We recently got the chance to sit Across the Counter with Elisabeth. She was kind enough to invite us to see her fabulous new kitchen with stone chosen at Boston Granite Exchange. Elisabeth and her husband Pat live in a 25-year-old New England colonial with their three kids and a dog. They wanted to renovate and expand their kitchen, which was original to the house. It was a very large undertaking, but they were excited and looking forward the end result.
Narrowing Their Choices
When the time came to choose their stone, they did their research and narrowed down the types of stone they liked and they also determined what colors they wanted to match the rest of their choices for their new kitchen. Their contractor sent them to a fabricator who explained the process to them and showed them some small stone samples to further help them narrow down their preferences. Then the fabricator sent them to Boston Granite Exchange. Our industry has a unique business model where the fabricators work closely with us as you choose your stone. To learn more about this collaboration here.
Choosing Their Stone
The advance work Elisabeth and Pat had done, helped them plan their visit to look at stone. Because they had decided to enlarge their kitchen, the plans included a large island, so their project required two slabs. As they browsed our Haverhill showroom, they kept this in mind. They narrowed their search down to two samples both made of quartzite. They had focused on quartzite because Elisabeth says, “They liked the lighter and more subtle marbling it has compared to other stones they had looked at.” Learn more about the features of quartzite here.
A Warm Welcome at Every Visit
At Boston Granite Exchange, we want our customers to come back as many times as they need to when they are making this important decision for their home. Elisabeth and Pat visited Boston Granite Exchange several times as they narrowed their search for the just-right stone for their new kitchen. One pair of slabs stood out as they continued to deliberate. When the slabs were placed side by side by the BGE team, there was a distinctive marbling that appeared in both pieces because they had been sliced from adjoining sections of the stone. Elisabeth loved this matching marbling and that clinched the decision.
Finishing and Installation
Then it was time to go back to the fabricator. Elisabeth said she really enjoyed this part of the process. The slabs were set up and with the help of the fabricator she was able to decide which sections of the quartzite slabs she had chosen became the different areas of her kitchen. Working largest to smallest she chose the section with her favorite marbling for her 10-foot center island – knowing this is where she would spend a great deal of time. The fabricator marked out the different sections all the way down to the small window ledge over the bar area. Then Elisabeth and Pat’s work was done.
The fabricators turned the stone into their beautiful new countertops and coordinated the installation with the contractor. All the work has been completed on their renovation and Elisabeth, Pat and their family are now ready to start entertaining in their new, expanded kitchen which has already become the warm and vibrant heart of their home.
We look forward to welcoming you to one of our showrooms, Haverhill or West Bridgewater, to explore and discover the perfect stone for your home project.
Have you recently finished a project with stone from BGE? Share your photos and story with us. We love seeing finished projects!