Northshire Living is proud to offer a variety of custom countertop options, at a range of price points with laser template and installation included from our 3 area fabricators.
Marble – In an area known for Marble, it’s hard to resist covering everything in it! The local mines of Danby, VT, only a 15 minutes away, produce some of our favorite marbles, Imperial Danby being the most widely known… but a Montclair Danby, especially vein cut is our personal favorite. Marble is a soft stone easy to scratch and chip and it’s light color & porosity leave it easily susceptible to staining & etching. But there’s something magic about marble no man made stone can quite capture so if you’re ok with a little extra maintenance, or like a more worn look with a honed finish and a few imperfections we know you’ll appreciate it’s natural beauty. Click here for photos of a beautiful job we did in Weston!
Soapstone – A Vermont Classic, a Soapstone countertop with an integrated sink & drainboard is our personal favorite for polishing off a kitchen remodel for the kind of people who want their furniture to tell a story & see the beauty in a little bit of imperfection. Soapstone is soft like marble, and appears mainly light grey, blue or green when unsealed, most people prefer the look of sealed soapstone which appears much darker. There are a variety of options for sealing from mineral oil which requires application every 1-3 months depending on how much you use your kitchen, or sealers and waxes which can last a year or more. Scratches & chips can happen but will disappear when sealed similar to scratches in wood finish. Click here for photos of a beautiful job we did in Andover, including an integrated soapstone sink.
Granite & Quartzites – We offer a variety of natural stones & quartzites from our three area fabricators as well as the ability to source just about anything from the major granite distributors based in Boston & New York. Simple & Classic entry level granites like Absolute Black & Silver Pearl are a great way to update your space on a budget, options scale up to Premium & Designer Level stones which feature larger scale patterns and veining. At the highest end of natural stones are quartzites, these valued & exotic stones often feature bold patterns in bright colors or whites and are extremely dense. These materials are installed sealed initially with recommended maintenance of sealing with a chemical sealer every 1-3 years depending on use.
Quartz – Known as the no-maintenance countertop choice, quartz is our go to for busy families who don’t want to worry about a thing when it comes to their counters. Quartz counters are man made with a fine quartz stone aggregate and resin, creating a non-porous surface where staining and sealing are a worry of the past. Our two favorite quartz manufacturers are Cambria and Silestone by Cosentino which we feature in our showroom. Cambria is made in America, boasts a NSF certified finish so it can be used for everything commercial food prep to Kosher kitchens, and is known for their large scale patterns, Luxury Series, and many designs that feature more than just a little bit of sparkle. Silestone probably the largest & longest running player in the European quartz industry and with that comes just a little bit of knowing what the heck they are doing. Their recently released Silestone Eternal line does a beautiful job of achieving the look of Soapstone and Marble and recently expanded suede finishes give a softer look in a variety of colors. Click here for photos of a great Silestone job we did in Manchester.
Dekton – Another product by Cosentino this porcelainized quartz sets itself apart from the rest with an indestructible finish you can set a hot pot right on, create a seamless fireplace surround without the fear of fracture, or even have gas burners emerge right out of. Rated for flooring and exterior use as well this product has applications well beyond the kitchen & bath. A variety of decidedly modern patterns with several marble designs with book match slab options makes this ideal for large scale projects.
Wood – There’s something about the softness and beauty of wood people will never seem to shy away from and with vendors like these – we can’t blame them either! Wood Countertops can be installed in just about any room but are most requested in the kitchen. While an entire kitchen is rare, many customers love a wood island, built in chopping block or baking station. For the home chef, culinary favorite Boos Block offers a variety sizes of butcher block blanks we can install for you, as well as many freestanding island & chopping block options. For those who appreciate the finest in quality and treasure the beauty of wood, our favorite is Grothouse Lumber, building custom tops to order out of Pennsylvania with a variety of select & exotic hardwoods. Grothouse excels in thick end grain tops, ornate edges, and offers custom engraving & finish matching. Wood tops can be purchased unfinished requiring regular maintenance with mineral oil or sealed with one of our vendors proprietary varnish finishes. Here are photos of project we did with stock butcher block tops that came out beautiful, after some onsite modifications and cleaning up from the carpenter.
Metal – We are proud to offer stainless steel countertops made locally here in Manchester, VT as well as a new line from Grothouse Lumber called Anvil, where wood tops are coated with a metal based finish that patina’s just like real metal.
