One of the things I’m most proud of with Sand & Swirl is that we’re always looking to get better and stay on top of our industry. I’m a firm believer that if you stop learning and stop striving to improve, (both personally and professionally), you’ll go stagnant and lose your edge. And that’s no way to live or run a business! We’re big on investing in training for our team and networking with other folks in the industry to share ideas on the new and improved along with the tried and true. That being said – we went to the International Cast Polymers Association’s POLYCON last April to do just that: learn the newest trends in the engineered stone industry and see if we can apply some of that knowledge here in good ol’ Utah. It’s our 2nd year in attendance, and I couldn’t be more pumped about the new ideas!
For trends, grayscale is still the heavy hitter, but earthtones are coming back in a big way – think reinterpreted browns and taupes in a more modern approach, like a warm grayscale! Blues and rose hues are making a comeback – I’m interested to see how this turns out – are we saying hello to the 80’s? We saw a number of companies trying out techniques that emulate the look of tile, but still has the grout-free, seam-free convenience that we love. Textures are a huge trend for the home, especially the bathroom – the mixing of materials to create that one of a kind space is really on the rise. In our cultured marble industry, we’re seeing that trend embraced with unique flakes and fillers added to the cultured product to produce a look similar to quartz, or something completely unique on its own. We’ve been experimenting on different additions the last few months (bigger copper flakes, adding some sparkle to mix), so we’re excited to see our fellow engineered stone companies approach with the trend. Another takeaway are new vanity top styles with the thicker profile/edge – we’re working on that, too! We sat through a workshop on sink mounting and got new ideas for our showroom – we can’t wait to implement them!
I have to say, it’s wonderful to share ideas with folks in your industry that have that same commitment to quality and service. We got a ton out of it and will keep attending every year, growing our knowledge base and passing the latest and greatest to our customers. At last year’s POLYCON, we made friends with a company based out of New York and have been sharing with each other ever since. What can we do to make our product better? more durable? a better installation? These are the questions we’re always asking ourselves to make sure we’re giving our best. I’ll keep sharing with you our new products as they’re developed – I hope you’re as excited as I am!
Want to see our latest colors and products? Stop by our showroom at 1339 W. 3300 S. in Ogden, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM where we can help you build the bathroom of your dreams!