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According to Nancy Barden, of Barden Stone in Memphis Tennessee, "'The homeowner wants something different, unusual, exotic. The average homeowner is more educated about stone and willing to experiment with the myriad of stone options available.

'Many types of stone are used throughout the home, such as marble, granite, limestone, travertine and onyx. Our clients want something that speaks of their own personality and they often want a different material, a different color, in each room. We just installed red onyx for a laundry room! People have become more understanding of stone and are simply willing to enjoy it.'

Barden noted one example of the popular color mixing. 'We have just installed a kitchen that mixed two types of granite, Red Marinace and Terra Cotta Bordeaux. Red Marinace is more exotic with lots of movement and color, and was used in the most prominent area, the kitchen island. The more subtle Terra Cotta Bordeaux was used on the periphery of the kitchen. But the eye candy of the kitchen was a full slab of Red Marinace that formed the backsplash, from counter top to ceiling, behind the cooktop. This was at the suggestion of the designer, and a complete success. The slab acts just like a piece of artwork.'

She finds that this is often the case. 'Architects and designers are able to use stone like an artist uses paint to create a piece of artwork, and then integrate it into a room.' She feels that the ideas professional designers bring to the table are helpful for the individual project and the growth of the entire industry. Designers are always pushing the envelope, she said."

Read more of Nancy's predictions on countertop trends and what her company is seeing as some new, hot, popular choices in design and materials on her interview with Building Stone Magazine.

When you're ready to upgrade your kitchen or bathroom, you can start with the most important component to any redesign and remodeling project - the countertop. At Construction Deal, we've got a network of quality counter installers ready to bid on your request. And it's free for you to find one of them.

Labels: Counter Installations, Counter Top Companies, Natural Stone Countertops, Trends in Countertops