

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