Blog

Setting the Budget

As per remodeling magazine 2005 cost versus value report, a high-end kitchen remodel can cost you an average of $82 000. However, this figure could go up or down depending on specific factors influenced mainly by your needs. When you have a design in mind, the first step is having an honest assessment of your finances and knowing how far they can take you and what design they can comfortably see-through.

Budget for the Unexpected

In your remodeling budget, have room for unseen or unexpected issues that may crop up. There are issues that may come up in a remodeling process, such as areas that will need repair but were unbudgeted for. After completing a draft budget, set up a percentage of it as miscellaneous expenses.

Kitchen remodeling is an excellent way to make your kitchen more elegant and comfortable. Budgeting for a kitchen remodel is not an easy task but as a basic rule, draw a budget that can sustain the entire remodeling you want. Decide whether to do a complete overhaul or facelift depending on how long you wish to stay in the home, and always be careful not to overdo it.

Kitchen remodeling can not only give your kitchen a facelift, but it can also improve the value of the entire house. However, this is only if it is done right. Contact us for any queries on excellent kitchen remodeling.

Your kitchen is the heart of your home, and natural stone countertops can turn this hub into a beautiful gathering space for friends and family. Natural stone lasts a lifetime when properly cared for. Its durability can stand up to a well-lived life and busy household. Granite. marble, quartzite and more also come in a variety of colors and styles which makes it more than just a countertop,  but also a statement piece.

When you visit our showrooms, our goal is to find the stone that will work best for you. Keep reading to view the five things to consider that will help you choose the best countertop material depending on lifestyle and budget preferences.

Does my lifestyle affect what countertop material I should choose?

Your lifestyle is a big factor when it comes to your choice of stone. When you visit our showroom to browse our selection the goal is to understand the dynamics of your household and where the stone will be placed. Granite is a great place to start due to its high durability and variety of colors. If you are planning on installing the stone in your kitchen or in a space that is prone to spills or if you have children and entertain guests often, we suggest a mid to darker color to minimize the risk of staining.

What kind of maintenance and care does natural stone require?

Natural stone often gets the reputation of being indestructible which is not entirely true. Although it is extremely durable, natural stone will only last a lifetime if the it receives the proper care. We strive to match the right material to your comfort level of maintenance so that you’ll be happy with choice for the years to come.

Most stone surfaces can be cleaned with a soap made for natural stone or a mild liquid detergent. Some types of natural stone such as marble require a little extra love and attention.

In addition to regular cleaning and maintenance we also highly recommend sealing your natural stone countertops annually. Having your countertops properly sealed prevents liquids from being absorbed into the pores of your countertops and bacteria to form. If you’re ever in doubt on when it’s time to reseal your countertops, we have a quick test you can do! Simply place a small drop of water on a highly used area of your countertop and if the water is absorbed then it’s time to reseal.

What’s the next step after choosing a stone material?

After you have found the right type of stone that fits your lifestyle you will choose a specific slab to work with. Natural stone is unique and each slab can have different veining, pattern and color so it is important that you choose the slab you want for your project.

What finish do you choose for your countertop?

Natural stone is available in a variety of finishes, and each offers its advantages. Polished is a more popular choice and a little bit easier to keep looking as nice as install day. But we always encourage you to pick the finish you will be happy with the look every time you walk into the room! Visit our countertop showrooms to see and feel these finishes in-person! 

Your countertops are an investment that deserve quality installation. Visit our showrooms in Swansboro and New Bern to further discuss how Onslow Stoneworks can make your new countertop purchase stress-free from beginning to end!

Please visit our blog for more related content. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, the contact us!

Which Countertop Is Best For You?

Designing a kitchen or bathroom has become more complex than ever before. New styles are continuously popping up that are different, unique, and fresh. Kitchen and bathroom countertops have evolved into more than just a surface to place food and other items atop; it has become a part of the decor and a statement to the home.

There are many kitchen countertops to choose from: granite, marble, quartz, quartzite, ultra-compact, recycled surface, and so on. Deciding upon a countertop for your home may be difficult. What is the look you are trying to achieve? Is style or maintenance more important to you? These are just a few things to consider and we know it can be overwhelming. So, we have provided you with a countertop comparison guide that lays out everything you need to know before purchasing the countertop that suits you best.

Granite

Granite is one of the most popular stones found in American homes. It is extremely durable and resistant to heat and scratching. However, due to its porous nature, granite has the possibility of obtaining stains from acidic liquids if such products are left on the countertop for too long.

PROS

• Heat resistant
• Scratch resistant
• Low maintenance
• Resistant to chemicals and stains – this is true when granite is properly sealed by a professional

CONS

• Porous material – if not sealed properly, or if sealant wears off, granite can absorb stains that are impossible to remove
• Cost – depending on the rareness or “level” of the design, cost can be high
• Chipping/cracking – this is a rare occurrence, but still possible if a heavy object is dropped on a corner or edge

Marble

When it comes to marble, style comes easy! It is elegant, shiny, and has a timeless element to it that appears effortlessly beautiful. But be careful – marble is softer and more porous than other stones, making it more susceptible to damages such as chipping, staining and scratching.

PROS

• Beauty – classic & timeless
• Availability – because of its high demand, marble can be found at almost any stone fabricator
• Smooth surface

CONS

• Prone to scratching/chipping
• Susceptible to stains
• Higher maintenance – in order to prevent damages and stains from occurring, it is important to professionally seal the surface every six months and clean spills/messes immediately

Quartzite

Quartzite is arguably the strongest natural stone option for your countertop; in fact, it is sturdier than marble and granite. It has the same beautiful essence that marble portrays but can withstand a little more abuse. It is a great solution for an outdoor kitchen because it is resistant to UV rays, but be careful, as quartzite is more prone to scratching.

PROS

• Durable
• Low maintenance
• UV resistant – no need to worry about fading if placed outdoors

CONS

• Scratching – use a cutting board and not cut directly on the countertop
• Damage from heat – use trivets for hot pots and pans
• Sealing – make sure it is installed and sealed professionally on a regular basis to prevent future damages
• Limited color options – quartzite contains more neutral colors and less variety of color

Soapstone

If you are looking for a low-maintenance work surface that is 100 percent heatproof for your kitchen consider a soapstone countertop. Unlike other types of natural stone countertops like granite or marble, soapstone does not need a sealer because it is nonporous, which makes it stain resistant—not to mention naturally antimicrobial

PROS

• Doesn’t require a sealant
• Heatproof
• Impenetrable surface reduces the risk of bacterial growth

CONS

• Darkens over time
• Can scratch or chip under heavy wear

Quartz

Different from quartzite, quartz is a non-porous stone that is durable, resistant to many damages, and is very easy to maintain. Because it is a manufactured product, quartz offers a wide range of hues, several finish options, and its final appearance is rich and luxurious.

PROS

• Very durable
• Non-porous – there is no need for a sealant
• Wide range of designs and colors
• Scratch, chip & crack resistant
• Stain resistant
• Does not harbor bacteria

CONS

• Price
• Receptive to heat
• Should not be used outside

Ultra Compact

Ultra compact surfaces are made from raw materials found in glass, porcelain, and quartz, which are then put under extreme heat and pressure to create an almost indestructible material. These countertops are one of the most durable options on the market today!

PROS 

• Durable
• Heat resistant
• Scratch, chip, and crack resistant
• UV resistant – perfect for outdoor use

CONS

• Limited fabricators and installers – because proper install requires certification, it may be more difficult to find a reliable pro who can do a beautiful job

Recycled

Recycled surface countertops are comprised of large shards and finely ground recycled glass that is bound together with cement or resin. This makes it extremely durable and easy to maintain! 

PROS

• Distinctive look
• Non-porous 
• Easy maintenance 
• Eco-friendliness 

CONS

• Limited options – Glass countertops for your kitchen come in a variety of contemporary designs. You are, however, limited in terms of the look you can achieve.

All of these countertops are great options for both your kitchen and bathroom. We recommend you list your priorities, such as style and durability, in order to properly choose the best countertop for your home. If you need assistance to further understand which will work best in your house, please contact us or visit one of our countertop showrooms located in Swansboro, New Bern and Wilmington. You can also utilize our free online kitchen or bathroom visualizers.

Reasons Kitchen Renovations & Remodels
Are Better In The Summer

Thinking about updating your kitchen? Then you have come to the right place! The spring and fall can be heavy seasons for contractors and designers with projects, but that may not be the best time to remodel. Summer is around the corner and we’re giving you four reasons to update your kitchen this summer season! Although the interior design, home renovations, and remodeling projects take place all year round we are going to shed light on why it’s better to do it during the summer. Summer is one of the busiest seasons for many. Most families are out on vacation and the kids are in summer school. But, with so much happening, why is this the best time of the year to move forward with a kitchen remodel? It sounds a little bit strange, right? How can we proceed with a kitchen design and renovation endeavor when everybody is caught up with other tasks? Follow along with Onslow Stoneworks to learn why summer is the time to move forward with your remodeling!

Enjoy the Outdoors

Remodeling a kitchen can be hard on your family mealtime routine. Being without a countertop, sink and appliances can be challenging, and eating out costs money. The good news is, summertime is grilling season! Spend some time outdoors and try some simple grilled meals. The busy summertime is also the best time of the year to sit outside and relax. Similarly, it is the perfect season to invite family and friends to your home for a lovely gathering. You can enjoy delicious warm meals outside in nature and enjoy the fresh breeze mother nature has blessed us with.

See where I am going with this? Kitchen renovations are perfect! You can hire the best team of countertop professionals at Onslow Stoneworks and let them do the hard labor! The best part about all of this is that you don’t have to give up family dinners, you can still cook and grill outside. You can count on us to take your kitchen design to the next level.

Open Schedules & Vacation

Kids are out of school and are free from most extra-curricular activities, which can greatly open up your schedule. Now you can meet with countertop contractors and designers without having to juggle around PTO meetings, basketball practice and the many other activities your children are involved in. Vacation and summer camps can also create ease during a remodeling period. If you are worried about the kids and who can babysit them, think about this. They are most likely going to be out at summer camp, at summer school, or on vacation with other family members.

As a result, summer is the ideal season for kitchen renovations, home improvements, and remodeling projects. If none of these pertain to you, maybe you could even let the kids hang out with the neighbor’s kids and enjoy a movie night while the remodel takes place. They could even hang out in their own rooms at home if you would like. The remodeling does not take too long. In the end, summer is still better than other seasons because people have more time to schedule tasks like these. How nice would it be to return home from vacation with a beautiful new kitchen? Pretty nice, right?

Indoor Kitchen Lighting

Picking out your countertops, cabinetry, and paint in natural light is key during any renovation. Summer is full of bright days to ensure you are making the right choice. Open the blinds and draw in curtains to fill your kitchen with natural light. Also, days are longer in the summer, allowing more daylight for work to take place. With so much light during the summer time and the sun being at its highest, choosing the perfect products is easy!

Ventilation

While a kitchen renovation is taking place, ventilation of dust and odors can be an issue. During the summer, you can be worry-free and open windows and doors for ventilation without the cold and moisture of the other seasons playing effect. For instance, say you chose to do your kitchen renovations in the winter. This means you would have to deal with the harsh weather which depending on where you live could involve hail, snow, and storms. This makes it very hard for contractors to do the job because they now have to work against the elements.

Do you have to open the windows? Not necessarily, but it can make things easier for the remodelers and installers. This is because they would not have to breathe in all of the bad stuff from the remodel like dust from the countertop installation, paint etc. In our experiences, remodeling during the summer is ideal. Although sometimes life happens and people don’t have another choice so they may have to choose another season. But, no matter what, we can get it done. So no need to worry.

All in all, summer is a great season for many things. Add a kitchen renovation to your summer plans with Onslow Stoneworks. From small upgrades to full updates, contact us to learn how we can assist you with your project needs!

Hey North Carolina Costal Residents,

Is your vacation home in need of some updates before the summer season begins? Here are a few fun kitchen and bath design staples that will surely shake things up and leave your beachfront vacation home standing out from the rest!

Kitchen or Bathroom Countertop Updates

Let your countertops act as a vibrant asset to your home instead of cluttering them with décor. Installing new countertops in your North Carolina vacation home is a fun and unique way to set it apart from ordinary vacation homes. Whether in the kitchen or bathroom, your countertop can be a statement piece that evokes good vibes for your guests. 

Tip: Check out Aura by Spectrum Quartz! This quartz countertop brings the coastal feeling right into your home. 

Pops of Color in the Kitchen

Why stick to one color scheme when you can have them all? Play around with your favorite set of swatches to create a beautiful color palette for your kitchen. This will brighten up the room and bring a personal feel to your home design. Adding color to your kitchen can instantly transform it from a cookie-cutter builder project to authentically YOURS.

Tip: Make sure not to clash with the beautiful array of colors by picking a neutral-colored countertop such as Calacatta Classique.

A Bold Bathroom

There is something so thrilling about a unique bathroom. It is uncommon, yet highly valued. Our opinion? You can’t go wrong with color and texture in this space! Pick a color and get creative! From tile to wallpaper, there are a variety of options.

Tip: Check out our classic granite selections, which come in a variety of colors from neutral to bold and will blend great with any accent color. Granite countertops are a timeless choice, despite your other design choices.

These concepts are a wonderful way to bring a new, fun flare to the typical vacation-style home. If you are located in the North Carolina area (Swansboro, New Bern, and Wilmington), make sure to keep these ideas in mind when renovating your beachfront home! Our experts here at Onslow Stoneworks are available to discuss the best material for your project and can help you make design selections that you’ll enjoy for years to come.

For more design tips and countertop information follow along on our blog!

The kitchen is the heart of the home where many messy and wonderful memories are made. It is important to keep this space clean throughout all the activities that occur so that your kitchen can function to the best of its ability. Here are 5 quick and easy kitchen cleaning tips that will help you achieve a cleaner home this Spring!

Clean Your Countertops

For quartz surfaces use a soft cloth with mild liquid soap and warm water, or a quartz cleaner such as Granite Gold. For tougher stains, scrub gently with a soft non-abrasive bristled brush. Wipe down with a clean damp cloth, and towel dry to prevent spotting.

If you have natural stone countertops, simply clean surfaces with a soft cloth using a mild liquid soap and warm water, or a natural stone cleaner. For stubborn stains, use a soft non-abrasive bristled brush and scrub lightly. Be sure to rinse and towel dry the surface to prevent spotting.

If you have Ultra-Compact countertops we recommend the use of neutral soap and water with a sponge or scouring pad. In the case of aggressive stains, either from products that are resistant to normal cleaning agents or because they have remained on the countertop without being removed, we recommend using more specific products such as: cream detergents with abrasive particles or solvents.

Polish Your Appliances

Give your oven, stove, and fridge a good scrub and polish. Deep clean the fridge by taking out the drawers and wipe down the inside. Give those burners a new life by getting off all of that baked-on gunk. You’ll feel like you have a brand new kitchen afterward!

Declutter Drawers

Now that you tackled your kitchen countertops and appliances move on to decluttering your kitchen drawers. Though we may not want to admit it, we all just dump things in our drawers every once in a while. Out of sight out of mind is often the mindset when trying to clean quickly. It’s time to go through those drawers and throw away all the junk. This is also a good time to clean your utensil drawer organizers. The amount of crumbs that can fall from your counters into your drawers is shocking.

Organize the Tupperware

Let’s be honest, we all hate opening this cabinet because no matter how many times we reorganize and match the lids to containers there seems to always be an avalanche of plastic. There are many ways to organize your tupperware from manufactured closet systems to DIY resources. Some DIY things to keep those lids in place are baking cooling racks, dish drying racks, or large bins to help keep that plastic tamed.

Finish With The Floors

As homeowners we sweep and vacuum the floors regularly but now is a chance to deep clean and disinfect. Gather all your rugs that need to be washed and get out the mop. Be sure to pay attention to cracks, corners, and the grout in your flooring.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to clean it all in a day. Take it step by step and soon your home will be in tip-top shape for the Spring season! 

For more information on how to care for your countertops visit our blog. At Onslow Stoneworks, we are proud to provide countertop fabrication and installation services to surrounding areas in North Carolina! Our countertop showrooms are located in Swansboro, New Bern, and Wilmington.

Color Trends

Although traditional all-white kitchens remain popular amongst homeowners, warm beige colors and varied green hues that reflect lush gardens or other natural elements are expected to trend in 2021. 

Check out these popular colors for 2021 from several top paint companies:

• Sherwin-Williams: Urbane Bronze – gray paint color that has deep brown/bronze undertones in it
• Benjamin Moore:  Aegean Teal – a blend of blue-green and gray
• Behr®: Smoky White – a soft and serene color and really sets a peaceful vibe for the room
• Pantone®: Ultimate Gray – emblematic of solid and dependable elements

If you are thinking about renovating your home in North Carolina in 2021, consider quartz countertops! Quartz is a favorite among types of kitchen and bathroom countertops because it comes in many colors and patterns. Quartz is at the top of most North Carolina designers’ lists for nearly any kitchen or bathroom renovation due to its lasting beauty, durability and easy maintenance. More specifically, light colored quartz is trending and is currently the most popular style of countertop on the market. Cambria and Viatera  countertops are two of the top quartz brands and both offer a wide array of different styles. 

Other countertop options include natural stone like marble and granite, although these materials require a little more maintenance than quartz. If necessary, you can have a countertop specialist from an Onslow Stoneworks near you come in and repair any damages to your countertop should the worst happen.

Cabinetry Trends

Cabinets are a major piece of your kitchen or bathroom design and have a huge impact on the final look of a space. It’s important to always select cabinet finishes that complement your wall color and countertop, whether a similar shade or a contrasting color.

Sticking with the latest color trends in 2021, light colored cabinets are not losing their popularity any time soon. With a wide range of shades to choose from, our Design Consultants at Onslow Stoneworks are experts at helping you choose the perfect shade of white, cream, beige, or even gray to help bring your kitchen or bathroom vision to life.

Appliance Trends

Stainless steel appliances will likely always be a popular choice amongst homeowners and designer and are another popular trend we’ll see continue into 2021. The light gray color of stainless steel appliances goes with every cabinet, wall, and flooring color you can come up with and often gives off a stylish appeal.

We can’t leave out another trend that has emerged in recent years though that we don’t see away any time soon, colored appliances! Maybe you are looking for a pristine look in the kitchen but want to add a pop of color by using an appliance manufacturer that puts out a whole set in hunter green or matte black. You can find alternative options to the standard stainless steel at popular appliance manufacturers like KitchenAid and Sub-Zero.

Make The Most Out of Your Next Renovation With These 2021 Design Trends

There are a lot of choices available when you decide you want to redesign your kitchen. You can do a complete overhaul down to the bare bones, or you may choose to do your redesign in phases, such as refacing your current kitchen cabinets then upgrading your countertops. Your decision can be solely based your needs, wants, and budget.

For more information on how to start your 2021 kitchen or bathroom renovation or how to incorporate some of these design trends in your home project contact us or schedule an appointment to visit us! At Onslow Stoneworks, we are proud to provide countertop fabrication and installation services to surrounding areas in North Carolina! Our countertop showrooms are located in Swansboro, New Bern and Wilmington. We also offer services to cities including Greenville, Jacksonville, Grantsboro, Aurora, Hakers Island, Wilmington and more!