Kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities come in an amazing variety of shapes and edge profiles. A few decades ago, when materials like laminate and acrylic ruled the day, and kitchen design was based on catalogs and templates, without much customization – basic edges were the norm. Straight edge, half-round and full-round (also called “half-bullnose” and “full bullnose” or just “bullnose”), were pretty much the only option.
With the rising popularity of granite and marble countertops in the 1980’s and 1990’s, as well as the advent of computerized design, more complicated edges became standard. Ogee, Waterfall, Dupont, French Cove, Cole Smith, and many other profiles captured the imagination of kitchen designers and homeowners. These combinations of rounded and angled shapes were the go-to for millions of homes throughout America and the world.
Fast forward to 2020. Kitchen design has moved away from ornate complications and embraced clean, modern aesthetics, with straight lines and minimal decorations. Colors and textures come to the forefront, the design environment becomes more about the overall “look and feel” than a hyper-focus on specifics. This modern design approach is where quartz countertops truly shine. Once we stop thinking of the countertop as a single, flat surface, and imagine it as a 3-dimensional creation, a focal point of the room, new possibilities emerge.
The Waterfall Edge
One of the more dramatic ideas in kitchen design, the “waterfall edge” uses a miter-cut stone slab to create a 90-degree angle “falling” to the floor. This instantly adds dimension to the countertop, and showcases the color & texture of the stone from additional angles. However, to create the seamless look, the stone slab must be carefully measured and cut, with edges perfectly aligned, joined, and polished. The skilled craftspeople in our fabrication shop can create this illusion of “bent stone”, which will impress and delight your family and guests for years to come.
The Miter Cut Style
How can we make a kitchen island look like it’s made from a solid, thick, slab of stone – without it costing tens of thousands of dollars and requiring specially reinforced floors? With the ability to cut stone slabs at a precise angle, and perfectly match the stone texture around the angle, we can use thin slabs of stone and create a “shell” that looks like a single solid piece.
This isn’t so much of an “edge profile” as a completely new approach to kitchen island design. Free from the constraints of a single surface, now we can create an incredible variety of styles, shapes, and combinations of materials. Check out the “Mitered Edge” section in the gallery below for a selection of ideas.
Material Combinations
Also, who said that a kitchen countertop must have the same color throughout? Now that we have the freedom to design any shape, we can combine stone colors, mix stone and metal, even illuminate the stone from the inside. The possibilities are truly endless.
If you’re looking for a kitchen island that’s truly extraordinary, you’ve come to the right place. With New York Quartz, you’ll have access to 1000s of stone colors & textures, as well as an experienced team of designers and an advanced fabrication shop.
