There are so many different materials to choose from now when it comes to interior design. Some of our favourites are engineered stone and porcelain for a luxe look that also is extremely user-friendly compared to natural stone options.
We can go on and on about how much we love it, but thought to get our friends at Stone Ambassador to provide a deep-dive into these beautiful products so you can consider these for your next interior design renovation or new build!
Q. What is engineered stone?
A. Engineered stone refers to a man-made stone surface, however in Australia the most widely known “Engineered stone” is quartz, which is typically made from around 90 – 93% natural quartz and bound together using a polymer resin, creating a durable and long lasting surface material which is fantastic for a number of internal applications.
Q. What are the advantages to having engineered stone vs. a natural stone product?
A. As one of the largest consumers of quartz surfaces in the world, Australian designers, builders and cabinet makers are specifying engineered stone over natural stone due to its far higher resilience to stains, scratches and spills. This is due to quartz being a much harder material than most natural surfaces (eg- marble) as well as being far less porous than their natural counterparts.
Q. We've been seeing a lot of porcelain finishes being used lately. How does this compare to engineered stone?
A. Porcelain, such as our Vasari Italian Porcelain Surfaces range, really is the next evolution in stone surface design. Porcelain is redefining the industry with a completely non-porous, heat proof, scratch, spill and stain resistant product, that can be used in an incredibly wide array of applications indoor AND outdoors (alfresco BBQ surrounds, pool coping and exterior building cladding).
Q. When it comes to longevity, would you recommend an engineered stone or porcelain?
A. Both our Vasari Italian Porcelain range and Stone Ambassador quartz range are incredibly durable products, both of which will last for many, many years with the right care. However, for a truly carefree surface, one could look to consider porcelain as suitable option.
Q. Are there particular types of engineered stone finishes you'd avoid depending on the space it's used for? E.g. kitchen benchtops surrounding the oven or sink?
A. With the right care and attention, any engineered stone finish can be suitable for 99% of applications. However, for something with a little less maintenance, a polished finish is an easy solution, whereas matte and textured finish surfaces can be slightly more porous, therefore requiring a more regular cleaning regime than their polished alternatives.
Q. What is the best way to clean and maintain your engineered stone or porcelain benchtops?
A. Stone Ambassador care a great deal about after installation care and that’s why we provide a complimentary cleaning and care kit post warranty registration, which contains our own specially formulated crème cleanser, a Stone Ambassador microfiber cloth and dedicated cleaning and care brochure which links to our website with video and downloadable care guides. Use these products combined for any stubborn stains, or nothing more than our microfiber cloth and warm soapy water for general cleaning. This will help keep your Stone Ambassador benchtop looking just a beautiful as the day it was installed for many years to come.
Q. What is your standout favourite Stone Ambassador/Vasari product at the moment and why?
A. Our Vasari Italian Porcelain Surfaces “Sub Zero” is definitely a crowd favourite for us here at Stone Ambassador. Offering a beautiful matte OR polished finish with a vein styling that doesn’t compete with other elements of the house, but has it’s own distinct identity that will elevate any space it’s used in to create total wow factor!
Q. For those that are budget-conscious, is there a Stone Ambassador/Vasari product option you can recommend that offers a "luxe look for less"?
A. Absolutely. We have just released five brand new colours to our Stone Ambassador range, including two colours in our “Prestige” range called Raiden and Marbella. These two designs are a great alternative for those where our higher range products may be out of reach, but are still looking for a beautiful, minimal maintenance, marble-look design on a budget.
Q. What's the best way to get an understanding of the overall pattern of engineered stone/porcelain products Stone Ambassador/Vasari offer? Do you have a showroom?
A. Stone Ambassador have five dedicated showrooms all around Australia (Perth, Gold Coast, Melbourne x 2 & Adelaide), which offers the definitive stone selections experience. With full slabs on display and our friendly, local teams eager to help, our display galleries are the absolute best way to see your slabs in person before installation or make the selection process easy.
Take a look at the Stone Ambassador website and pick out your favourite design for your next renovation or build - it will be hard to choose, trust us!
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