When Vaughn and Carol Van Zant of Marysville set out to remodel their kitchen, Carol Van Zant wanted not only a space that would serve the way they lived, but also something original.
“I didn’t want to be typical,” she said. “I wanted to be different.”
Van Zant knew her countertop choice would make a huge impact in their extra-large kitchen with practically double the countertop space of the average kitchen.
After looking at a variety of granite samples, Carol Van Zant decided to take a radical step: She decided to go gray.
Specifically, she chose blue-gray slab granite called Azul Aran, one of the more expensive granites on the market with a coarse grain and chunky-looking crystals.
The Van Zants, of course, could have saved money by going with an old standby for granite such as Absolute Black, but Carol Van Zant wanted a lighter tone and an interesting stone.
Today, not only is she thrilled with the color, texture and easy cleanup, but she also appreciates the heat resistance.
“I love it because you can take something right off the stove and set it right on the counter,” she said, adding that she’s careful when it comes to spills of wine and cooking oils, which can leave stains if left on the surface for too long.
“Isn’t that a gorgeous stone?” said Jodi Hiatt, co-owner of Marysville Everett Ceramic Tile, which installed the Van Zants’ granite slabs. “When the sun hits it, you can see all the little granules sparkling. It is very pretty. I think a lot of people don’t get it because it is a little on the expensive side.”
When purchased as a 12-by-12 tile, Azul Aran goes for about $40 per square foot, compared with $11.50 per square foot for Absolute Black or $9 per square foot for other grays, such as Luna Pearl and Rosa Beta.
Slab prices, on average, are usually double those of tile prices.
Though the cost of slab granite was worth it for the Van Zants, many customers are opening up to granite tile for counter tops because they want the look of granite on a tighter budget.
Grout lines, meanwhile, have shrunk from about 1/8 of an inch to razor thin, about 1/32 of an inch between tiles, which makes for easier maintenance and a much cleaner look, Hiatt said.
“Our store and our installers are tightening the joints,” she said. “They’re extremely tight.”
Van Zant chose a cast-iron, double-deep, undermounted sink by Kohler to go with her slab granite. Its gray blush coordinates with the granite, flecked with gray, white and black fragments.
Hiatt said grays, an increasingly popular hue in fashion circles, haven’t taken over mainstream interior design just yet.
“Gray is a neutral color,” she said, adding that the hue can go with just about anything. “Carol’s home is a perfect example. She’s been able to put different colors with it.”
Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@heraldnet.com
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