If you’ve been following our recent blogs, we’ve been spending time chatting with Boston Granite Exchange’s General Manager, Bill Thomas, and VP of Sales, John Byrne, asking them about their 25 years at the helm.
We asked them about changes over the years as they reflect on celebrating 25 years in business. Specifically, the changes brought about by the introduction of quartz. Quartz is an engineered stone. It contains between 70% and 93% natural quartz that is ground and mixed with pigment and resins and formed into slabs. These slabs are fabricated into kitchen countertops, vanities, shower surrounds, fireplace surrounds and other applications.
While quartz is incredibly popular now, when it was first introduced fabricators and designers were skeptical of this new material. Fabricators were used to working with natural stones like granite and marble. Quartz was unfamiliar and we all know that change can be uncomfortable.
Over time, interior designers saw the beauty and practicality of quartz and fabricators learned more about quartz and its fabrication process. Soon quartz was appearing everywhere and its popularity now rivals natural stone.
The quality of quartz has improved greatly in the 20 or so years since it was introduced as a surface. There are more colors, vastly improved designs, and the look rivals that of marble. In fact, at Boston Granite Exchange we think so highly of quartz that we created our own brand, The BGE Quartz Collection.
What is the next big thing for kitchens?
According to John and Bill it is porcelain.
Porcelain has gotten a bad reputation. Many hear the word porcelain and think of Nana’s best china–fragile and delicate. The porcelain in the BGE showrooms isn’t Nana’s porcelain. Watch this video to see more.
When Boston Granite decided to include porcelain in their showrooms, they carefully researched all porcelains available on the market. After scrupulous investigation, BGE determined that Italian-made Laminam porcelain is the finest porcelain available and it is the only porcelain carried in their showrooms.
Like quartz in its early days, porcelain is sometimes viewed skeptically by fabricators who are unfamiliar with porcelain or have had issues fabricating inferior products. As fabricators are learning that Laminam can be fabricated with the same equipment and methods as quartz, they are jumping on the bandwagon to sing its praises. And designers love the European aesthetic that porcelain brings to their projects.
Looking ahead, John and Bill speculate that, in the coming years, porcelain will become what quartz is today, a beautiful stone incorporated into people’s homes throughout New England.
If you are planning a kitchen renovation or other home improvement we invite you to visit one of our showrooms in Haverhill or West Bridgewater and explore our inventory including The BGE Quartz Collection, Laminam porcelain and the many natural stones we offer.
We’d love to see you and help you select what’s next for your kitchen.