Installing an outdoor kitchen is one of the top ways consumers enhance their outdoor entertainment areas this time of year. When it comes to deciding on the countertop that is best for an outdoor application, the most durable option is a natural stone product.
One of our longtime quarry partners, Gramazini, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, carries a vast collection of stone that works perfectly in outdoor kitchens. One that is particularly beautiful is called Santorini quartzite. With quartzite being the hardest and least porous of the natural stones that we carry at CRS Marble & Granite, it is a top choice for use in outdoor kitchens. Santorini offers the best of all worlds as far as coloration, with the movement and veining of marble and the strength of quartzite. The Gramazini quarry uses top-tier Italian polishing, so the naturally high gloss of quartzite showcases Santorini to its best advantage. It is a perfect product for outdoor kitchens.
Natural stone, particularly granite and quartzite, is hard to beat for easy maintenance and durability and will last the lifetime of an outdoor kitchen. At CRS Marble & Granite, we carry more than 350 types of granite and quartzite in an amazingly vast array of colors and patterns. Most are perfectly suited to an outdoor environment since they are naturally earth-friendly and will not discolor or lose their shine over time. Since the Triangle’s weather does not experience the extremes associated with other parts of the country, granite and quartzite require very little upkeep in this region. With such a range of options, finding a style that fits a particular kitchen aesthetic is effortless.
Unsure about what choice is best? Visit CRS’ showroom to browse 60,000-square-feet of stone samples and slabs, and use the stone countertop testing area to see how food products such as wine, lemon juice, and tomato sauce can affect the stone. It is hard to go wrong with any of CRS’ granite and quartzite options, as we only buy and offer the highest grade of stone. Homeowners start with a solid, high-quality product that does not contain dyes and therefore will not fade in the sun. And since our stones are bookmatched, there is a continuous flow between slabs for an artistic, seamless look.
SUNNY SURANA is president of CRS Marble & Granite. Visit their Raleigh showroom at 7521 Exhibit Court or call 919-784-9282. Preview stone samples at CRSGRANITE.COM.