Marble countertops have long had the reputation as being stunning, yet unsuitable for kitchens due to softness of the stone and the tendency it has to scratch easily. In the past couple of years, homeowners have tossed out the old reputation and have had these countertops installed left and right. Their beauty and appeal are too hard to overlook and if you're just somewhat responsible about keeping you kitchen clean, you won't have to worry about the wear and tear that can come with owning marble. Both kitchens above were designed by Southern Kitchens in Alexandria, Virginia.
Why did marble fall off so quickly? It seems like granite just stepped in and now marble's timeless nature is no more. I personally see granite as a fad and will soon join the likes of "Harvest Gold" appliances and Shag carpet. Lookout Stainless Steel, you're next!
ReplyDeleteMarble was deemed dated and tacky about a decade ago. It wasn't until recent, that we've noticed our client's love for marble coming back around full-circle. Like many current trends, it seems as though they were all poplar at one point in time - then out of style - and now back in style! Don't be surprised if shag carpet is the new wave in 2015!
ReplyDeleteDear John,
ReplyDeleteI am a HUGE fan of the blog! I was wondering if you could help me. I have a friend who is a contractor and I am getting quotes from him mmmm let's say for a rooftop deck for sake of argument. The quotes keep coming back awfully high. It's almost as if...well...he's not a friend at all. I understand he has to make a living but when he gives me quotes he has this twinkle in his eye as if I am being hornswaggled. Should I report him to Zagat or simply move on to another contractor?
Sincerely,
Sleepless in Alexandria
Mr. Vegas,
ReplyDeleteYou'd be suprised how often I get asked this very same question. My best advice would be to go out and find two other contractors of similar quality and service and ask those contractors for a bid as well. If you have an honest friend, I think you'd be surprised to find that his bid was very competitive, if not lower, than the other contractors. Please keep in mind that the other contractors you obtain bids from must have equal characteristics that your friend's company has or else it's a pointless excersise. It's unfair to compare a Mercedes to a Honda or an iphone to Blackberry. Put an Audi in place of the Honda or a Droid in place of the Blackberry and you'll have yourself a decent. comparison. I'll leave you with one more piece of advice that is very important for people to realize in today's economy: everybody should have a chance to make a living. Too often today, consumers feel so entitled to lower prices that they - in the midst of verociously negotiating a lower price - forget about the importance of companies profiting from the business they conduct. Believe it or not, it is OK for companies to be profitable. Our economy is in desperate need of more jobs/lower unemployment rate. This cannot happen if business are being force to operate at substantially lower profit margins. Now I'm not saying you shouldn't ever question a company's pricing; I'm just saying that you shouldn't fall into the trap of feeling entitled to a lower price than what is listed on price tag everytime you ponder making a purchase.
Thanks for the great question!
John
John,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. Very insightful. I agree to a certain extent. However, I think Western Civilization has been taught to accept things at face value and never question something's value. In my opinion its a cultural. You know I have always struggled with my sense of entitlement so I appreciate you telling me to get off my high horsey. Who am I to think that in this capitalistic society I should have the right to negotiate or make people compete for pricing. That would be unamerican. When you really look at it, it really is entitlement that makes me feel the way I do and that I should be given honest, fair pricing. It has nothing to do with ethics or market value. Of course I am being sarcastic and ruffling your dinosaur feathers a bit but don't you think entitlement is a bit strong? I would label it more as being "annoying". So there it is. I am an annoying shopper. I guess the moral here is to find a fit for you as the consumer. Find the perfect fit between quality of product and pricing. It probably goes the same for the contractor choosing what type of donk he wants to have as a customer as well right? It kind of reminds me of what that old knight in Indiana Jones said, "choose wisely".