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[caption id="attachment_338" align="alignright" width="300" caption="This bar table is perfect for small spaces and casual dining."][/caption]

Traditional marble furniture may feel too heavy for people with modern design tastes but the durability, shine, and natural beauty of marble makes it an irreplaceable design element. Jardan solves that conundrum by creating a table that appears lightweight and modern but is still unmistakably marble.

Australian designer Nick Garnham of Jardan was inspired by the breezy, fresh motifs of the tropics when designing the Iko table. The marble table tops are finished with a bullnose edge (rounded and smooth). Since no two slabs of marble are identical, each surface is unique. Choose between Carrara and Calacarra marbles. The bases are constructed of solid American oak that can be completed with 7 standard finishes. The wood is painted in a variety of bright and cool speed stain colors.

The tables are sold in numerous sizes and heights that are ideal for any size kitchen, kitchenette, dining room or outdoor eating area. Think outside of the box by using these tables in gardens and living areas.

Marble and Granite provides an array of natural stone products and services. Contact us at 866.950.8443 or visit our website at marbleandgranite.com for details.

Source: designmilk

The National Kitchen & Bath Association has released its 11 Kitchen and Bath Trends for 2011, and on the list is quartz countertops. Though granite is still the most popular countertop option, quartz countertops such as Caesarstone are taking some of the share of the market.

Caesarstone is an engineered stone surface containing ground up pieces of quartz held together with a resin to form a durable solid surface. Consumers like Caesarstone because it is more affordable than granite and comes in a wide variety of colors to match interiors. Quartz countertops are most popular in kitchens, but they can be used in bathrooms as well.

Besides countertops, designers and product manufacturers are using Caesarstone in a host of creative applications, including texturized Motivo wall panels and Sonobath vessel sinks, which are both available at Marble and Granite Inc.

Want to get in on the quartz countertop trend? Caesarstone countertops in Sandalwood are on special this month at Marble and Granite Inc. while supplies last because they are being discontinued.

As trade show season in the design industry is underway, 2011 kitchen trends are emerging. The new Living Kitchen trade show, billed as the first International Kitchen Show, has kicked off in Cologne, Germany, and we want to take a look at how design and technology are evolving in the coming year:

• Kitchen layouts are changing as kitchens become part of the living space


• The evolution of the "smart" kitchen, which feature "integrated sound systems, LED and digital lighting concepts as well as remote controls and electronic cabinet opening mechanisms"


• Matte finished surface and countertops create the natural, organic look that is popular


• Kitchen colors are being selected to create either a warm atmosphere or high contrast


• Classic style cabinetry is making a comeback as a backlash against the minimalist look


• Energy-saving and integrated kitchen appliances in simple black and white.

For the latest kitchen trends sent straight to your inbox, sign up to receive e-mail updates from Marble & Granite Inc. in Westwood, Mass.