One of the many full size slabs you can view on our Facebook page!

Construction Resources has Georgia’s largest indoor slab gallery at 20,000 square feet of kitchen and bath counter surface options, but did you know that we have a full library of slabs available online, too? By being our friend on Facebook, you can view detailed pictures of our inventory, from granite countertops to limestone surfaces and beyond.

We provide this service so that clients looking for exotic materials can get a good idea of what full slabs look like before coming in, and the pictures are also easy to share with friends, family or remodeling professionals. We know that entering a space with over 3,000 slabs and 2,000 remnants can be daunting – but our customers don’t have to be overwhelmed by choice, they can look at the following galleries ahead of time and narrow their selection:

•             Dark Granite

•             Light/White Granite

•             Medium/Beige Granite

•             Marble

•             Travertine

•             Limestone

We also have a full supply of Cambria quartz countertops, as well as Vetrazzo recycled glass countertops and more, which will be getting images on Facebook soon. We welcome you to come to our slab gallery at 224 Rio Circle in Decatur, GA to see our multitude of slabs in person to make your choice, as neither pictures nor small samples can adequately show you how one of our counter surfaces will make your kitchen or bath come alive.

If you’ve been checking out the DiY Network, you have probably come across Run My Renovation. In the show, homeowners give up all control over a renovation as every choice is made by online voters. While it sounds risky, the lucky homeowners in the episode “Rekindling the Kitchen Love,” struck it rich with surfaces from the Artisan Group. These high quality stone countertops are available at Construction Resources, and were chosen by a landslide of online votes for the most important part of the kitchen.

In fact, over sixty percent of the voters chose Artisan Group’s Golden Crystal stone counter surface for the episode’s kitchen renovation. The episode explores a complete renovation, with the homeowners involved in every way, from hands-on demolishing their own kitchen to applying the paint color chosen for them. Each choice shows both the options that were voted on, and then the homeowners’ responses to the winning design, which range from screaming excitement to disgusted surprise.

You can catch the episode at 9 a.m. on January 30 and again at 11 a.m. on February 14. It’s a great inspiration to see how the cramped kitchen is transformed into a wonderful culinary play place, and at Construction Resources we can give you all kinds of help with that from our galleries to custom fabrication to professional installation. So do like host John DeSilvia says and head on down to our indoor slab gallery at 224 Rio Circle in Decatur, because a small sample can’t adequately show you just how beautiful your next kitchen or bath counter surface can be.

Cambria's Waterstone Collection, available at Construction Resources, is #2 on Kitchen & Bath Ideas Most Innovative Products.

Cambria quartz countertops came in at number two in a list of the 30 most innovative kitchen and bath products in the February issue of Kitchen and Bath Ideas Magazine, a special publication of Better Homes and Gardens. Cambria was one of only two countertop surfaces featured in the article, which contained everything from new washing machines to high tech shower upgrades.

Cambria’s Waterstone Collection made the list because its appearance is  similar to granite and marble, but with extra strength. Its non-porous nature was also praised for not having to be sealed frequently like other surfaces. Reasons like these are why our customers love Cambria, and we carry a full selection to match demand.

This issue also has an inventive way to specialize kitchen island countertops. This is done by using different surfaces for different jobs in your island prep area. The clearest example of this is using a strip of butcher block to have an always-ready cutting area. This does trades convenience for additional maintenance to keep the butcher block clean, as it tends to attract stains and bacteria like any cutting board if not properly cleaned.

For all kinds of information about the best trends in kitchens and baths for remodeling, be sure to check our blog. And when you’re ready to see Georgia’s largest indoor slab gallery, come pay us a visit at 224 Rio Circle in Decatur.

cambria quartz countertops

The kit starts with a customized cover page that includes a document title, designer’s name, company name, company address and web site. A company information page is next; this page includes any information about your company or a personalized message for your client. Then, you can add Cambria collection pages, which include collection name, description and swatch thumbnails as well as Cambria color pages, which include name, swatch, description and coordinating Benjamin Moore colors. Users can also add additional pages about Cambria products and partners, like warranty information, environmental impacts, financing, material safety data sheets and more. Lastly, users can add pages with case studies of Cambria’s commercial products by industry (i.e., food service, healthcare, hospitality, retail, etc.). Of course you can choose not to include any of these pages in your package as well, so the entire package is customizable and will come together in the way that you choose!

The Resource Kit Builder allows you to create a link to view the package later or create a PDF of the package, which can be saved and/or emailed, printed, etc.

Cambria products are sold at Atlanta’s one-stop specialty building needs company, Construction Resources. Cambria offers the warmth and richness that can only be found in natural quartz, combining natural elegance and beauty with practical functionality and lasting durability. Cambria is stronger than granite, and is non-porous, making it one of the safest surfaces for food preparation and the greatest performance out of surfaces. Virtually maintenance free, it’s also ideal for vanities or as shower or tub surrounds and adds a touch of luxury to any space.

Try out or get started on the Cambria Resource Kit Builder now.

Toronto-based Designer Ramsin Khachi in the Cambria Design Home Kitchen

Cambria quartz countertops are proud to announce their featured designer for Winter 2012, celebrated interior designer Ramsin Khachi. Khachi spearheads the Toronto-based Khachi Design Group, which he grew from a one-man construction company into a full service Design/Build firm. Khachi often appears on CTV’s Marilyn Denis Show and has also served as an expert for Benjamin Moore paints.

Khachi used Cambria as the unifying force in a recent design job that resurrected a 23-year-old split level in Oakville, a suburb west of Toronto. He chose Cambria because, in his own words, “I’m not interested in following trends. I like to use classical details with a contemporary twist, and materials like Cambria that will stand the test of time.” The home is fully upgraded for each room to function ideally as possible. Every room is also upgraded with state-of-the-art technology like biometric locks, sensors to automatically control amenities like the radiant heated floors and more, which are masterfully concealed among the classical details so that they don’t overpower the space.

In the heart of the home, the kitchen, Khachi showed off the intricate beauty that is possible with Cambria. A jaw-dropping custom inlaid mural above the range shows off Cambria’s “Torquay” and Emperador marble, cut into an ornate pattern with the same water-jet cutting technology we use in the Construction Resources fabrication facilities. In addition, the kitchen features composting options for eco-friendly cleanup, hygienic pull-out trash cans, custom walnut butcher block for carving aficionados and all manner of space-saving techniques.

Cambria is also used included throughout the home, from the garage to the patio to the master bathroom, standing out among the luxurious but comfortable living supported by technical marvels. If this home of the future appeals to you, be sure to check out the Khachi-designed home for inspiration, then come and visit one of our design studios where we can join you in creating the best home for you.

One of our Waterjet cutting tools preparing a surface for a lucky customer!

As you know, at Construction Resources we have Georgia’s largest indoor slab gallery at 20,000 square feet of counter surface materials. To keep up with such a wide variety of inventory and to make sure our clients get their new kitchens and baths quickly and with the craftsmanship they will celebrate every time they use their new counter, we also have a state-of-the-art fabrication facility.

Our facility includes more than 100,000 square feet of production, fabrication, inventory and warehouse space. It is manned by 120 professionals dedicated to providing you with the best fabricated countertops in the industry. Unquestionably, the pride of our shop is our Flow Waterjet cutting system!

The Flow Waterjet system is both great for the consumer and the environment. Customers can have uniquely shaped counter surfaces with no heat-affected zone, heat distortion, or mechanical stresses caused by other cutting methods. Waterjets also produce satin-smooth edges. The environment benefits from waterjet technology requiring few secondary operations to cut down on energy consumption and we recycle the water used in the fabrication process to significantly reduce waste.

To learn more about our facilities or the products we offer at Construction Resources, be sure to check our blog. If you’re ready to see the best selection of counter surfaces, visit one of our expansive showrooms today!

In case you missed it, Mariel Hemingway was on the popular web and radio show “MyFixItUpLife Talk Show” during the holidays to talk about her passion for Cambria quartz countertops. Mariel spoke with hosts Mark and Theresa at the Cambria booth at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas about what she liked at the show, her third book and more.

Hemingway, a big environmentalist and spokesperson for healthy living, spoke out about Cambria’s GREENGUARD Environmental Institute certification and lack of off-gassing. Hemingway also spoke about how her book relates to Cambria: one of the key parts of Mariel’s Kitchen is the importance of creating a sacred space for both food preparation and eating in the home. We can all agree with Hemingway that the kitchen is the heart of the home, where both homeowners and guests are drawn to congregate. For Hemingway, cooking is both ceremony and ritual, and Cambria fosters an environment that creates and determines your good health and positive well-being, just like her other passions yoga and meditation.

Check out the video above for more information about her dedication to healthy living through Cambria, yoga and more. When you’re ready to improve the heart of your home, and perhaps add in some gorgeous Cambria counter surfaces like Mariel has for your personal culinary rituals, come to any of our showrooms.

Entrance to one of the great winter home shows next year.

For those of us that need to see how a product is going to look in a home, from a new appliance to a Cambria quartz countertop, there are some great upcoming opportunities to see, touch and play with some of the coolest house stuff around. While our indoor Slab Gallery is the largest in Georgia, we certainly understand that sometimes seeing the slab just isn’t enough to get your imagination running. In that case, be sure to reserve space on your calendar in the New Year for:

The Atlanta Build, Remodel and Landscape Expo is held January 27-29, 2012. It is hosted at the Atlanta Exposition Center, just off of I285 by Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The show features displays and top experts offering advice, tips and tricks for every home project. There will also be exhibits on kitchen and bath remodeling, basements, sunrooms, additions, windows, siding roofing as well as landscape installations. The early seminar list has great chances to learn about updating exteriors, reducing energy consumption and more. Tickets are $5 for adults, but those willing to go to the website and register their email address for updates receive a coupon for $2 admission.

The North Atlanta Home Show is held February 10-12, 2012. It will be hosted at Gwinnett Center, and is a great chance to comparison shop between all the new products for your home, both inside and out. There will be a number of experts offering options and advice, as well as sharing the newest trends for home remodeling. There isn’t a seminar listing yet, but there is a full list of exhibitors and a floorplan for the show. Tickets are $7 for adults, with a $1 off coupon available on the website.

Once you’ve seen the shows and are full of inspiration, come visit your local Construction Resources Design Center so we can help make your plans come to life.

There’s certainly a happy customer in Philadelphia, who is enjoying a Saratoga Soapstone counter surface in his “MLB mancave” courtesy of DIY network House Crashers. The show turned the home’s plain jane family room into a shrine to everything baseball. You can see a great overview of the show above, and it is still airing as part of the show’s fifth season. If you prefer not to watch on air, the episode will be available for purchase on iTunes soon.

The renovation started by destroying the family room. The crew demolished a brick wall to make room for the many improvements, which spanned into the outdoors. The man cave began with a wet bar of Artisan Group Mineral Black Saratoga Soapstone with eight taps, fueled by a refrigerated set of kegs situated in the basement. The basement is accessible from a specially crafted elevator dubbed the “kegavator,” to ferry kegs and people to keep the eight taps running for thirsty Phanatics. A custom made bar top of signed baseballs in resin forms the bar on the opposite side of the taps with Philadelphia Phillies bar stools. Couches form a secondary viewing area with jerseys and huge photo posters of Citizens Bank Park.

Outside in a redone patio area is the primary viewing area with a huge HDTV screen, authentic stadium seats, state-of-the-art grill, and landscaping makeover including stadium grass. Finally, the basement was stocked up with everything MLB and Phillies: mugs, glasses, jerseys, flags, rugs and more.

It’s a great example of how Saratoga soapstone can stand out in any room. Saratoga soapstone is quarried naturally, and not treated with any synthetics so that it shows a soft color with evenly flowing veins. It is practically indestructible, so it’s the perfect surface for a rambunctious man cave or a high-test performance kitchen and everything in between.

Saratoga Soapstone is offered by the Artisan Group with a residential limited lifetime warranty, and exclusively available in Georgia through Atlanta Kitchen, Inc. The collection is proudly displayed at the Construction Resources indoor Slab Gallery at 224 Rio Circle, Decatur, Ga. 30030. For more information about Saratoga Soapstone and all the other options available from Construction Resources, be sure to visit www.constructionresourcesusa.com.

Chad Seiders, Gina Covell of Artisan Group Present the $32,000 check to Homes for Our Troops representative Marine Corporal Neil Frustaglio

Atlanta Kitchen was proud to make the Counters for a Cause national yard sale of Artisan Group a success – helping to raise $32,000 for Homes for Our Troops, a group that builds specially adapted homes for wounded veterans. By working together with fabricators all across the country, this event was made a stirring success for veterans.

Artisan Group Executive Director Chad Seiders presented the proceeds check to Homes for Our Troops representative and beneficiary marine Corporal Neil Frustaglio. Corporal Frustaglio was happy to accept the substantial donation, which will go directly to veterans, who need homes specially adapted to aid with their unique injuries. These adaptations are for both safety and mobility, to keep veterans out of wheelchairs and able to live life as they did before their sacrifice for their country.

Atlanta Kitchen and Construction Resources feel privileged to give back to soldiers that have given their blood, sweat and part of themselves to defend our rights and freedoms. This donation has been a great end to the “Counter for a Cause” sales event, and with such a considerable start we are excited to see how much we can raise by making “Counters for a Cause” into an annual event to give back.

Until next year’s “Counters for a Cause,” be sure to check our December to Remember sales event at our indoor Slab Gallery at 224 Rio Circle, Decatur, Ga. 30030, or see our wide selection on our website www.constructionresourcesusa.com.