Beyond the Countertop

There’s probably no one with a more accurate finger on the pulse of quartz design trends than a busy countertop fabricator and installer. Jon Mancini, owner of Boston Counters, an award-winning custom countertop fabrication and installation company based in Woburn, MA, installs residential surfaces all over the Boston area—including the counters and backsplash in the spectacular kitchen highlighted in Cambria Style’s Summer 2022 Issue. That project, he says, shows off two of the biggest quartz design trends today: the waterfall edge and the full-height backsplash. Here’s Mancini’s expert insight into those two quartz-installation trends and more:

• Waterfall Edges: “These have been popular for a while, but they’re holding on strong. Cambria has a great range of really dramatic patterns that help a waterfall-edge island become a focal point.”
• Full-Height Backsplashes: “They create a contemporary look and they’re very easy to clean,” he says. Some designers Mancini works with choose a very simple pattern, while others use one with a lot of movement to create drama.
• Accent Walls and Showers: Vertical quartz applications are hot outside the kitchen as well, Mancini says. “That full-slab, large-format application in a shower or on an accent wall is a great way to make a really big impact.”
• Fireplaces: “We’ll often use Cambria on the fireplace and take the cladding all the way up to the ceiling for a bold look.”
• Bookmatched Slabs: “Whenever we’re talking about a vertical application we look into bookmatched slabs because they just look great—so graphic. Of course, there’s an art to placing the material so you maximize its impact and don’t end up with waste.”
• Large-Scale Patterns: “Cambria has more bold patterns than other brands. While we see a lot of marble-look patterns specified for showers, designers are really going big with dramatic, large-scale patterns on feature walls.”

Beyond the application trends Mancini mentioned, Cambria can also be used on the floor, on furniture, in backlit applications, and more. Ready to think beyond the countertop? Find your own unique application inspiration here.