Giving back during the holidays is very important to us here at Sand and Swirl. We feel that we have been blessed in so many ways and we truly have. Our clients are the most incredible people we know, we have amazing employees and associates, and we live in one of the most caring communities in the nation. Will you join us in helping to give back?

The Christmas Box House Charity

This year we are focusing on the Christmas Box House charity for our annual holiday donation drive. For those of you not familiar with the Christmas Box House charity, this is a place where children who are victims of abuse, neglect, or homelessness can go to seek help. If you would like more information about their important mission, I invite you to visit their website thechristmasbox.org.

How can I help?

The Christmas Box House is always seeking donations from caring citizens for normal everyday items, such as clothing, underwear, etc. After speaking with the representatives of the local Christmas Box House in Ogden, we found that it is easier to give them gift cards that they can use to obtain the specific items they need. That is what we are focusing on for our drive.

If you donate a $25 gift card we will give you $75 off of our services. If you donate a $75 gift card, we will give you $200 off of our services. If you don’t need our services, we can create a gift certificate that you could give to someone who does.

Where can I donate?

You can bring your gift card directly to our showroom in Ogden. The address to our showroom is 2620 Wadman Dr, Ogden, UT 84401. We are also doing a fundraiser for the Christmas Box House on our Facebook page.

Conclusion

Christmas is a time for celebration, especially those children who are going through hard times. I want to thank you in advance for your generosity in helping us with this charity drive. From all of us at Sand and Swirl, may you and your family have a wonderful and very Merry Christmas.

Coming up with a vision and plan is the most difficult part of any home remodeling project. If you are like me, you are mostly a visual person and can say, “I really like that look” when you see something you like. The problem that you most likely are facing is that there are very few places you can go to get ideas. That is why we have built our modern showroom: to help you get new ideas for your bathroom remodel project.

Amazing Build-out displays

Unlike many home improvement stores, our showroom is filled with modern displays of baths and showers to help you discover the vision for your home. Whether you are thinking of a beautiful, new waterfall shower, or you are thinking of a relaxing jetted tub, we have full scale samples to help the ideas start flowing.

Friendly and Knowledgeable Staff

In addition to our amazing displays, most people find it helpful to talk to someone about their ideas. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are always on site to help you discover new ideas to make your bathroom perfect!

Whether you are at the stage of just getting ideas or you are ready to start your remodel project, be sure to stop in to our Ogden showroom. We have new, exciting products being added all of the time. Let us help inspire and create the perfect bathroom for you.

When it comes to bathroom countertops, vanity tops and similar needs, cultured granite is one of the top possible materials out there. Combining a beautiful aesthetic with durability and technology, cultured granite is extremely cost-efficient and long-lasting.

At Sand and Swirl, we’re proud to offer a wide variety of cultured granite products, available in numerous styles and colors. Color, in particular, is an interesting area to consider within the world of countertops and vanities – when choosing granite materials, the color of the initial design says a lot about how you’ll complement the remaining space. Let’s look at several granite color scheme options and give a few suggestions on the complementary colors you can use when designing your bathroom remodel.

White Granite

Granite is a natural stone, meaning it tends to work best with other colors you can find in nature. White countertops are some of the most common options here, often accompanied by black veins – this scheme goes very well with stone-gray backdrops and walls, plus potentially a few other muted colors as accents.

Some choose to use blue-green colorations for their cabinets and other features, while others prefer to leave them a semi-gloss white here. And if you have wood flooring in or near the bathroom, you might also consider basic plank flooring with a strong grain.

Browns, Beiges

If you’re looking more in the direction of variegated browns or beiges, tan walls and cabinets are often the best complement here. They bring texture and variation to the area, and can add ambiance if you infuse a bit of a rustic feel into minor accents. If you’re using white countertops with gray or beige veins, on the other hand, you can use cream and grayish accents – the paler the counter, the darker contrasts should be, and vice versa.

Black or Brown Granite

Many choose to go a bit darker with their granite, shooting for chocolate brown or even black. Darker browns tend to do very well with silver accents, perfect for cabinet handles or sink fixtures. Meanwhile, you could consider coloring bigger wall cabinets straight black, with salt and pepper accents that are often associated with granite in general. If you choose truly black granite, on the other hand, you might want to go lighter with your walls and ceiling, such as beige or even white considerations.

Golden Granite

Finally, if you’re looking for a brighter appearance, golden granite accompanied by a bright mustard yellow wall can be a great choice. Many choose to accompany this with cream cabinets and similarly golden accents, including handles and fixtures.

For more on choosing the best color schemes to complement your cultured granite choice, or to learn about any of our granite or marble bathroom materials and how we can help with your bathroom remodel, speak to the staff at Sand and Swirl today.

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over a few of the most common myths out there regarding natural stone countertops like marble and granite. These countertop materials have long been and remain enormously popular for bathroom countertops, as well as several other areas of the home, but this has unfortunately led to the rise of several misconceptions that have made the rounds.

At Sand and Swirl, we’re happy to offer a wide range of cultured granite and cultured marble countertops for you to browse. From custom and integrated bowl styles to vanity countertops and much more, we’ll help you transform your bathroom space with classy, high-quality materials. In today’s blog, we’ll go over a few additional myths out there about these products.

Myth #4: Granite Isn’t In Style

We’re not sure how this one got started, but the raw numbers in terms of granite’s popularity clearly make this a spurious statement. Granite countertops are not only exquisite and beautiful, they’re also durable, strong and long-lasting.

What some are likely referring to in this area is newer forms of stone surfaces that have become popular, such as quartz surfacing. And while these surfaces are indeed high-quality and work for many people, they don’t offer quite the same level of classic touch as granite will. This product has been one of the industry’s most popular for decades, remains one currently, and will remain so for many years.

Myth #5: I Can’t Drink Dark Beverages

A common concern among those who like to enjoy a beverage like coffee in the morning, or perhaps enjoy a glass of red wine with a bath during the evening, is the risk of drinking these kinds of dark beverages around natural stone surfaces. They worry that even a tiny spill will permanently stain the natural stone, removing its pristine appearance.

But as we covered in part one of this series, this is easily avoidable with proper sealing. Sealers are designed for this exact purpose, protecting the stone while you clean up the spill. As long as you get to it within a standard period of time, there will be no stain whatsoever left over on the surface.

Myth #6: Oiling or Waxing for Soapstone or Slate

For soapstone or slate surfaces, which many people also enjoy today, there’s a myth about the application of wax or oil. While many think this is an absolute must to protect the surface from scratching, the reality is that oil and wax actually don’t provide this protection – they’re purely aesthetic concerns, darkening the surface for a deeper finish. But these materials are soft and will scratch regardless, though these scratches will blend into the patina over time.

For more on debunking natural stone myths, or to learn about any of our bathroom countertops, speak to the staff at Sand and Swirl today.

When it comes to kitchen or bathroom countertops, vanity tops or several other areas of home design, natural stone options like marble and granite can’t be topped. These stones provide numerous benefits, from their aesthetic beauty to several durability qualities that make them long-lasting and cost-effective parts of your home.

At Sand and Swirl, we’re proud to offer a variety of cultured marble and granite products for your countertops or any other design area of your home. Unfortunately, the popularity of these natural stone options has also led to a number of significant myths and misconceptions that have popped up about them – this two-part blog will work to reverse these misconceptions and give you the truth about the incredible value of natural stones like granite and marble.

Myth #1: Granite is Too Much Work

Some buyers see a beautiful stone product like granite and instantly assume it will be too much work. How can one maintain such a gorgeous surface without consistent major effort, including cleaning up spills or scratches that seem like they’d form easily on this sort of surface?

Well, as it turns out, they don’t form easily at all. Granite is one of the most durable countertop materials out there, resisting damage like scratching, heat and even chemical exposure. While you do have to clean up spills, just as you would with any other surface, there are no other major damage or maintenance risks here at all. The only upkeep you’ll have to perform is basic dusting and wiping.

Myth #2: Marble Is Poor for Cooking and Kitchen Work

Down similar impressionistic lines, many simply assume marble won’t do well as a cooking prep or kitchen work surface. But this couldn’t be further from the truth – in reality, marble is wonderful for several kitchen prep areas because of how cool its surface remains even in the face of heat.

This means that if you’re rolling out dough in between moving around hot pans or other heat sources, there’s no issue with material quality. Many bakers actually demand marble surfaces to work on, as all they require is basic cleaning to provide you with a high-quality prep surface.

Myth #3: Sealing Misconceptions

There are two broad myths on either side of the sealing spectrum when it comes to natural stone:

• “Natural stone requires constant, expensive sealing.”
• “Natural stone never needs to be sealed whatsoever.”

The reality, however, is between these two myths. Natural stone countertops will be sealed for protection against spills and other damage when they’re first installed, and then should be re-sealed roughly once a year – perhaps a bit more or less often if you use the surface particularly often or less frequently. This also may depend on the sealant, as there are modern sealant solutions being offered today that offer lifetime warranties and may not require any re-sealing after their initial application. Our professionals will guide you in the direction of the proper seal for your countertops.

For more on debunking the myths surrounding natural stone countertops, or to learn about any of our cultured marble or granite products, speak to the staff at Sand and Swirl today.