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. 

A great Design Source..... Sullivan Source for flooring

In early December I was introduced to a fantastic resource centre in Etobicoke thanks to a couple of design colleagues.  The Sullivan Source, www.sullivansource.com  is resource centre for the design and architectural community.  They specialize in numerous flooring and wall treatments ranging from leathers, exotic hardwoods, to flat weave carpet that are imported from all over the world including India, France, Italy, Austria, and the United Kingdom.

They have products to suit both commercial and residential projects.  The materials in their library are continuously updated with new and innovative products.

This is like a designer's playground.  Check it out!!

Amazing variety of products

Corinne Campenio designs from France now at SOFA

I attended an event at SOFA this morning to introduce a new design source coming out of Paris, France with gorgeous products.  The line offers chairs, benches, headboards and toss cushions all designed by Corinne Campenio.  This talented designer travels to various cities around the world to find her inspiration which she photographs and then transforms into beautiful creations.  The frames for the furniture is made of Canadian kiln dried maple in Montreal and can be finished in whatever the client would like.  The options are plentiful and so unique.  One can combine any of her fabrics on any style of chair or bench for a completely one of a kind custom design.  The printing process is done with the sublimation process and the design goes deep into the fabric making it very durable and resistant to scratching, fading under normal conditions.  This fabric also meets fire resistant requirements and commercial standards.   Currently this line can only be sourced at SOFA within the GTA.

       

 

Bathroom & Kitchen Galleries PLUS Fab Electric Fireplaces

During the very busy time just before Christmas our GTA West Chapter had a fantastic time at our last meeting of 2013.  Thanks to Alina Butromeleva's (Showroom Manager, Vaughan) along with Patrick Pienkosz and several other staff,we were welcomed by our new affiliate Bathroom & Kitchen Galleries (our new affiliate member) www.bathroomgalleries.com into their fabulous showroom in Burlington.  They have several throughout the GTA.  

This event was a two part - the first being a very enlightening presentation by another of our wonderful affiliates - Jeanne Grier from Stylish Fireplaces by Huntington Lodge. http://stylishfireplaces.ca  Jeanne offered many building, renovating and decorating tips with Electric Fireplaces. They have come a long way from the old days and are very Eco and cost effective which is very important,  not to mention they look great and offer styles from traditional to very contemporary. The electric fireplace of today is so realistic and can be moved to work in any area of the home.  Below are some pictures of both contemporary and traditional style electric fireplaces available.

 

The second part of our evening was geared to the gorgeous Bathroom & Kitchen products available and carried by B & K Galleries.  The showroom tour brought about many oohs and ahhhs from the decorators.

To top this off we were treated to a wonderful array of refreshments and incredible prizes.  Every decorator was given a bottle of wine to take home to celebrate the season.

Thanks so much to all at K & B. 

ViFloor

I recently spent some time at an event hosted by VI Floor in Etobicoke.  They are a leading importer and distributor of soft surface flooring offering both residential and commercial as well as offering custom design. Delivery is 5 - 6 weeks.  Pricing is very good and quality excellent.

They are the exclusive distributor of commercial matting products from Holland. Vifloor imports only the highest quality of residential products from Europe. The Dutch manufacturers have been able to produce wool carpets with no dye and chemical free.

Some of the many samples of carpets available

Custom Designs

A fully stocked warehouse ready for your custom rug

Showroom Visits along King St. East in Toronto

As mentioned in an earlier post I was busy last week.  It's that time of year.....
A group of Decorators headed to Toronto and had a great time checking out some of the great showrooms along King St. East.

First Stop was Cambria Studio on Parliament St.  It is gorgeous!  I have been there before but it is always worth a visit just to see all the newest in Quartz.

Next stop was Roche Bobois - Wow!!  Such a great mix of furnishings.  Not just modern, they have beautiful items from France. Anthony Ghanem, Manager and his wonderful staff treated us with the yummiest pastries and beverages including champagne cocktails!!  Now that is the way to start your day.

Roche Bobois has something for everyone!

Next on our list was Studio Bulthaup a high end extremely modern cabinet manufacturer our of Germany. Stefan Sybydlo gave us a tour of the showroom and explained the workings and possibilities of this sleek and fascinating cabinetry system.

The next stop was a visit to the two incredible showrooms of Jamie Alexander, Alexander Interiors and Inspired Interiors.  This is like being in a candy store of so many great design and decor items.  I personally could have spent all day just browsing.  Jamie has both spaces styled so well and carries so many of the necessary items required for completing a great space.  We were given an overview of Jamie's business model and future plans as well as all the information we would need to come and shop for our clients.  Of course Jamie really has our group figured out.  We cam away with information and a bag with great items including a bottle of wine.  As I said he knows us well!!  Cheers Jamie!  Very nice indeed.

As we headed back to our starting point we visited Luxe Thermador who carry not only Thermador but Bosch and Gaggenau appliances.  Very beautiful.  A surprise to us was a complete luncheon laid out including some vino.  We feasted, toured and heard about their product lines and upcoming events at the showroom.  They have cooking demos and upcoming will be Yanic Simard in the showroom.  Thanks to Joeanne and everyone for a very welcoming visit.

We finished our day back at the gorgeous Cambria Studio on Parliament @ King.  So beautiful and such a supportive company to the design and decorating professionals.  They have a superior quartz product and the amazing varieties get the creative juices flowing. I have written about this spot in the past and really appreciate that Margaret Macdonald orchestrated this fab day for us.  Of course we were treated to yet another great repast, with more vino, great main and then glorious chocolate covered strawberries and cupcakes.  Yum!  We were all taking the train so the vino was just fine.

Thanks again Margaret for making the arrangements for this wonderful day