Best Countertops For Your Restaurant Or Bar – Which Material Should You Use?

Nearly all restaurant settings use countertops. Fast-casual restaurants take orders at the counter and deliver the food. Dinner and lunch are served at restaurants. There are bars in many upscale restaurants where drinks are served. Finding the right countertop to fit your establishment’s demands is crucial, no matter the location. 

Finding a business countertop that complements your design should be your first priority while searching for one. A showpiece made of gorgeous marble would look stunning in a fine dining establishment, but it would look out of place at a boba shop. However, there are other sturdy countertop materials that are also offered in a selection of hues and designs. According to https://denverstoneplus.com/, a company that installs the best stone countertops Denver has to offer, here are some suggestions.

Solid surface 

Because solid-surface material can replicate many natural materials, including marble and granite, many fast-casual restaurants utilize it for their countertops. It is essentially seamless and can be molded into practically any shape or design. A solid-surface countertop costs less overall, but because of its softer surface, it is less resistant to dents and scratches. Be mindful that some cleaning agents and substances might discolor solid surfaces. 

Porcelain 

Porcelain is a material that is relatively new to the American countertop market but has long been a favorite in Europe. As they are heat, scratch, stain, and UV resistant, they are ideal for outdoor kitchens. Comparing porcelain to granite and quartz, the maintenance requirements are also noticeably lower. It’s more difficult to cut, which restricts edge designs, and there aren’t as many patterns now available as there are for quartz countertops. 

Marble 

The beauty and elegance of marble have already been mentioned. It would be a great focal point in the lobby, however an eating station could require too much upkeep. Marble would not be able to sustain everyday heavy use because it is very porous and soft. Additionally, marble is vulnerable to deterioration from acidic foods like tomatoes and lemons. 

 Regular sealing is required to keep this countertop material looking good. Any spills should be cleaned up right away to avoid staining marble, which is a somewhat soft and porous material. 

 In addition, marble bar tops are better suited for them because they require a bit more upkeep to avoid stains and scratches. It is advised to use marble entirely or occasionally for bar tops (https://www.hhross.com/blog/commercial-countertops-for-restaurants-and-bars/)

Onyx 

Onyx can be your top option if you’re seeking for a countertop material that stands out and says something about your bar. In because it is translucent, onyx is really special. Onyx’s natural beauty gives commercial bar tops a posh feel when utilized in them. It is also remarkably lightweight and resilient, making it ideal for bar tops that take a lot of impacts. 

 Onyx comes in brighter hues like yellow and red as well as lighter, more neutral shades like beige or cream. Onyx presents a challenge because it is a difficult to find natural stone that may require a skilled specialist to install. 

Granite 

Granite is second only to quartz in terms of popularity as a countertop material. This natural stone requires little upkeep and can support huge loads. Granite can be cleaned with just soap and water and has a strong resilience to heat and scratches. Granite is one of the most expensive materials for countertops, though. 

Laminate 

When compared to natural stone, laminate is a less expensive option, just like solid-surface. But keep in mind not to use it as a cutting board or to set hot pans directly on it. A laminate counter also likely has to be fixed or replaced more frequently due to its lower durability and easiness to wear down. 

Quartz 

Quartz countertops are well-liked since they are available in a wide range of hues and patterns to go with any restaurant’s decor. More importantly, it is antibacterial, stain, and water resistant. Quartz is perfect for food since it is non-porous, which makes maintenance simple. It’s one of the toughest countertop materials, making it incredibly durable and traffic-resistant. 

Concrete 

Mortar and color are used to make concrete countertops, which are subsequently sealed to provide a non-porous surface. Concrete can also be molded into various shapes and embellished with eye-catching inlays to produce one-of-a-kind creations. This material, which was primarily employed in industrial designs, is becoming more and more popular as a result of its adaptability to various architectural styles, such as minimalist and rustic settings. 

Bottomline 

Regular sealing is required to keep this countertop material looking good. Any spills should be cleaned up right away to avoid staining marble, which is a somewhat soft and porous material. 

In addition, marble bar tops are better suited for them because they require a bit more upkeep to avoid stains and scratches. It is advised to use marble entirely or occasionally for bar tops. 

Guide to Choosing the Right Material for Your House

A good house design is achievable only with quality materials. Therefore, the qualities of materials are the solutions to a good functioning house since they determine your house’s overall durability, endurance, and character.

Choosing the right material for your house is deemed to be overwhelming, especially if you have never done it before. However, the following guide will provide you with insights into the materials available and what should be considered.

1. Insulation Properties

The insulation properties of materials are increasingly becoming important for homeowners. Insulation is essential in improving your house’s lifestyle and creates an environment that anyone feels happy and comfortable. There are two elements to look at the insulation property of a material: thermal insulation and acoustic insulation.

When assessing the thermal insulation of material, consider the following:

• The heat resistant ratings

• If the material suits your local area climate

• Air conditioning properties

• Eco-friendly ratings

When assessing the acoustic insulation properties, ask yourself if the material chosen will help minimize the noise that travels between the walls. This aspect is essential for city dwellers since noise can make a house increasingly uncomfortable.

2. Durability

The cost of future maintenance repairs is a significant concern for new homeowners when opting for home materials. Therefore, make sure you choose a sturdy and robust material that will last the test of time. It is essential to consult experts to determine materials that will respond to your climatic conditions.

When assessing for durability, you should consider the following:

• Repellant to corrosion and moisture

• Fire-resistant ratings

• Climatic conditions in your area

• Longevity and warranties provided

• Adaptation to different weather conditions

• Cost of Maintenance

3. Aesthetic Appeal

The taste, specifications, and needs of materials depend on an individual. Thus, you have to assess the materials that are aesthetically appealing to you. For instance, the type of flooring material you choose depends on your house’s design and materials.

The choices you make depend on the following:

• Budget constraints

• Structure of the house

• Neighborhood requirements

• Climatic conditions

• Personal preferences

4. Performance of the Materials

It is essential to choose materials that have a structural bearing of holding different types of materials. For instance, you need to make sure your building structure can support other types of roofing materials. The materials you select should provide comfort for the inhabitants without unfavorable effects such as those caused by chemical emissions.

You should consider the following when assessing the performance of your home’s material:

• The longevity of the material

• Adaptability with different house designs

• Climatic conditions of your region

• Durability

• Thermal efficiency

• Costs of maintenance

5. Energy Efficiency

The type of material determines the monthly energy bills you will incur. Every new homeowner’s primary goal is to reduce energy costs by opting for high energy efficiency materials. For instance, you should select roofing materials that keep favorable temperatures without the necessity of air conditioning.

The following are ways to determine if the material is energy efficient:

• Choose eco-friendly materials

• Materials should have high energy efficiency ratings from legitimate regulators

• Materials should have a high energy performance certificate

• The materials should have high insulation ratings

6. Maintenance

Before you decide on the materials for your home, it is essential to consider the maintenance cost. The most suitable materials are easy to maintain and manage. Maintenance helps your house stay in shape and retains its value. Appropriate quality materials typically require less maintenance than cheap standard housing materials.

7. Sustainable Materials

The focus on environmental-friendly materials has shifted to the construction industry. Hence, opting for housing materials such as bamboo, earth, fly ash, and silica fume is beneficial than using non-renewable materials such as concrete.

With the constant innovation of materials in the housing industry, it is vital that you choose the best materials for your house’s appearance, value, and durability. The highlighted factors may help you in identifying the best materials for your home.

Best Work From Home Equipment To Boost Your Productivity

The recent pandemic saw various employers and people opt to work from home. This move was a preventive measure to reduce the risk of infection at workplaces. However, this is slowly becoming a trend across various industries where people are choosing to work from remote locations, specifically at home. It is for this reason that you need to surround yourself with the right work equipment at home to help boost your productivity.

 Here are some of the equipment you may want to consider when setting up your workspace at home.

Noise Cancelling Headphones

 Working from home means working around other people. Noise-canceling headphones can help reduce echo and feedback during office phone calls for efficient communication. They also minimize distractions to help allow you to focus on your work. With this equipment, you can also set up a personal work bubble in your home. This way, the rest of the household can recognize you are at work and avoid disturbing you. When shopping for noise cancellation headphones, make sure to go over different options with a focus on the option with a microphone for office phone calls.

Laptop Stand

 Working from does not eliminate the risk of repetitive strain injuries. If anything, they may increase it. Working from home may force you to work from the sofa or desk that is of the wrong height. To beat this, you need to get a laptop stand. This one of the most cost-effective ways of boosting productivity, improving airflow to your laptop, and, more importantly, improving your posture. When shopping for a laptop stand, make sure to go for the adjustable option that is large enough to accommodate your laptop.

Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

 Working from home means setting up a workspace that is to your taste while offering the comfort you need. The workspace of your choice should mirror your office. An external keyboard can be a good addition to your work equipment. It is advisable to go for ones with longer battery life. This also applies when choosing a mouse. Working with your touchpad all day can cause tendonitis and sores in the wrists and hands. Hence, these two pieces of equipment can be just what you need to boost your productivity.

Office chair

 This is a good way of transforming your workspace into an office while boosting productivity. This investment, however, depends on how much time you will be spending working. It is for this reason you need to find a comfortable chair with the right height for your work surface. When shopping for an office chair, go for the option offering back support with adjustable height features.

Standing Desk

 Lack of movement can be credited for numerous health complications, something that can be even worse by working from home. In most cases, the only movement or exercise people engage in is walking from their workstations to the kitchen or bathroom. A good addition to your home workspace equipment is the standing desk. Standing desks have been known to boost weight loss and increase mental alertness while improving body posture.

A Wi-Fi Booster

 The internet is one of the most important things you may need to work effectively and efficiently from home. It is for this reason that you need to set up a Wi-Fi booster or extender in case your workspace is far from your router. This equipment will help boost the internet speed on your router or laptop to ensure excellent service.

Separate Monitor

 This applies if you are used to working on large screens in the office. You may feel limited with the small display of your laptop. Separate monitors can help ease your work and extend your display. These monitors come in varied shapes and sizes. Make sure to choose one that fits your needs.

BATHROOM REMODELING IDEAS FOR YOUR HOME OR CONDO

Remodeling your home or condominium can be an exciting part for some, but a stressful process for some homeowners. From the kitchen, rooms, basement finishing, landscaping improvement, to bathroom renovation. For some people, the bathroom is one of the most important parts of renovating your house. From planning, preparing the needed materials, cost, and budget, to finally making your dream bathroom a reality.

It is crucial to do the right research and knowing the rules or policies enforced within the condo board, before taking the time to call a remodeling company. Also, knowing how much it’ll cost you for the renovation and doing appropriate budgeting for the unexpected expenses. It’s better to be prepared to have a proper calculation for all the costs.

Knowing or having ideas of what design you would want is also important for the remodeling companies. As well as how much space you have or how much space your dream bathroom will take. It would also help to consult with professionals, when choosing the right materials and even with planning. If you haven’t thought of some ideas or designs for your dream bathroom. Here are some of the most popular bathroom ideas

MODERN MINIMALIST BATHROOM

A touch of minimalism to a modern design is one of the most popular bathroom ideas for houses and condominiums. A very calm and pleasing style combine with aesthetic and minimalist bathroom Even hotels do this kind of design as it reflects an elegant vibe and innovative architecture. People nowadays are getting more into places that show the real charm and creativity put within that small space. This design will take your bathroom renovation to a whole new level. Although, take in mind that making your dream bathroom into a reality depends on the style you want and the cost.

The lowered lighting and wood tile is a great combination as it contrasts with each other. The small cabinet below is a perfect place to put your necessities. Some homeowners believe that having your cabinet on the bathroom is a great thing to add to your remodeling plan. The white tile on the wall gives balance on the other material used, that creates a strong and modern touch to this minimalist design
So, if you like to add elegance yet do not take so much on your condo or house, then this design may suit you.

CONTEMPORARY BATHROOM

To maximize elegance and efficiency, this space-saving design can be a great part of your bathroom. This particular design embodies a current “up to date” design trends or style, and materials, even decoration. That is why, even without references of design from the famous post-world war II period, this kind of design is often mistaken as modern.

It is one of the most popular trends for bathroom ideas. Traditional materials like porcelain, woods, and stones are usually featured in historical designs. Because of their up to trend design, it does not mean natural or more traditional materials can’t be featured. They match more than their authentic bygone counterparts when including modern materials. Contemporary bathroom materials widely vary, but this design features a choice of materials that were just become available lately.

This contemporary design can create a sophisticated, elegant, and calm environment for your bathroom space. Defined by a simple yet elegant combination that uses modern materials and clean lines designs. The combination of different materials that you’ll be using is one major thing to consider for this contemporary design. Natural materials like stone, wood, granite, and stainless steel are the usual choice for this as it creates an elegant, captivating visual contrast that complements with each other.

So if you’re looking for a design that gives a modern with a touch of historical style to your bathroom, you might want to consider the contemporary design.

There’s a lot of ideas you can get online and offline it just varies on how much money you have, how much space you have for the renovation or remodeling, what is your purpose, and taking time to know the policies or rules within the condominiums before executing the remodeling plan.

It may take a great length of time for the renovation as you’re living in a condominium, some of your neighbors wouldn’t want the inconvenience they’ll experience while you’re doing the renovation in your own space. So make sure, to do a lot of research, go ask the condo board about what you need to know for the renovation, as well as having enough funds for your dream bathroom to be a reality.

Things To Know Before Renovating Your House

The decision to renovate your home is rewarding, but it also comes with numerous challenges. Many reasons may push you to decide to give your home a make-over. You may be looking to sell your home, and renovating is one of the many tabled options to increase your home’s value.

Home renovation makes you feel comfortable in your own space. You may have an idea for your home that has for long lingered in your mind and decide it’s time to implement your desired style. Thus, home renovation allows you to make the desired change to your home for that extra comfort and satisfaction.

The good thing about home renovation is that they allow you to learn new defects in the house. You may come across a broken pipe that you wouldn’t have known about earlier. This way, you can make the necessary repairs or replacements before the issue turns grave.

However, home renovations are not cheap and require adequate planning. Here are some tips to get you started on your home renovation efforts.

Know What You Want

You don’t wake up one morning or come across an interior design picture on the internet and decide you want to renovate your home. The decision to remodel is often deliberate and should be well thought out before taking action. Thus, it would help if you plan to approach your home renovation and manage the project successfully.

That said, you should know what you intend to achieve out of your home remodeling plan. Are you looking to sell your home? Are you planning to stay in the house for a long time? Ensure you know your intentions of renovating and whether your renovation efforts will have a long-term impact.

Budget

Home remodeling requires you to have a plan and avoid making costly mistakes. Your goal should detail everything needed for remodeling and how much it will cost. The remodeling may not be cheap, and you should take time to draw your budget for everything required for renovation.

Consider how much it will cost you to make the necessary customizations and hire a remodeling company. The renovation may not be a simple DIY task, and you will require all the expert help available.

The remodeling company should provide you with an estimate after carefully surveying your home’s state and determining what’s needed for the renovation. The estimate should guide you in planning your budget and setting aside the finances required to give your home a new look.

Renovation Knowledge

Do you have what it takes to handle the renovations yourself? Take time to evaluate the areas that require attention before you start wrecking things apart. Consider whether you have the tools and the know-how to carry out the remodeling and put things in place.

That said, it would be best to hire expert home remodelers who will come up with an effective plan to give your home a fresh look. Take a look at some of the projects they’ve worked on and determine whether they can deliver the same for your house. The good thing about working with professionals is that they have all hands on deck for the renovation and are well equipped for the project.

Hiring a home renovation company ensures that you have the right people for the job who have the required knowledge. Discuss with the renovators about what you need for your home, and they’ll work to turn your expectations into a reality. Thus, interview various contractors to know what they can offer and their prices before making the final decision.

Motivation

Besides knowing what you want for your home, it’s essential to learn about your motivation to renovate. It may be due to increasing property prices in the market, and thus, you can talk to a realtor to guide you through the house features sought after by clients looking to buy. This way, you can know which areas to pay attention to and make the necessary changes.