NEW PRODUCTS

I love finding new products that make your life easier.  Using Laticrete's epoxy grout was the only way to have a stain resistant grout and generally no need to re-seal, bad news was that it is gritty and clean up with vinegar made it impossible to use on marble or travertine and it's inflexibility ruled out using it with glass. That leaves ceramic, porcelains and some granite tiles.  Now there appears to be a new product that is a lot more versatile.

Doing some research into GroutBoost and would like some feedback, especially with my Facebook friends who are in the stone business.  I know everyone has a favorite brand of grout and this is an additive that you use instead of water and can be mixed with Laticrete, Custom, Mapei or Tec.  Do you get the consistency that you want when it's mixed?  Does it clean up with water well?  Has anyone used it with slate or sandstone?  My favorite sealer is Bulletproof by StoneTech but it's not on GroutBoost's approved list so I'm wondering why.  I prefer to use products that I know won't change the look of the stone and that one is a personal favorite.  Hopefully GroutBoost has been out long enough that someone is a real fan or did you try it once and decide it's not for you?  Please let me know.

TILE TUESDAYS

The fun of making lots of new friends on Facebook allows me to see new products (at least they are new to me) that are amazing.  I love the pottery and tiles that come from this factory near Naples, Italy.  May just be the excuse I need to visit the Amalfi Coast for the first time in years!!  Romeo Cuomo's factory hand paints with such beautiful colors that making a choice is going to be almost impossible!!  You can find Romeo on Facebook or go to his website http://www.officinaceramica.com.  The ceramic infused lava-stone tables will dress up any patio, breakfast room or sidewalk bistro!!

There are so many sizes, shapes and patterns to choose from for the tables... I honestly can't pick just one as a favorite!!  Poppies, lemons, oranges, sunflowers...  The same is true for the dinnerware or tiles!!  Check them out and find something special for your clients.

MEMORIAL DAY MONDAY

On Memorial Day I'd like to spend some time celebrating a few generations of service in my family.

My great-great great grandfather Keen served under Old Fuss and Feathers Winfield Scott during the Indian Wars.  General Scott was later the Secretary of War at the beginning of the Civil War. 

My great great grandfather Winfield Scott Keen was a drummer boy in the Civil War.  Taken prisoner toward the end of the war he spent several months in Andersonville Prison before returning home to finish school, marry, move to California in a covered wagon and have a family.  

Great Grandfather Joseph Burke didn't have a war to serve in and instead served as the sole assemblyman from Orange County around 1913.  It was a time of strawberries and orange groves in Orange County and very few people.

My grandfather, Russell Burke was a sailor in World War I.  Luckily for him he never made it out of San Diego.  He lived to watch the Dodgers and play golf and had his first hole in one at the age of 80.

My dad, Gene Clarke, passed away last month at 87.  He was a proud member of the Naval Air Force and was a gunner in VPB 146, he's on the far right.   He rarely spoke about it until after his retirement and Baa Baa Black Sheep re-runs were on TV in the 80's.  The aviators from TV and my dad's squadron were in the same theater and he began to tell some of the stories of his days on the real islands in the South Pacific rather than the fake ones in the Channel Islands!  It took 52 years and an act of Congress and they were finally given their air medals aboard the USS Kitty Hawk by Vice-Admiral Bennitt.  

To the hero's in my family, I salute all of you!!!  Thank you for your service in creating this country, preserving our country and bringing peace to the world.   

CHANGE YOUR CLOCKS, CLEAN YOUR STONE FLOORS

Since it's automatic to change all of your clocks and the batteries in your smoke alarms every year at this time also check out your stone and tile.  If you have marble, limestone or travertine floors it is time to have them professionally cleaned and re-sealed.  I'm reminded of story several years ago when a bank manager called from Chicago about the dark, ugly stains on his limestone floor.  Bank customers came in from the snowy outdoors with salt on their shoes and there was a huge stain spreading under the free standing counter where they stopped to fill out their paperwork.  For some reason the bank manager didn't think stone floors needed to be regularly cleaned and re-sealed and the floor had been down for four years!  A stone cleaning professional was called in and he removed the stain, cleaned and re-sealed the limestone and gave the regular cleaning crew valuable tips on how to maintain the floors.  Needless to say, the bank now has a yearly appointment with professionals for cleaning and resealing.

When cleaning your stone floors, vacuum first and then mop with a mild stone soap.  I like to use steamers, they use less water, clean very well and dry faster.  

There are several ways to check your counters and grout.  With a slightly damp sponge, squeeze out some water drops on your stone counters or floors.  If the water beads up, your seal is holding, if the water is absorbed into your stone it's time to re-seal.  In the shower or tile counters if the water darkens the grout, it's time to re-seal.  

Attention Commuters: Stop to Enjoy the Tiles

By BEN GOLDBERGER

Published: January 29, 2010

The city’s latest effort to liven the drudgery of commuting as part of its Arts in Transit program was unveiled at the Belmont C.T.A. station on Thursday.

José Moré/Chicago News Cooperative

Tiled mosaics at the Belmont C.T.A.station on Thursday

David Csicsko, a Lakeview artist, designed the tiled mosaic mural of bright, multicolored faces riding the train that stretches across the main staircase of the hub for the Red, Brown and Purple Lines.

Mr. Csicsko said his idea was “to really make it about diversity and celebrating all of the people who come in and out of this station.”

He said he also found room on the mural for depictions of his dog, President Obama at age 8 and “the Goddess of Belmont, who watches over all the club kids as they do crazy things at night.”

Most commuters passed by, oblivious, but Kasey Dieb, 17, a Lane Tech student, said the mosaics made the station “much more welcoming.”

José Moré/Chicago News Cooperative

David Csicsko, a Lakeview artist, designed the tiled mosaic mural that stretches across the main staircase of the hub for the Red, Brown and Purple lines.

AZUL MARY

Found this new onyx slab called Azul Mary, amazing gray with brown and gold accents.  Wonderful in a bathroom  to go with so many gold or gray stones for the floors and walls.  Glass accents in all the colors of the slab would make this a stunning addition to any home. 

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF LAS VEGAS STONE - PART 2

This was the first time that I had visited the Wynn and the Wynn Encore and to be perfectly honest I was not impressed with the floors.  They seemed schizophrenic to me, the mosaics were modern and the marble surrounding them was classic.  It looks indecisive, if you wanted to go modern, do that, and if you want the classic look, go there.

The overall look fails when you add in all of the wall treatments and lighting, nothing makes it's own statement when the flooring is so confused.  If you used a solid marble without the surrounding grid lines the mosics would pop out and be interesting.  The yellow grids pull your eyes away from the mosaics which adds to the lack of clarity of an overall vision.

This cafe demonstrates the confusion in the design vision.  I understand that in Vegas, the casinos only make money when poeple are gambling and so you don't want them taking leisurely breaks.  So the fact that this cafe is so jumbled may be on purpose, I just find it visually uncomfortable.  Cues for the design should come from the modern mosaics in the back because that is your initial sight line as you walk by, the iron base tables work with the mosaics but not the red and cream fabric cane chairs.  Red leather and black iron chairs would blend with both the mosiacs and the lighting giving the whole room a pulled together look and would be far more inviting for a drink or snack before heading back to the tables.

The new Wynn is the same look the only difference seems to be the butterflies instead of flowers.  I realize that massive amounts of planning, installation costs and heart went into the design of the Wynn Casinos.  I just think it fell short of what could have been done in the common areas.  The rooms, suites, restaurants, nightclubs and bars all have their own unique visions and I'm not including those in this critique.

I'm just still trying to figure out what came first, the rugs or the mosaics?  That's my chicken and egg question for the week!!