Designer chic

Stone is famous for standing the test of time with a slab of marble looking the same today as it might have hundreds of years ago. Stone can, however, have an immediate impact on your decor. Introducing solid or engineered stone surfaces creates an air of permanence and refinement for your kitchen.

WK Marble & Granite offers a variety of designer stone surface options from marble, limestone, granite, travertine, and onyx through to engineered stones, says owner Bill El-Cheikh.

"Together with the range of natural stones imported directly from Europe, WK Marble & Granite also specialises in Quantum Quartz," says El-Cheikh. "This is comprised of natural quartz more than 93% and a mix of accent materials and pigments, all bound by resins. Quantum Quartz is a reliable, affordable choice for contemporary and classic kitchens whether introduced as floor tiles or for stand-out countertop surfaces."

The Quantum Quartz palette ranges from neutrals to bolder tones, accented with chips of coloured glass, mother of pearl, granite or quartz.

The product is nonporous, and can be worked and shaped in the same way as marble or granite. It also doesn't require sealing and is resistant to stains, heat, chemicals, chips and scratches.

The architecturally designed kitchens appearing on these pages feature WK Marble's products, both natural and manufactured, to dramatic effect. The kitchen on the preceding pages is one of several in the high-end Jade apartment complex in Surfer's Paradise. WK Marble & Granite supplied the flooring tiles and surfaces for the benchtops for all apartments in the development, as well as stone for other areas of the homes 4000m² of stone in all.

"The floors feature honed Cohera limestone, sourced by us from Iran. The Cohera had to be of the highest quality," says El-Cheikh, who travelled to Iran to oversee the selection. "We worked closely with Jade's builder and architect on this to ensure the quality and colours met all design requirements."

The benchtops, in Monaco Brown polished marble, were sourced by the company in Lebanon.

"The marble and limestone contribute to the apartments' refined atmosphere," he says. "As well as an immediate visual appeal, there's a very tactile quality to polished marble and honed limestone."

WK Marble & Granite also worked closely with the architect and specifiers for the Lumiere apartment complex in downtown Sydney.

"For this project, clean lines and sleek surfaces create a minimalist, modern look," says El-Cheikh. "Quantum Quartz New Diamond White tiles were chosen for the floors, the light tone increasing the apartments' sense of spaciousness. To contrast the pale floor surfaces, Quantum Quartz Gobi Black was introduced on the wrap-around benchtops."

For details, contact WK Marble & Granite, 129 Fairford Rd, Padstow, NSW 2211, phone (02) 9772 2377, fax (02) 9772 2073; 30 Brendan Drive, Nerang, Qld 4211, phone (07) 5596 7989, fax (07) 5596 7995; or phone tollfree 1800 555 696. Email: marketing@wk.com.au. Website: www.wk.com.au.

Story by: Trendsideas