Welcome to YK Stone Center

What a privilege to be working with some of the most recognized and artistic designers in Colorado. Kelly Carpenter from Haus Design- offers simplicity and uniqueness in the Modern/Contemporary design genre. Val, From YK Stone Center, worked closely with Kelly on this 16' bar top, which is made of Neolith material, Basaltblack is the color choice. The mitred edges are clean with very tight seams. The flexibility of this material allows for a curve of the bar be from a single sheet, creating a seamless, timeless look. This bar is a bold and dynamic statement in the room- second to the collection car ofcoarse.

(above- Val excited about the project being on the back cover of the Luxe Magazine Winter 2015 issue).

Another very proud moment for us here at YK Stone Center Inc. Once again, we are published in a world-recognized stone magazine – The Stone World Magazine July 2014 issue. Here is how it all started. In late fall of last year, as I remember, Ilya, his wife Anna and I traveled to Italy to bring back some granite & marble slabs for our stock. One particular evening while in Carrarra City was when Ilya got the news of being accepted for the One Union Station project in downtown Denver- for "Antero Resources" headquarters- managed by Mark McPherson at McPherson Architecture in Denver. It was a very happy moment for all of us, we enjoy working on large and challenging projects. He did imagined the project to be challenging with much planning and scoping, but with much research about the stone and its characteristics he was at ease and was anxious to get the project started.  After couple weeks we finally got the material –quarried in the Nevada Desert by Las Vegas Rock.., and the task began. 
For several months, YK worked overtime to accommodate the thorough and bold project of One Union Station, as well as everyday clients.      Some of you may know that it was a real challenge for us to keep up and be on the 2-week schedule, thus we had to extend our turnaround time.  Thanks to our digital software, we were able to match the direction of veining and movement of the metaquartzite stone to have the uninterrupted flow, (Ilya’s quote from the article): “When creates of slabs started to arrive at different times to our fabrication shop, each shipment was from different parts of the mountain, each piece varied in shape, character, and size. The pattern can vary greatly within a single block, so we photographed and book-matched each piece from back and front, and used slabsmith program to compose the final design of floors and countertops. It was a real jigsaw puzzle, but we made it work in a way that is both dramatic and beautiful.”  I asked Mark about the focal point in the lobby, and he said “The building lobby design for the Antero Resources was clean, light and minimalist, a transition space to the floors above. But, we wanted to give visitors a glimpse of what was to come by using Nevada Stone as a focal point in the elevator lobby. The design team was inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s 1929 Barcelona Pavilion where he used lavish stone panels in a minimalist space.” The feature wall in the buildings lobby was pieced together in a butterfly effect pattern with four (4)- 3cm slabs that measured a total of 98” tall by 120” wide to create a very dramatic and vivid statement.  “Our stone wall is the best artwork anybody could ever ask for!” Mark added.
(Below, 'before' and 'during'/ almost finished project on the spiral stairs.)

There was a total of 5,000sqft of metaquartzite material fabricated and installed by YKSC in that 4-story building. To read a full article about the project, please click here.

 

Although 2014 is halfway through.., it has given us some heavy workload and minor obstacles,  yet it has been a very blessed one for YKSC. We are very thankful for every single job that has passed through our store. Be it big commercial projects (like One Union Station in Denver + Apartment complex of 150units), or residential jobs, we have enjoyed providing our customers with our stone fabrication and installation services.
In addition to that, YK Stone Center has been featured in a Stone World Magazine- a leading source for covering the stone industry since its beginning in 1984.  Stone World magazine is based in the USA, but it is read across the globe in more than 90 countries. You can read an online article about us here. This is our second official publication in the past year., first one was in a local (Colorado) magazine 'Modern In Denver' Fall 2013. Grateful for all the opportunities.


Thank you for reading. 
Hope you all have a wonderful week/ summer- it is getting hot (with clouds).
- I'm hoping to get my GSXR600 on the road soon.

-Gina K.

Excited to introduce another color to our slab stock yard. These are 3cm Blue Flower Granite Slabs. The base color is off-white, has a few black mica biotite minerals* (a shiny rock) along with dark brown and gray speckles evenly spread out all around the stone. This granite will make a definite statement in your kitchen, be it the center of attention- on the island, or on all visible countertops.
To not to take way from the beauty of this granite we recommend combining it with light color travertine or ceramic tile backsplash. In our opinion it will go well with any color cabinet.
 
 

Here is a close up of the stone.

Side Note:
*I’ve just read that The black mica biotite has many positive uses for overall human health. When the mineral is extracted, it is used for purifying water.  Benefits are, it can eliminate calcification from the brain, lungs, prostate and breasts. It can be taken to remove candidia (yeast) from the body and can also be used to remove plaque from the teeth. Another use of it is- while oxygenating the blood, black mica can also be used to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar. Kidney stones might pass painlessly. Shimanishi also claims that black mica extract is able to stop hair loss and reverse gray hair.

copyright:http://www.livestrong.com/article/539181-benefits-of-black-mica/

We are NOT testifying about the mineral usage/ benefits above, but thought I'd mention an interesting note I read about mica earlier today. But I like the idea of the hair loss reversal... hehehe

Have a great rest of the week.
-Gina K.
YK Stone Center.

 

Excited to introduce a brand new color from Cambria Quartz Surfaces- Galloway. “Deep and mysterious like the waters off a rocky coast, Galloway lures furtive glances. It is a mix of sea, sand and time and shines like a luminescent pearl inside a rough and blackened oyster shell.”  Is how Cambria describes it.

Galloway is quickly becoming one of my favorite colors and patterns from Cambria Coastal Collection. It has a subtle flow of the warm gray toned background, then interceded by groups of clear and gold sparkly crystals. When you step back and look at the whole slab, the settlement of the crystals throughout the slab look as if there is a murmuration of starlings dancing in the sky. The movement of Galloway is random and free flowing and varies from slab to slab. The size of Cambria slabs are 120”X55” and are 93% pure quartz. 3cm thickness is always in stock, 2cm are special order and take about 2 weeks for delivery.

Advantages of choosing Cambria for your home:
1. Cambria is a Family Owned company and the only quartz surface made in the U.S.A.
2. Cambria is completely non-porous, non-absorbent, and very durable.
3. All Cambria surfaces are certified by GREENGUARD® and is NSF 51 certified.
4. Cambria has a Lifetime Limited Warranty.
5. Cambria has the look of granite and marble, also offers solid colors.
6. Cambria quartz doesn’t need periodic sealing, polishing or reconditioning.

Well, there you have it. Hope to see some of you bring this beautiful material into your kitchen and bathrooms. I recommend putting quartz material especially into kids’ bathrooms, as the material will not absorb any of the toothpaste, nor your little princess' pedi/mani kit or makeup grease/ oil. Quartz is made to withstand those conditions and more. Just use warm water and mild soap to clean up the mess. No need to worry about the upkeep of the material.

Come into our showroom to look at the Galloway 12"X12" sample as well as Cambria’s full line of colors, 103 to be exact.

Visit Cambria's official page for more info.

 
 

I'm here to announce two new colors added to our slab yard stock.  Alaska White Granite
and Fieldspatto Romano Granite.
Both are light in color and are rich in character. Not overwhelming yet enough movement to add a 'statement' to your kitchen.

We also have a lot of other materials in stock, please follow the link here.
Amarone Granite
Blue Night Granite
Verde Jaco Granite
Capolavoro Granite slabs
Rosso Fiorentino Granite
Iron Red Granite (is 80 to 90 percent iron ore)
Quartzite Harlequin
Costa Esmeralda Rose
Desert Fire Granite
Volcano/ Magma Gold Granite
Golden Stephany Granite
Esperito Santo
Precious Silver
Santa Cecilia
New Venetian Gold
Vyara Granite
Majestic Granite Leathered
Sensation Granite
Rojo Alicante Marble
Amarillo Alicante Marble
Empire Gold
Chinese st. Laurant Marble
Cosmos Granite
Emperador Dark Marble
Nile River Granite
Taj Mahal Quartzite
Coffee Imperial Leathered Granite
Calacatta Gold Marble
Carrarra White Marble
Blue Flower Granite
Fantasy Brown
as well as many remnants.
Please come into our Stone Showroom in Denver, we would love to work with you and give you a quote on any of the stone colors.


 

Happy 2014 everyone!

Neolith
When looking to do a project, whether it was a new countertop, fireplace surround or outdoor kitchen, there are many different materials to choose from and sometimes it would become a bit overwhelming.  Natural stones have always been the first choice materials in most of these projects, even when there were draw backs. What draw backs you may ask? When placing natural stones outside, they are prone to breaking down, or fading over time. Now, a new product has come to town to alleviate some of these issues. Its name?  Neolith. Neolith is a Ceramic slab, it is made by combining various clays and minerals and putting them under Extreme heat and immense pressure to bond the particles together. The end product is a very light weight and incredibly dense slab. It is 100% natural, 100% eco-friendly, and obtains its colors from 100% natural pigments that sustain with time without any deterioration. Some of the advantages of this Ceramic slab are:
-Lightweight
-Various Thickness (3mm, 5mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm *new) **
-Non Absorbant
-Fire and High Temperature Resistant
-Scratch Resistant
-Food Safe
-Never needs to be sealed
Neolith does not give off any substances that are harmful to the environment and is completely a recyclable material. The application of Neolith is endless, its solid-consistent-look and smooth to rough-concrete-feel is suitable for numerous interior and exterior applications. The small thickness on Neolith allows this product to be wrapped around and cover furniture pieces such as cabinetry, desks, showcases, and much more, also applicable on walls, floors, fireplaces, vaults, exterior walls and corridors as well as ventilated facades. Overall, this is an excellent material. At the moment it is mostly used for big commercial projects, but is slowly making its way into small businesses and residential homes. If you are going for that contemporary/ modern look with no maintenance, then Neolith is the product that you should go with. We at YK Stone Center have done many different projects with Neolith, and while it is a very challenging material to work with, the end result is nothing short of spectacular.
 The neolith product is not something that we currently stock. But we do have their samples in our showroom.
**Colorado Market will be selling 2 thickness slabs. 5mm for cladding and 12mm for surface work and places where rigidity is needed.
 

I (Gina) wanted to start off the blog with some very great news!!

1st- WELCOME to the YKSC blog (and website)! We are still in the process of updating some pages, but for the most part it has all of our current slab inventory, remnants (still being updated) sinks, edges (more coming), and recent projects for reference. I would also like to let you know about a special page, http://www.ykstonecenter.com/Granite-Denver-Client-Layout.htm, there you will find the rendering of (some / recent) projects. It is a visual countertop layout that shows you your specific stone slab that you picked out,  how big  the slabs are, how the tops will fit, which pieces are being seamed, or where on the stone you'd like your island to showoff most of its character.

2nd- We are super excited! YK Stone Center was just published in one of Denver's most read magazines... http://www.modernindenver.com/ .. It is not the first time YKSC's work is being printed, but for the first time it is an exclusive feature on YK Stone Center. We are thrilled that we have this opportunity!
With the help of all the new digital technology in the company and latest stone cutting machines, combined with our 15 year experience creating custom kitchen and bath countertops, makes us stand out from the other fabricators. "We Cut Surfaces Not Corners' is our company statement, and we strive our best to honor that on every project that we take on.  Our dedication to craftsmanship is still the highest focus, we believe in quality not quantity. With our 'Slab Smith' software we are able to match our seams almost perfect, making sure that veins of stone run accordingly and when installed- our seams are nearly invisible. Currently one of our strong points is fabricating seamless mitred edges, this type of edge looks perfect especially on kitchen island, in powder rooms, or accent furniture pieces. We have a really great fabricating crew- their attention to detail is vital in completing each piece to perfection.  Both of our Installation crews have 8 years of experience in how to properly install stone ranging from 24" vanity tops to islands that are 360" long, with mitred edging and precise cutouts for appliances and accessories.

            Well, I think I got carried away talking about our family company, this is just very exciting for us. We've been blessed with generous amount of projects and are thankful for that.
Alright, Go and get your copy of Modern In Denver, and read all about our advanced machinery and perfect installation. Page 65 Tittled "Fitting In". And after that, hope we get to meet you in our showroom for your current and/ or future projects!



Thanks for your time, untill next time!

~Gina~
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

For the past few years, the color pallet of the kitchen has turned to mostly white and gray. I wanted to share one of the homes that we've installed the natural marble in- and yes this is in the kitchen! Calcatta Marble slabs- Honed surface finish - was a direct import from Carrara Italy a few years ago. It was hand selected and shipped to our store. The kitchen design was done by our talented in-house designer Kate, the color matching and tile combination and flooring was all picked according to the clients' vision and needs. And they got just that- the finished project looks absolutely stunning. I love the open space and how the light colors make the seasonal decorations easier to match and standout. Mitred edges on the oversized island, which is composed of two slabs that are mirrored/ or have that book match design, creating a stunning piece of art right on the countertop, along with waterfall sides. Kitchen backsplash is a marble mosaic tile - a custom waterjet design from decorative materials.

Being a designer, you typically know how you want your kitchen to be, especially if you are a mom... The routine in the kitchen should be obstacle free, the inevitable toys withstanding. As you all know, YKSC is a family owned company. We immigrated to Colorado 22 years ago from Russia, and for us the most important facet of the kitchen is the island. Our island is always covered with some amazing Russian (and American) food and surrounded with bellies ready to eat. The island provided a spectacular focal point for this kitchen, with the rest of the room designed to compliment it. It looks stunning. The market has been trending towards engineered stone, but in my opinion, there is practically nothing man-made that compares to the beauty of Taj Mahal. So many of our customers agree with us that we’ve been buying containers of Taj Mahal from a local distributor who imports it directly from Brazil. For those of you who are geologically inclined Taj Mahal is a category of metamorphic stone called Quartzite, that starts as sandstone and because of its mineral make-up is harder on the Mohs scale than granite or man-made quartz and much less reactive than marble. As we often say, “there is no artist like mother nature”. No two slabs of Taj Mahal are exactly alike, and all of them are magnificent. Because of that Taj Mahal guarantees that you will have a kitchen that is unique and beautiful, we find that truly remarkable!