With a creamy background and subtle veining resembling marble, IRG’s Mont Blanc Quartzite adds luxury and value to your home immediately upon installation. Unlike marble, however, this lovely Brazilian surfacing material offers practicality as well: it’s classic, versatile, and durable when properly sealed and maintained.
As with many light colored quartzites, your fabricator should pay special attention to sealing during the fabrication process of Mont Blanc and we encourage you to speak with your fabricator before selecting your slab.
IRG’s Mont Blanc Quartzite is as practical as it is aesthetically pleasing. Use this material on countertops, countersplashes, kitchens, bars, and fireplaces. It also pairs well with a variety of cabinet colors and woods, and blends effortlessly with many design styles, although it is most popular today in clean, less-rustic applications.
3. How do I care for MONT BLANC QUARTZITE?
Quartzite is heat- and stain-resistant, making it a very durable and practical material. That’s why you can use it on everything from a spectacular waterfall kitchen counter to a minimalist installation. And remember, we highly recommend proper sealing on an 8-month to annual basis to keep out the moisture and bacteria while retaining its magnificent appearance.
4. Where can I find MONT BLANC QUARTZITE?
No one has a better selection of in-stock Quartzite slabs than IRG. Visit an IRG showroom near you (conveniently located in Brisbane, Dublin, and Sacramento) and IRG’s staff of surface experts can take you through Mont Blanc Quartzite’s performance guidelines while you view our inventory. Schedule an appointment today by calling (415) 657-0280.
Q: Why is this stone so unique? A: The intense colorations of Picasso Onyx make it not for the faint of heart; it’s prized for its extreme movement of brown, black, cream and gold swirls. Known as the “sexy” stone, Onyx is quite rare and considered to be a semi-precious stone.
Q: Where can this stone be used? A: Create your own masterpiece by lining the walls of your living room with this breathtaking stone using four book matched slabs. Or make a grand statement by mounting a framed slab over a minimalist fireplace. IRG’s Picasso Onyx truly reflects the art of opulence.
Q: How do I care for this stone? A: Calcereous stones such as Onyx require more maintenance due to their more porous composition. We recommend sealing and cleaning regularly. Onyx Is sensitive to scratching and any liquids should be wiped dry immediately. Keep these points in mind when deciding where to place your slab.
Q: Where can I find Picasso Onyx? A: Picasso Onyx is only one example of the vast in-stock inventory of Onyx slabs at IRG. Visit an IRG showroom near you (conveniently located in Brisbane, Dublin, and Sacramento) and IRG’s staff of surface experts can guide you through your selection. Schedule an appointment today.
The secret to the popularity of Pental Quartz is its price, durability, and ability to mimic the beauty of natural stone surfacing. Not to be confused with quartzite, QUARTZ is a low-maintenance, beautiful, manmade alternative to natural stone.
The scratch- and heat-resistant (up to 250°F) qualities of Pental Quartz make it viable for kitchen counters, islands, bar countertops, closet islands, laundry rooms, bathroom vanities, and tub surrounds.
3. How do I care for Pental Quartz?
Use a cloth or sponge with mild soap and warm water for daily cleaning. Rinse soap thoroughly to remove soap residue which can affect the appearance of the surface.
Clean spills immediately and rinse surface thoroughly with water.
Remove stubborn spots using a soft, non-abrasive cloth or sponge with a mild and neutral cleaner along with plenty of water.
Avoid using harsh chemicals such as bleach cleaners on the surface.
Never cut or chop directly on quartz. Pental Quartz is scratch-resistant but not scratch proof.
Use a hot pad or trivet between hot pans or plates and the surface. Direct contact with extremely high heat can cause damage (such as with crock pots, electric skillets, etc.)
4. Where can I find Pental Quartz?
Pental Quartz is available from many outlets but most suppliers stock only small samples, making it difficult for a consumer to choose. IRG stocks full-sized slabs of Pental Quartz, allowing you to truly visualize this engineered stone in your next project
No one has a better selection of in-stock Pental Quartz slabs than IRG. Visit an IRG showroom near you (conveniently located in Brisbane, Dublin, and Sacramento) and IRG’s staff of surface experts can guide you through your selection.
Bold, Quiet, Excited, Relaxed, Energized, or Calm: Design Choices make a difference.
The studies are in, and they support the commonsense notion that interior design does indeed affect how you feel—emotionally and physically—inside your home. Whether subconscious or intentional, a person often makes design choices based on texture, color, and space. In other words: the immediate and emotional impact that an item evokes when you first see it can make you fall instantly in love…or not.
Let your feelings show.
Leaving all design decisions up to a professional is, of course, an easy way to operate. But that influencer must know you—what you like and how you react to color, surfaces, texture, and space. The newest looks, today’s design trends, and daily Twitter feeds don’t necessarily represent your preferences or the emotional impact you feel when reviewing these beautifully photographed surroundings.
At IRG, the designers we work with tell us customers are asking for new and statement-making uses for natural stone. While island waterfalls have become today’s norm, book-matched slabs used in home offices or as standalone art pieces are truly unique, one-of-a-kind applications that you might consider. At IRG, for example, our in-stock selections of Onyx or Calacatta Marble make stunning bookmatched natural stone statements.
Color is a biggie.
Almost everyone has a favorite color. Think about yours.
When you think about colors, ponder the following:
Why do you gravitate to that specific color?
How do you feel when you stare at it, does it bring back memories?
Is there a color family or varying tones that speak to you most often?
Besides clothing choices, where do you most often enjoy this color (or colors)?
Color therapy has been used in medical situations, public places, and vehicles. Adding color to a space can help achieve a different state of mind for the occupants.
Green and blue tones historically make surroundings feel more safe, calm, and relaxed.
Reds and oranges can add excitement, passion, and stimulation to an area.
Some color combinations can help us concentrate or feel creative.
Others bring back memories of pleasant times.
Identify colors that tire or depress you and your family and avoid them. It’s important to make your color choices personally and wisely.
Does bold stone speak to you?
Sometimes all you have to do is let the stone speak for itself. Large striking slabs used on walls or in large format design should be left to shine on their own. Rarely is there a need to enhance the dramatic impression natural stone can make by adding strong accessories or equally bold fabrics. When it comes to a brilliant—and often backlit—slab of onyx, no competition is necessary.
Nature is a natural.
Another option to consider is the effect of bringing nature into your spaces.
Natural elements can lower your heart rate and help you feel at peace with your life. Sometimes just the “awe” of a slab of natural stone puts a perspective on a situation. Knowing that a slab of marble has been in existence for centuries and that this element is right in front of you can literally bring you back to earth.
AT IRG, one satisfied customer mentioned “losing themselves” while staring at an elaborate piece of onyx mounted as a fireplace surround. Others tell us it feels like swimming or floating while in a bathroom lined with sensuous blue/green granite.
Design choices can bring out the texture and dimension of the stone and can also set the tone for the room: exciting, calming, thoughtful, energetic…and more. It can become a fascinating focal point or an ethereal transcendent mirage – the options for mood set through stone choice are fascinating.
Leave space for space.
How the space of an area is perceived isn’t totally dependent upon its square footage. Almost any physical dimension can become more inviting through the use of furnishing choices, color and lighting. Feeling cozy and snug versus claustrophobic is an example.
Transforming a small area into a feeling of vastness can come from the inclusion of a wall of natural stone, adding depth to a shallow space. Conversely adding a high impact stone choice to a very large great room can balance the openness. This rule sounds contradictory but don’t be limited by your boundaries.
Ask for Help.
When you’ve thought it through and you’re ready, let IRG help you choose the right surface for the design and mood that you want. IRG’s experienced staff can give you the personal attention you need to make that choice from an unsurpassed in-stock selection of natural stone. Call or visit us at an IRG showroom convenient to you in Brisbane, Dublin, or Sacramento.
If you’re thinking of remodeling an area of your home (including kitchen or bath projects), consider this: where you choose to purchase your surfacing materials might be just as important as what you choose. No matter if you’re looking for materials for countertops, islands, backsplashes, fireplace surrounds, shower walls or other installations, you always have choices about where—and what– you can purchase.
In this article, we’ll look at the differences between shopping at a big box store versus a specialty boutique.
Cookie Cutter or Custom: The Choice is Yours
Because big box chains can negotiate pricing based on volume, they’re able to offer lower cost to you, the end consumer. That might not be a bad thing if you don’t mind having pretty much what everyone else has. But if you are considering natural stone for your remodel or custom-built home, cost shouldn’t be your #1 driving factor.
How important is it to you– for your style choices and overall home look and feel—for your surface selection to be:
Unique?
Traditional?
Contemporary?
Rare or safely generic?
Then consider which stone surface store(s) can offer the price, quality, detail, and look that you want and your house deserves.
Boutique stores like IRG can offer you many beautiful and unique high-quality stones because for decades they have searched the world over for those specifications.
Natural Stone: Seeing is Believing
For a purchase as important as natural stone, you’ll want to see and select your stone from actual available sizes, not from small paint chip-sized swatches–big box stores rarely carry full-sized stone slabs. But at IRG, and other specialty surface retailers, you can walk up to a full-sized slab and more easily envision your final stone selection in your space – whether kitchen, bath, wall placement or other design feature.
Another important consideration is in-stock selection. Should you need more than one slab for your project (as with a wall covering or large counter), at IRG help is readily available and your choices can often be forklifted into an open area for better viewing. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for a big box employee to take time to work with you and your selections so directly, much less move 400-lb stone slabs for you to review.
Best of all, in an intimate showroom warehouse, you can reach out and touch the surface itself to see if your stone selection truly speaks to you and fills your senses with satisfaction.
The Shopping Experience
Crowded lines, long checkouts, packed parking lots sound familiar? Choosing a big-ticket item for your home is difficult enough without adding pressure and stress to the decision-making process.
Many big box stores can’t offer personalized customer service or a pleasant environment. Think about the experience you’d like to have and answer these questions:
Once you’re inside the store, is it a relaxing and inviting space where you’re personally greeted and asked about your needs?
Are the store personnel experts in stone and surfacing?
Have the buyers in the store traveled the globe sourcing stone?
Are you willing to wait? Volume may be available in a big box environment—but only if you don’t mind ordering and waiting for delivery.
Big box store employees may be tasked with stocking shelves, moving product through, or making sales so they’re focus is not on building a reputation or a relationship with a customer.
That’s why you’ll want to visit IRG.
Family Matters
Most natural stone shoppers prefer the personal attention and expert assistance that specialty stone shops offer. And, when your name is on the line, the customer is king.
IRG’s Owner Dilmohan Chadha has always had a passion for delivering excellent products with customer service to match. In 1986, my parents Dilmohan and Ameeta Chadha, began selling natural stone products and quickly became known across the Bay Area for remarkably high-quality natural stone. At the heart our Chadha Family business is the ethos of delivering the highest quality material, providing service to others, and maintaining a friendly atmosphere welcoming to all types of clients. I’m happy to be playing a role in continuing to grow our company legacy.
At the heart our Chadha Family business is the ethos of delivering the highest quality material, providing service to others, and maintaining a friendly atmosphere welcoming to all types of clients. I’m happy to be playing a role in continuing to grow our company legacy.
The IRG Blog is your resource for stone product information, ideas and inspiration. Use our informational articles, project features, and product spotlights to help create your vision, then come into one of our showrooms to bring your ideas to life!
