Australians love their outdoor kitchens and with our beautiful sunny weather who can blame us? Whether you’re throwing a chilled Sunday afternoon barbecue or wanting to entertain guests in a completely decked out backyard kitchen, the outdoor kitchen island can help create a stylish and functional space for food preparation.

We’ve put together 14 great outdoor kitchen island ideas to suit any design preference, style, space and budget.

1. Natural Stone Blocks

We love natural stones and incorporating stone blocks into your backyard kitchen design in the form of an island is an excellent idea. Natural stone doesn’t just look amazing and perfectly match a natural backyard aesthetic, it’s also inherently durable when exposed to the outdoor elements.

There’s plenty of opportunity to still customise your natural stone kitchen island in terms of tabletop and other incorporated features. More on that later on.

2. Reclaimed Wood

Another way in which you can retain a natural aesthetic and design style in your outdoor kitchen is through reclaimed wood. There’s a lot to be said by using this building material. It’s an affordable and stylish option and of course gives previously used timber a new lease on life, making it a highly attractive environmentally-friendly option.

3. Stainless Steel

Like your indoor kitchen, an outdoor kitchen island is bound to see it’s fair share of liquid, spills, food and even rain. A stainless steel island topped with a concrete countertop or steel from top to toe offers peace of mind with unrivalled durability and resistance to wear, tear, corrosion, staining and damage. 

4. Outdoor Splashbacks

If your outdoor kitchen island design includes a sink area, an outdoor splashback offers an opportunity to inject style, colour and personality to the space. There’s plenty of scope to customise a splashback as well. Stone tiled splashbacks can come in all sorts of shades and tones and the tiles themselves can be arrayed in a variety of patterns and styles.

5. Waterfall Countertops

If you’re looking for big, bold outdoor kitchen island ideas you can make quite the statement by opting for a waterfall countertop. Popular indoors and outdoors, this impressive looking design turns your island benchtop into more than just a functional table. The flowing aesthetic is an impressive, sleek style of outdoor kitchen island you’ll be sure to love for many years. 

6. Multiple Tiers

A smart way to make the most use out of your outdoor kitchen island design is by incorporating multiple tiers. A two-or-more tiered island allows you to utilise space as a benchtop, introduce a bar-like area and make the most of both vertical and horizontal space.

When entertaining, it offers a perfect area for you to busy yourself with food prep while chatting to your visitors who are standing or–with the addition of outdoor bar stools–sitting at the island. 

7. Long, Curved Island

This outdoor kitchen island idea requires a bit of space but is an excellent solution if you’re wanting a ton of surface space to incorporate a food preparation area, dining room, a sink or two, grill and more.

A long curved island brings together the functionality of a stove (barbecue) top, kitchen benchtop, sink, and dining table. The curved shape is not just a nice little way to spice up the visual appeal of the island.

It means you can fit even more chairs or people around the island. Plus, if your backyard kitchen has a fire pit or some other central feature, you can effectively yet subtly highlight the centrepiece with a long, curved island running halfway around it. 

8. L-Shaped Island

There’s a minimalist quality to a stand-alone rectangular island and aesthetic and functional benefits to a long, curved kitchen island. Someway in between the two is a classic L-shaped kitchen island. You can easily fit in any extra features you want (think bar fridges, pizza ovens or an extra burner or two) with the additional space without having to sacrifice any of the space you need reserved for other essential activities. 

9. Built-In Barbecue

Built-in barbecues are very popular and there are a couple of ways in which you can incorporate a complete grill into your outdoor kitchen. If you’re tight on backyard space or find the thought of a self-contained kitchen island unit that can be completely closed up and shut off, you might want to consider putting your barbecue into the island itself. With some clever design and accompanied with smart storage solutions, it’s not necessary to compromise on too much of your food prep space either.

10. Integrated Bar Fridge

What’s a luxury outdoor kitchen without an integrated bar fridge? Whether for easy access to an ice-cold beer or chilled bottle of white wine, or convenient storage for various cooking condiments and ingredients, an integrated bar fridge is an excellent idea for your kitchen island. Subtle and practical, it’s a must-have.

11. Outdoor Kitchen Bar 

Turning your outdoor kitchen island into a bar might not be suitable for everyone, especially if you have young kids, but there’s a really appealing quality to a long, thin, high kitchen island looking over a pool area or backyard. Set up with some bar stools and delicately accessorised, you can easily picture you and some friends relaxing like you’re on holiday while the barbecue or pizza cooks away behind you. 

12. Highlight With A Skylight

If your outdoor kitchen is situated under cover, be it a pergola, patio or permanent shade fixture, one way to bring out the shine in your kitchen island is by placing a skylight directly overhead. You get all of the benefits of natural sunlight without exposing you and your outdoor kitchen to the weather. When the sun’s overhead, the natural light filtering through will also help you enjoy extra strong visibility while preparing food on the bench. 

13. Strip Lighting

There are many ways to incorporate lighting in your outdoor kitchen. Some stylishly arranged strip lighting, LED or similar, placed considerately along, beneath or above your outdoor kitchen island will kill two birds with one stone: it will add practical lighting to the space and also look amazing, especially when entertaining at night. Many strip lights offer different colour options so you can adjust the colour based on the type of event you’re hosting.

14. String Or Party Lights

An affordable way to bring some life as well as light to your outdoor kitchen island is through strung up party lights. Carefully hung above your kitchen island, much like the skylight, you’ll enjoy both the practical benefits of extra lighting (particularly necessary if your backyard isn’t well lit) and the ambient atmosphere that party lights can bring to an outdoor kitchen.

Let’s Talk About Your Backyard Kitchen Design

There you have it: 14 amazing outdoor kitchen island ideas to help inspire you. The Euro Marble team is always happy to chat about different ways you can improve your indoor or outdoor space. So why not contact us today and let’s talk about your outdoor kitchen design.

Wanting to update your kitchen while keeping the costs down is one thing but knowing how to update an old kitchen on a budget is something else. Your kitchen is a central space of the house and is likely to be frequented by family, friends, guests and visitors of all kinds.

So knowing how to upgrade your kitchen without overestimating how far your allocated funds can stretch is the key. Before you get started taking the sledgehammer to your kitchen, check out our top ten pieces of advice for updating kitchens on a budget.

1. Keep Your Existing Layout

An easy way to keep your kitchen upgrade costs under control is to refrain from extensive renovation in the form of changing your layout. When you start modifying the layout of your kitchen you start messing with the plumbing, electrical works and a whole lot more. By keeping the structure of your kitchen intact and the same you can focus on making your money go further by zeroing on the smaller things that still make a big difference.

2. Hold On To Your Appliances 

A lot of people who catch the renovation bug, start itching to replace everything in their kitchen on the inside and out. Before you start getting rid of the toaster, the sink and everything in between, consider using your budget on the smaller items that are going to last longer and have a greater aesthetic effect in your kitchen, such as the tap and finishings. 

3. Fittings and Powerpoints

The devil is in the details, and so is the best way to keep your kitchen upgrade costs down. Small changes to the seemingly insignificant aspects of your kitchen can work in tandem to create an overall amazing effect. Think brand new powerpoint covers, fresh switches for the light, covers for your windows and even some new fittings for your lights.

4. Paint, Paint, Paint

No surprises here: painting is probably the most simple and popular way to cheaply update your kitchen. A fresh coast of paint can inject new life into even a worn kitchen space. Depending on your budget you can opt for just a bright change of colour palette for your window and door frames. You can paint over timber cabinetry or add a splash of bold colour to the walls. In fact, you can even paint the floor of your kitchen with a bright yet neutral shade to add lightness and liveliness to the entire room.

5. Introduce A Splashback

Splashbacks offer a lot more than just a practical addition to your kitchen. It brings an affordable way to add a bit of personality to the space and refresh the overall look. There’s plenty of opportunity to customise your splashback too beyond just the colour:

You can use natural stone, stainless steel, or brick in a wide variety of patterns and layouts. All of this without breaking the bank as well.

6. Focus On The Cabinets

Your kitchen cabinetry offers a lot of surface area to work with. Replacing or resurfacing the cabinets, including the doors and the fronts of the drawers, enables you to transform your kitchen into something exciting, fresh and new without costing an arm and a leg.

The important thing to remember is to get cabinet doors and fronts that fit over your existing structures so that you minimise the amount of work that needs to be done and necessary structural changes.

7. The Benchtop Can Achieve Wonders

At the centre of your kitchen (if not physically than functionally) is your kitchen benchtop. Of course, it’s no secret that we don’t think anything looks quite as amazing as a marble or natural stone benchtop, but there are a ton of alternatives for homeowners. Even if you do nothing but redo your benchtop–whether a complete replacement or a simple resurfacing–you will be bowled over by the way it completely changes your entire kitchen.

8. Light It Up With Lighting

You need solid lighting to work in a kitchen, but your lighting also provides a perfect opportunity to change up the entire space without impacting the back pocket. Nowadays, fashionable and bold lighting options can be found online or instore at affordable prices. You can choose soft yet bright lights that infuse your kitchen with a welcome feel.

Or you can add a sophisticated design element in the form of a pendant light or similar. Alternatively, consider bringing the 21st century to your kitchen with smart-bulbs that are controllable through our phone. In truth, you can actually choose a combination of any of the above: it’s surprisingly affordable. 

9. Remove Impeding Walls

If you’re ready and willing to get stuck into some structural work, there’s an easy way to update an old kitchen on a budget: Remove some of the walls that get in the way of a wide, spacious-feeling kitchen. 

You’ll immediately feel the difference between having an open and easily accessible kitchen compared to the worn, tight, old kitchen you might be used to. Don’t worry, we know what you’re thinking: You don’t have to completely give up on the storage space those walls may have contained. Floating shelves, metal brackets and other smart storage solutions can help you have your storage cake and eat it too when it comes to your kitchen renovation on a budget. 

10. Add Some Decorative Accessories

An integral aspect of effective interior design is the choice of accessories and other decorative objects. There’s no limit to the options available to you and plenty to suit all preferences, budget sizes and kitchen spaces.

Lamps, artwork, mirrors, ornamental dishes, woven decorations or antique appliances are just some of the many, many options available. Of course, you can mix and match with styles and change your accessories whenever it suits you.

Contact Us Today To Find Out More

Would you like to discuss even more ways in which you can keep the costs associated with updating an old kitchen to a minimum? Or do you want to walk us through your plans and have our reno experts weigh in?

Either way, give the Euro Marble team a call today on (02) 8585 2999.

There’s a lot to consider when you’re looking to refurbish, replace or rejuvenate your kitchen. One popular way to breathe new life into an old and worn kitchen is by focusing on the kitchen cabinets.

Kitchen cabinets take a lot of beating over the course of their lives. Being the centre of the house and the hive of activity in the home, the kitchen sees its fair share of wear and tear. The kitchen cabinets are no different. 

Yet deciding that giving your kitchen cabinets a makeover is only the first of many decisions. You still need to decide whether or not to go down the replacing or refacing kitchen cabinets path.

Both options offer positive benefits and negatives, and both are good options for transforming your kitchen. So, what exactly is the difference?

What is Refacing?

Cabinet refacing has been a popular method of renovating kitchens for a long time. Basically, refacing your kitchen cabinets involves the installation of just new fronts to your drawers and doors. Instead of replacing the entire cabinetry, refacing is about replacing the exterior veneers. There are three main methods of refacing kitchen cabinets but we’ll go into that a little later.

What is Replacing?

Replacing kitchen cabinets involves the entire removal and–as it sounds–replacement of the existing cabinets and/or drawers.

Doors, drawers and the interior are all expertly removed (most often by professionals) and replaced from top to toe. While there are plenty of pros and cons to replacing, replacing is an effective way to gut and rebuild a kitchen into something completely new.

Resurfacing vs Replacing: A Breakdown of the Pros and Cons

Refacing Kitchen Cabinets: The Pros

Flexibility

There are multiple ways to reface cabinets and drawers in a kitchen depending on what suits you.

1. The simplest way is to just remove the doors and fronts of the drawers and replace them with an entirely new veneer. This of course comes ‘dangerously’ close to just plain kitchen cabinet replacing.
2. Alternatively one can just place new wood panelling or laminate sheeting/veneers over the front of the existing exterior.
3. One last method of refacing involves neither the replacement of panelling or veneers. Rather by refinishing and repainting the existing cabinetry you can rejuvenate it effectively through simple aesthetics.

Cost

Refacing kitchen cabinets is absolutely the cheaper of the two kitchen renovating methods we’re covering. Less material and less labour all adds up to savings of up to 50% with refacing cabinets costing as little as half the price of replacing.

Cosmetic and Aesthetic Only

If your kitchen is looking a bit worse for wear but isn’t actually compromised structurally or functionally, there may not be a reason to gut it from the inside out. Refacing your kitchen cabinets when the actual cabinet and drawer boxes are still in good shape and working fine is an effective, efficient way of making the most of your budget, time and energy.

Convenience

By refacing, you’re just replacing the outer, exterior part of the kitchen cabinets rather than the whole thing. This means that the entire renovation process is quicker and more pain-free. Moreover, you won’t have to move all your appliances, dishes and other items necessarily to get the work done.

More Eco-Friendly

With less material being ripped out and thrown out, cabinet refacing is the more environmentally friendly and less waste-causing option.

Refacing Kitchen Cabinets: The Cons

Expense

While still cheaper than replacing, the refacing kitchen cabinets cost you could be facing is still extensive if you’re re-doing the entire kitchen. While it will add value to your home, it won’t be quite as high a renovation in terms of value as full replacement.

Doing-it-yourself

Many people think that refacing their cabinets is going to be an easy job. The truth is that it can actually be quite difficult. It’s not as easy as simply taking off some doors and popping on some new ones. There’s a steep learning curve involved and doing a professional job can require a lot of skill and experience.

Finding Professionals

Refacing cabinets was once a much more popular way of renovating a kitchen. As full-scale replacements have increased in popularity, the number of professionals and companies offering quality refacing is becoming smaller and smaller. Finding the right professional tradespeople can be more difficult than expected.

May Not Work

All of the pros of refacing only apply if it’s even an option. Kitchen cabinets that are just too old, worn, broken or rotted may not even be in a state that can be saved through refacing. Replacement may be the only option in those instances.

Replacing Kitchen Cabinets: The Pros

Effective For Broken Cabinets

If your kitchen cabinets are broken, ruined, worn, rotted or just unusable, replacing them can be your best option. It doesn’t matter whether the interior structure or boxes are still solid. If you have the budget for a full-scale replacement, you can bring your kitchen back from the brink.

Flexibility In Layout

Unlike refacing kitchen cabinets, replacing allows you to restructure the entire layout. You can add on, re-shape or just tweak the kitchen however you see fit. Refacing is just the replacing of the veneers of the cabinetry, whereas with replacement there are far fewer restrictions in what you can achieve and do.

Complete Refresh

If you have the budget for a full cabinet replacement, nothing will quite refresh your kitchen like a cabinet replacing. From the appearance to the feel to the layout, your kitchen will feel like an entirely new space with all new living opportunities. 

Add Value

More so than just refacing, cabinet replacement will add significant value to your home. Replacing will add valuable functionality and aesthetics to your everyday living but also prove to be a smart and worthwhile investment down the line.

Professional Availability

While you can try do-it-yourself, if you prefer the safer route of going with professional installers there are plenty of available experts in the industry to help you get the job done.

Replacing Kitchen Cabinets: The Cons

Cost

While we included the price discrepancy in the pros of refacing, it’s worth restarting here. The cost of replacing kitchen cabinets is going to be significantly more than the alternative. There’s a lot more work to be done, a lot more effort involved and a lot more material that needs to be bought, sourced and installed. The flip side as we mentioned is of course the extra value it will inject into your home.

DIY Difficulty

Yes, it might be possible but cabinet replacement is anything but easy. From the sourcing of the actual drawers and cabinetry, to the heavy lifting and installation involved, you’ll need to have adequate skill and experience in do-it-yourself projects.

Plus, remember that ensuring the precise levelling of cabinets beneath structurally sound benches is very, very important. So if you’re going to do it yourself, make sure to do it right.

Still Not Sure? Give Euro Marble A Call!

There are plenty of pros and cons to both replacing and refacing your kitchen cabinets and drawers. Your preferences, budget and objectives will all help determine which option is right for you.

Need some help? We’re here for you. Just give us a call on (02) 8585 2999 or get in touch online today.

Marble is amongst the most popular choices of natural stone for flooring in homes. The elegant sophistication of this stunning material has been and will continue to remain in style for generations to come.

If you’re considering marble flooring for your home, there are many, many options and opportunities for customisation. While many people choose darker coloured marbles to really help make the floors in their house pop, the classically lighter marble has always been the more frequently chosen. In this article we’ll outline some of the most popular and best marble flooring design styles for light marble.

White, light and bright

White marble offers a lot by way of design and functionality. If you’re a fan of minimalist and scandanavian design but don’t want to go down the dark, bold colour scheme path an open concept white marble floor is the way to go. The white stone will reflect the natural light that enters a room and will help make your entire house brighter. Keeping an all-white tone of marble across the space allows you to choose whether you want larger tiles or smaller but more intricately patterned marble stones, which takes us to our next design idea.

Add some mosaic to your marble

If you love the look and feel of white marble but want to add some depth, you can opt for a mosaic marble floor. Marble is extremely versatile, especially stunning Italian marble, and can make for a stunning display in all manner of patterns: herringbone, hexagonal, fish scales or oriental. While more intricate mosaic designs can make your floor seem busier, the light marble shading will keep it from being distracting or overwhelming for you and your guests.

Wide and veiny

Carrara marble is extraordinarily popular for use as stone floor tiles. The grey-silver cloud-like veins that run through this stunning stone break up the whiteness and lightness, and infuse an element of depth into the floor. An excellent idea for incorporating this marble into your home is by using large, flat and square tiles throughout the entirety of the room, be it a living area or a bedroom. The grey veins will not only look like a million bucks but they will often even play with your optical perceptions and make the room feel like it’s growing out from under you and lengthening. 

Checked black and white tiles

Many people don’t realise this but marble comes in a whole variety of colours, not just white and grey. One of these colours is black. Now, we promised from the top that we’ll be sticking to light marble colors for flooring but one way of introducing a bit of a funky yet elegant design into your lighter flooring is by strewing some (small or large) black tiles in a checkered pattern amongst the white. The benefit of this style is that it adds a contrast of marble colouring while keeping the iconic royal look that everyone loves.

Stripes and sheathes

Striped marble tiles or sheaths can liven up a plain marble stone floor effortlessly. Much like the natural milky veins of marble, particular types of this stone offer even more variety and boldness in the overlaying design. Take for example our exclusive licorice marble. The longitudinal lines create a rather striking pattern without sacrificing the lightness of shade or the modernistic look. Striations in marble offer a lot of opportunity for you to add a bit of colour and character in your marble flooring, all while keeping it tasteful and seamless.

Light blue and white

Another colour option, if you want to add something other than white, grey or black, is blue marble. While some home owners love the dreamy light blues inherent in this particular natural stone, others prefer to incorporate light blue marble flooring within a white tiled border. Elegantly arrayed this bright style will add eye-popping colour without sacrificing the airiness you’re wanting to achieve by opting for light stone. Blue marble is particularly well suited for integration in bathrooms and laundries.

Earthy brown marble

Brown marble might not seem intuitively like a lighter flooring option but, like all marble, the brown stones come in a variety of shades. Light brown marble arrayed in large tiles across a room can achieve a unique balance of warmth with its earthy undertones and brightness with its shiny, smooth appearance. If you’re a big fan of the wooden look, there’s even a type of marble stone called teak wood that is sure to have you head over heels. 

Go for gold marble

If you want your marble flooring to look and feel fit for a king, few ideas can go toe to toe with a gold and white marble flooring pattern. Pure luxury in execution, gold and white are perfectly complementary colours of marble that can be set out in exquisitely complex patterns or can be tastefully designed with minimalism in mind. Either way, a golden marble look will gleam in the sun and keep your flooring light and fresh looking.

Conclusion

Thanks to the wondrous nature of marble stone flooring and the many differences in design, tone, shading and colour, there are plenty of light marble flooring ideas for your home. Whether you’re looking for something unique or want a style that’s tried and tested, there’s a ton of variety that is bound to look amazing however you integrate it.

Would you like to discuss any of the ideas outlined above in more detail? Or do you want to explore some entirely new and different ideas? The Euro Marble team can’t wait to dig into the details of all things marble stone flooring. So give us a call on (02) 8585 2999 today!

Using jet black granite in your commercial project may just be the wow factor you’re looking for. Granite and other natural stones come in a variety of different colours but black offers a unique aesthetic, a powerful impact and a special feel when used in construction, architecture and interior design.

Black granite is among the most popular stones in home and office designs and, due to its durability and luxury look. Suitable for traditional and modern decors, jet black granite oozes sophistication and power with a combined elegant etherealness few other materials offer. 

Knowing just how to use jet black granite in your commercial project for a wow factor however is certainly very important as you can both overdo it or under-sell it.

What is jet black granite?

Black granite is a natural stone that’s been used in construction for thousands and thousands of years. It offers numerous valuable properties, including being particularly reflective of the sun. Available both in tiles and slabs, this dense material is used in a variety of applications in both residential homes and apartments and commercial offices and workspaces. 

Jet black granite is the darkest black colour granite comes in. This pure black variation is also becoming increasingly common. Often referred to as absolute black, pitch black, or Nero Assoluto jet black granite looks refined, high end and exquisite. 

Why choose jet black granite?

You don’t choose a stone material like jet black granite unless you want to make a bold statement. Whether used internally or as part of the exterior, jet black granite stands out and can be a positively arresting image that will draw the eye and certainly impress. 

Modern, sleek and utterly luxurious, jet black granite provides a striking look to elevate just about any space or area with a unique, bespoke aesthetic. That’s not it though: black as a colour and black granite as a material are not bound by fluctuations in fashion. This is one style that won’t fade or look dated ever. 

A big selling point of black granite is that it’s versatile in its complementary design in both colour and texture. Much like clothing styles, black matches, blends and suits just about any other design. Subtle uses of jet black granite can enhance the other colours already incorporated in the surrounding area and it can stand out as its own feature. Inside, outside, floors, countertops, wall cladding… There are  numerous applications for both commercial and residential spaces.

Moreover, black granite requires very little by way of maintenance. Resistant to heat and water, it’s a durable and easy to clean material that will not only last but look great for a long time.

How do you use jet black granite in a commercial project? 

Black as a colour works best when incorporated in minimalist colour combinations and in conjunction with hard yet smooth design lines. When you’re putting together the design for your commercial project you’ll probably be thinking about whether you want to go traditional and opulent, modern and innovative, industrial and striking, or contemporary yet understated. No matter what impression you’re aiming to achieve in your commercial space, there are plenty of opportunities to incorporate jet black granite.

Kitchen countertops

Kitchen countertops are understandably most commonly associated with residential homes. As commercial spaces and offices become more and more accustomed to incorporating home-like elements, like end-of-journey features or lounge/breakout areas, the commercial kitchen is becoming equally more important. A badly designed kitchen can stick out like a sore thumb in an office or commercial kitchen space. 

A polished countertop will add both a sense of depth and versatile colour without requiring you to redesign or rearrange the rest of the space. Jet black granite matches stainless steel perfectly as well, which is why it makes for a great commercial option.

Office bathrooms

Commercial bathrooms can be a sticky issue design-wise. Black granite allows for professionalism in design and yet sophistication in aesthetic in a part of the office that is often neglected and yet used by everyone every day. 

On a practical note, granite is impressively resistant to heat, water, and humidity, so incorporating jet black granite is a win-win option. One important thing to note is that many commercial bathrooms don’t have windows or if they do they’re opaque and block natural sunlight. Bear in mind how much natural sunlight gets in and how strong the electrical lighting is when designing the bathroom.

Flooring

When it comes to creating a “wow” factor this is as bold as it gets. Black-coloured floors can add a sense of intensity to a commercial space while still ensuring a sense of richness and vitality. Commercial spaces are often designed to impress newcomers, visitors, clients or customers and nothing will make an impression like gleaming jet black flooring. Much like the bathroom option, it’s recommended that you keep the black granite flooring to spaces beside large windows with plenty of sunlight. 

Feature walls

A common design component of modern offices and commercial spaces is a feature wall to both break up monotone aesthetics and add a sense of character. There are lots of options for feature walls but nothing quite screams high-class, impressive professionalism like a subtle yet striking jet black granite feature wall. These walls can feature in both open plan offices, in a private office or even as a backdrop for bathrooms, kitchens or lunch rooms.

Outdoor cladding

So far this list has been focused largely on internal design options for your commercial space. There’s no reason to confine jet black granite inside. Your outdoor wall cladding offers a tremendous canvas upon which to add a wow factor. Jet black granite looks absolutely stunning in direct, natural sunlight and it won’t look worn or tacky when exposed to the inevitable dust or water.

If your commercial space is near a thoroughfare or exposed to traffic, jet black granite will be a head-turning feature to help put your business in front of more and more passing people. It’s a surefire way to stand out in public. 

Let’s talk all things jet black granite

If it’s not clear by this point it’s worth mentioning that jet black granite is astoundingly versatile in application and magnificent as an aesthetic design. We know that some people are hesitant when it comes to the boldness of black natural stone but are still curious as to how black granite can be used to bring a real wow factor to their commercial project. If you’d like to find out more about this amazing material, get in touch with our marble-loving team today.

There’s a lot to take into account when choosing materials for your house renovations. Of course you want the aesthetic to suit your style, taste and the design of the rest of the home. Additionally, you want long lasting and durable materials (hello, natural stone!). An important consideration to take into account is the climate. Home materials can make a huge impact on the comfort and practicality of your home. 

Before embarking on a home renovations project, it’s important to understand how different materials and house modifications will affect your ability to keep a home insulated and heated in cold climates and cool in warmer climates. The right materials should complement the climate you’re living in and add to your level of comfort. How do you choose the right materials for the Australian climate? 

Let start off with a brief summary of what the Australian climate is.

Australian climate

We’re a pretty big country as it turns out and so there are actually a number of different climates. Northern parts of the country are more tropical in climate with hot and humid summers followed by warm yet dry winters. Southern areas tend to see hot and dry summers with rainier winters.

The general climate zones can be summarised in the following categorisations:

– Hot humid summer with a warm winter

– Warm humid summer with a mild winter

– Hot dry summer with a warm winter

– Hot dry summer with a cool winter

Material choice

External walls in particular, as well as the roofing, make the largest impacts on a home when it comes to climate suitability.

Commonly used materials for increased insulation include roofing tiles, Colorbond sheets, bricks, weatherboards, and polystyrene foam and more. These materials are widely used across Australia to offer both insulation in colder winters without creating a hot box during the summer.

Of course, depending on the specific climate your home is in, the ideal material or combination of materials will fluctuate. 

Colour choice

As a general rule darker colours absorb heat and lighter colours reflect it. This is why dark rooftops are not ideal for particularly warm climates, like much of Australia. Light coloured materials, such as bricks or natural stone, are strong choices for warmer climates that don’t experience anything beyond a mild winter.

Glass

Glass, of course, is a key component in all homes, but the clear float glass that is commonly used in windows does not offer much insulation for colder climates. While extensive glass panelling might look lovely, make sure to take into consideration how cold it can get in the winter. There are ways of improving the insulation of glass windows including thick curtains, replacing generic glass with higher insulating types, and double glazing. When renovating on a budget, you may want to make your glass-related decision based on the costs required in ensuring further insulation. 

Of course, on the flip side large windows can also heat up a house quickly in the summer by allowing the sunlight to filter in unobstructed. Again, if you’re dying to use large amounts of glass, glazing and blinds are always good starting points to mitigate excess heat from sunlight. 

Moisture and heat damage

Understandably, a lot of focus is given to how hot or cold you’ll be inside your home based on the materials used. There are some other climate-related factors to consider as well: how much damage will the heat and humidity (moisture) cause to your home? The best materials for building or renovating a home will protect against moisture damage and heat damage and mitigate the long term costs to you.

Some material-related ideas to help combat this include:

• Stainless steel/aluminium fasteners to reduce rust
• Permeable indoor wall coverings to let moisture escape
• Vapor barriers under the house
• Elevated foundations 

Insulation

Much of Australia is beset by rather hot summers which makes having the right insulation materials absolutely vital. Ideal insulation materials include:

• Cellular glass
• Plastic foam
• Mineral wool
• Fibreglass 

Using natural stone

Natural stone is a commonly used material in home design and construction throughout Australia. Of course, much of this has to do with its luxury aesthetic, long term durability and application versatility. Yet thanks to the high energy density of natural stones they also offer great thermal conductivity. Natural stone can come in a variety of colours so choosing the right shade for your specific climate is easy.

Limestone

Limestone remains nice and cool no matter how hot the temperature is and its light colour allows less heat absorption and more heat refraction. It’s a wonderful material for pool areas or outdoor renovations.

Travertine

Like limestone, travertine retains its coolness and while it does come in darker and more complex shadings/patterns than limestone it offers the same environmental benefits.

Granite

Granite, surprisingly, can be very cool and is used commonly throughout Australia. Of course, the darker the granite the more heat it will absorb.

Marble

Marble is a unique natural stone but its light shading and subtle veining allows it to both refract sunlight to keep your home bright without absorbing and retaining too much heat during the summer months.

Quartzite

Quartzite comes in a wide variety of colours so finding the perfect shade for your climate isn’t hard at all. If you’re in a particularly hot climate, it will definitely be worth investing in a lighter colour of quartzite than one of the darker shades. 

Talk to an expert

Australia is the lucky country for many reasons and our sunny, lovely climate is just one of them. Yet, it can still get rather hot, rainy, or cold, so making sure you know how to choose the right materials for the Australian climate before designing, building or renovating your home is very, very important.

Always talk to an architect, designer or construction expert so that you can find the best material for you without sacrificing your visual preferences or aesthetic style.

When it comes to marble, granite and any other natural stone, make sure to consult the Euro Marble team. We don’t just know which stones look prettiest, we’ll be able to advise on which will function best for you too.