Set in stone

Whether natural or engineered, stone brings a quiet, dignified air to a kitchen. One way to source the stone that will most benefit your project is to visit an importer and wholesaler who showcases an array of marble, granite, limestone, travertine, onyx and engineered stone all in one place.

WK Marble & Granite offers a wealth of design ideas for your kitchen, says owner Bill El-Cheikh.

"Together with a range of natural stone imported direct 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 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 shown 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 upmarket Jade apartment complex in Surfer's Paradise. WK Marble & Granite supplied the flooring tiles and surfaces for the kitchen benchtops for all the apartments in the development, as well as stone for other areas of the residences 4000m² of stone in all.

"The floors feature honed Cohera limestone, sourced by us from Iran. This 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' dignified, serene 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 residential project, clean lines and sleek surfaces create a minimalist, contemporary 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 kitchen benchtops."

For details, contact WK Marble & Granite, 129 Fairford Rd, Padstow, NSW 2211, phone (02) 9772 2377, fax (02) 9772 2073; or 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