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Print ArticleWhat's The Buzz For 2008?
It's that time, once again, to show off what's new in premium surfacing materials. We've got the scoop on the newest shades and styles of solid surface, quartz surfacing, natural stone and other new and interesting materials to hit the street this year, and it's all in one place . . . right here! In the following pages we've gathered all the information on coming trends. We hope that something here catches your eye, so sit back, relax and enjoy what our manufacturers have created for you to share with your customers.
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ACS International Inc. has announced a new filler for polyester casting, called Terra Bella.
The Terra Bella line is an engineered granite material using natural ingredients including
precious, semiprecious gemstones and exotic minerals. Each of the colors in the line has
a variety of gemstones and minerals, including a subcategory of "Crystal" colors
that offer heightened versatility for commercial and residential applications, reports the
company. Independent laboratory tests reportedly verify that vanity bowls made with the Terra
Bella (behind gel coat) pass thermal shock resistance testing. |
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The Artisan Group, an independent organization of
granite fabricators, has launched the Artisan Stone Collection, which reportedly carries
the industry's first comprehensive lifetime
warranty. The collection is offered exclusively by the organization and is now available
in the United States and Canada. Every Artisan countertop is sealed with Firstline Sealer
and provides suitable stain protection technology. The group's purchasing block allows
it to offer a wide variety of colors from basic to exotic granites. |
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Avonite Surfaces has introduced two new colors to
its recycled product collection, which has been SCS Certified for a minimum of 40 percent
pre-consumer recycled content, establishing a complete line of eight products. The newest
colors are Crater, with a black base and large accents of yellow, grey, red and brown, and
Summer, a cedar green with flecks of black, gray and clear. The company has also released
seven other colors: three in the metallics line - Silver Comet, Cosmic Penny and Martian
Sunset; three in the Foundations line - Spanish Moss, Coastal Green and Tuscan Gold; and
Amber Glass. |
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CaesarStone now offers three new colors in a honed
finish, which is a unique matte finish that reportedly looks and feels like untouched natural
stone. The Honed collection already includes Champagne Limestone, Desert Limestone, Crème
Limestone, Jerusalem Sand, Misty Carerra and Lagos Blue. Raven, Pebble and Rosemary were
added to the collection. |
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Cosentino now offers a variety of new colors and
materials in its Silestone quartz surfacing lines. The company has added three new colors
to its Mountain Series, bringing the total of color options to more than 60. Alpina White,
Mountain Mist and Sierra Madre join the series' offerings
of Sienna Ridge, Giallo Quarry and Black Canyon. The new colors feature light shades and
natural tonalities. The company has also launched Silestone MURO, a line of tumbled mosaic
backsplashes composed of recycled Silestone material. The line utilizes otherwise unused
resources and is available in 20 colors with sizes varying from 1- by 1-in. squares, 1- by
2-in. rectangular pieces and 4- by 4-in. square tiles. Styles include DaVinci, Matisse, Picasso
and Botero. The tiles are mounted on mesh backing for easy installation. |
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Truly solid 1 ¼-in. solid surface vanity tops,
from Diamond Surfaces, are stocked with a white integrated solid surface sink and a 1 ¼-in.
thick loose backsplash. The tops come complete with matte finish and radius edges on both
the top and backsplash. Reposition the sink center location by cutting the side off or glue
two together to create a vanity top with two sinks. |
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Transform any bathroom with Venetian Natural Stone
Vanity Tops from Domain Industries. The prefabricated natural granite vanities are available
in five sizes and eight stone colors and can accommodate a variety of undermount sinks including
porcelain, stainless steel and copper vanity bowls. Each vanity features an ogee bowl and
front edge. The predrilled EZ-Punch faucet hole system offers single-hole, 4- or 8-in. faucet
spreads and requires no tools; plus each vanity features preinstalled sink clips for quick
installation |
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DuPont Corian offers its translucent Illumination Series. The five new colors — Mint Ice, Strawberry Ice, Lime Ice, Blueberry Ice and Glacier Ice — were inspired by light. Whether it's a kitchen countertop, a wet bar or luxury bath, when lit from behind, the series' colorful, radiant aesthetics allow builders to create unexpected imaginative sensorial environments. The colors allow up to three times as much light to pass through than other Corian surfaces, combining the many dimensions of light with a material that can be formed, bent, textured and cut. |
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Eco Surfaces has announced the manufacture of Urbanslabs,
sustainable cement-based slabs now available for a variety of residential, commercial and
hospitality surface applications. Crafted by hand, the slabs consist of 60 percent recycled,
post-consumer glass containers such as beer, wine and liquor bottles that are commonly sent
to landfills. This patent-pending process contains no resinous binders and has gone into
full scale production. The slabs can be cut, bullnosed, seamed and polished just like the
fabrication of natural stone slabs such as granite. It can be used for an array of surface
uses including countertops, bathroom vanities, shower panels, floor tiles, backsplash tiles,
bathroom stall dividers, wall clad panels, outdoor living surfaces and furniture tops. The
slabs are available in 13 colors, ranging from natural cement gray to purple and in ¾-in.
sizes of 8 ft. by 3 ft. Custom order dimensions are available in both ¾- and 1¼-in.
thickness with a variety of colors and finishes. |
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Eliane offers its Contemporanea Series, a large format technical porcelain tile series
inspired by the textures, colors and architecture of a contemporary urban metropolis. It
comes in three neutral colors: Mocca (chocolate), Concreto (gray), and Off-White, as well
as two bold colors: Ferrugem (green with touches of orange) and Petrol (navy with touches
of red). Contemporanea's
three neutral colors are available in two distinct surface finishes: Natural and Lapado.
The smooth and polished texture of the Lapado finish and the textured relief of the Natural
finish give buyers a choice between two unique surfaces for their commercial and residential
application needs. The two bold colors are available in the Lapado finish and also a metallic
iron version that emits the sensation that the metal has suffered over time. |
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EOS Solid Surface has offered a "quartz" line in addition to its original
solid surface line, which continues to blur the aesthetics between solid surface and stone.
New spring colors will include organic shades with a matte finish. Concrete appearances in
popular color lines (coffees, creams and other neutrals) will be consistent with new design
trends. The company will also introduce a new large kitchen single bowl. |
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Formica brand laminate offers 12 patterns including
the new Radiance finish. High gloss and punctuated with texture, the finish features holographic
facets that refract and reflect light in a natural veined pattern. In addition to the Radiance
finish, six new stone looks will be launched under the Etchings and Honed finishes. Radiance
also has the ProFormance treatment, reportedly giving it greater wear, mar and scratch resistance
over traditional laminate. The 2008 Formica brand laminate launches include: the Mineral
Series, Granite Series (pictured), Quarstone Collection, the Santa Cecilia Series, Parquet
Series and a Travertine Series. |
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Italian stone and tile manufacturer GranitiFiandre has launched its GeoStyle Collection
in the U.S. market. The collection features porcelain surfacing products that highlight the
company's most creative and contemporary offerings and is comprised of five individual
product groupings, including: GeoDiamond, Platinum Luminar, GeoDesign (pictured) and Crystal.
The products are available in a wide variety of colors and in sizes ranging from 48 by 24
in. to 8 by 8 in., along with coordinating special pieces. |
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Grenite-R line of moldable, recycled solid surfaces,
available from Greneker Solutions, now includes the Diamond-Kissed Grenite-R line. Like the
tradition line, the new diamond-kissed line begins as the waste product of another industry.
The company diverts it from landfills and custom molds it to project specifications. Using
a 10-step finishing process, the company will expose the inner beauty of the product with
a high luster, reflective surface. The new product retains the superior scratch and stain
resistance, high-heat, anti-scorching capacity, and eco-friendly recycled and sustainable
properties of the original surfacing line. |
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Grifform Innovations has introduced its new round corner kitchen sink. The specialty sink
has the advantage of both soft coved sides and bottom. It is available in many standard sizes
and in all DuPont Corian colors. The sink can also be created to custom specifications and
has been certified by the NAHB Research Center to meet national ANSI standards. |
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Hakatai Enterprises Inc. now offers its line of Aventurine Lux: a ¾- by ¾-in.
glass tile series that features rich, organic hues combined with opaque painterly swirls
and a surface that's silky sleek to the touch. The new line offers nine semi-translucent
and opaque hues, each with subtle shade variations that create the character and beauty inherent
to this unique glass tile line. Available in mesh-back mounted, 1.15-sq.-ft. sheets as well
as 1-lb. loose bags, this series is suitable for exterior and interior use, walls, countertops,
backsplashes, pools and light residential floors. The product is also available to mix into
your own unique custom mosaic blends and gradients using the company's custom design
tools online. |
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Brionne solid surfacing from Hanwha uses recycled materials to capture the luster and
richness of natural stone with acrylic and pearl chips. The result is an environmentally
friendly and upscale finish, taking design sensibilities to places they've never been,
reports the company. It's flexible enough that it can be bent during fabrication to
meet different style needs. The nonporous, seamless surface is GreenGuard and NSF certified,
resistant to bacteria and fungus and is heat, stain and scratch resistant providing the hygiene
for kitchen and bath applications with minimal maintenance. |
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InPro Corporation's Decorative Surfaces Group
has introduced 70 new, unique colors in its new PRISM Solid Surface line. The company has
teamed up with the Color Marketing Group (CMG) to create an entirely new selection of solid
surface colors. In addition to the PRISM line, the company also offers its signature LIPPERT
Cultured Marble and SUNCAST Cultured Marble lines. |
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LG Solid Source LLC (LGSS) has unveiled 18 new LG
HI-MACS colors all inspired by interior trends, natural beauty and clean aesthetics. Each
of the collections has added new colors to the lineup. The Volcanics Collection includes
nine new colors with enhanced color and patterns. Amberglow, Dorado, Eucalyptus, Kaffa, Moonmist,
Powder, Shasta, Vetro and Zaffre are colors that embrace hues and combinations. The Eden
Collection has two new colors, which have a minimum of 12 percent pre-consumer recycled acrylic.
Palm and Wallflower are fresh, vital colors inspired by garden botanicals and are SCS Certified
for recycled content. In addition to these collections, seven new colors, Annato Granite,
Crystal Granite, Graphite Granite, Saddle Granite (pictured), Storm Granite, Timberwolf Granite
and Umber Granite, all bring a contemporary twist to countertops with colors that look like
everything from concrete to a sandy infusion. |
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Mediterranea has launched the MetroLife collection of large format through body porcelain
tile, offering an artistic rendering of a stained concrete floor for high-traffic commercial
applications or residential spaces. The collection was created using the company's
TruColor technology, featuring the random mixing of colored clays throughout the entire body
of the tile, combined with double-loaded technology, resulting in a highly textured surface
full of artistic shading and random movement. The MetroLife collection meets all ADA requirements
for slip resistance in high-traffic commercial areas, and the contemporary urban flair of
this vibrant, colorful collection of fully rectified, double-loaded porcelain tile is suitable
for high visibility installations, according to the company. |
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Mystera Solid Surface offers a new tub and shower
wall program. The company provides the look of natural stone in nonporous solid surface for
matching vanity tops and shower panels. The tub and shower panels are a suitable fit for
new and remodel residential construction, and hospitality and medical facility projects.
Each panel comes in a matte finish, including exposed edges, and shipped with a protective
peel coat, ready to fit, trim and install. Panel sizes include both 72- and 96-in. heights
by 36-, 48- and 60-in. widths. A 60- by 60-in. panel is also available. |
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Vetrazzo, offered by North Star Surfaces, is a line
of concrete surface material crafted from recycled glass, used for countertops, tabletops,
bath surrounds and more. The sparkle and radiance of the glass creates a stunning and lively
centerpiece for homes and commercial projects. All of the glass used in Vetrazzo is recycled,
so by using Vetrazzo, homeowners, architects, designers and builders exhibit both their style
and their respect for the environment, reports the company. Glass sources include beverage
bottles, windows, stemware, stained glass and other unusual sources such as traffic light
lenses. The newest addition to the Vetrazzo line of colors is Floating Blue. It's made
from waste glass from a manufacturer that makes pale blue windows for skyscrapers. The pale
blue glass makes Floating Blue an elegant addition to the line of surface material. |
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RMG Stone Products offers slate backsplashes and sinks, hand-carved in Vermont. Each is
custom designed to the customer's specifications. Colorful and rustic in appeal, the
slate is dense and durable. Created under "just right" natural conditions in
the Vermont Slate Belt, the high silica content of the company's slate reportedly makes
it very durable. Hard-working slate from Vermont will not stain, scratch, delaminate or fade,
reports the company. The slate is also reportedly nonporous and antibacterial making it a
suitable practical design element for any environment. |
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Staron Surfaces, a division of Samsung, has expanded
its popular Tempest line by adding 10 new colors, bringing the entire palate to 20 color
options. The new color series, branded Tempest Stylist, exudes rich, natural color tones.
The series provides an upscale, designer-grade product to home-owners, designers and builders
who are seeking a unique surface for any residential or commercial project. The line has
great design flexibility. It can be fabricated into sweeps, curves and turns and is virtually
seamless, reports the company. Like the existing colors, those in the Stylist Series include
larger, translucent particulates, which create a look that rivals quartz and natural stone.
The Tempest material is non-porous and hygienic. |
