I've grown accustomed to living a makeshift existence in our new home, so I still haven't gotten used to using the countertops and working sink we now have in our kitchen.

For four months, we've been using cardboard boxes, end tables and whatever other flat surfaces we could find to prepare meals and set things on. It was such a novel thing when I set a bowl on the counter the other night that I actually had to point out to my fiancee, Holly, that I was finally using the countertops we anxiously waited for.

Installing them was not an easy process, and I had a very small role in it. We had three great people lend a hand: my soon-to-be father-in-law, one of his longtime family friends and our contractor friend who has lent his expertise throughout our renovation process.

Because our home was built in 1930 and the walls are not square, we opted for a loose backsplash so we could use it to cover up any gaps caused by changes in the wall face. We chose this option over furring out uneven sections of the wall, which I thought sounded like too much extra work. We also decided against paying hundreds of dollars more for a template, which admittedly would have been the ideal solution if we had the cash to burn.

The loose backsplash actually worked great, but just barely. When we placed the order, I specifically noted we wanted the backsplash to be as wide as possible to help cover up gaps one inch, minimum. I was told one inch was standard, but the backsplash delivered to us was only three-quarters of an inch. That quarter inch makes a big difference, and almost didn't work for us. I was prepared to put up a fight with the local "big box" home store we ordered them from, but luckily, there was no need.

Coincidentally, this was the second ordering error made by this big box store. They also ordered us a left-end piece for our cabinets when we needed a right-end piece. I'm slowly losing faith in these cookie-cutter stores.

Our countertops span a corner and needed to be connected at the miter. Due to the walls being out of square, I cut into the drywall so one of the decks could slide into place, easily preventing a gap between the mitered ends. We placed the two pieces on the floor and connected them before carrying them over as one piece, dropping it into place and screwing it to the cabinets.

I actually had to leave for my real job at this point, so I avoided the horror of watching my friends cut a sink hole into our new, pristine countertops. All I know is we now have a wonderfully working sink with antique-style faucets. Our kitchen is really coming together and I can't wait to actually start cooking again. All we need to do now is finally unpack all our cookware that's been gathering dust for the past four months.

Joey Cresta is a staff writer for the Portsmouth Herald. He's always looking for tips on home renovations and can be reached at jcresta@seacoastonline.com or on Twitter at PHerald_JoeyC.

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Accustomed to roughing-it renovation

Q: My wife and I can't decide on what type of kitchen sink to get for our new stone countertops. We're down to choosing an under-mount or a drop-in. The big advantage so far is that our contractor told us that a drop-in will cost less to install. But the under-mount looks cool. Other than price, are there advantages if we install a drop-in style sink instead of an under-mount? -- Bill, Illinois A: Let's start with some basic information about under-mounts. They are usually installed on solid-surface or stone countertops because the counter edges of the sink opening are exposed. On top of looking "cool," under-mount sinks have no raised sink edges, so crumbs can be wiped directly into the sink bowl. But a drop-in sink does have some advantages as well. As you mentioned, installation can cost less because it's a less complicated process. Usually, all you need is the correct size of hole cut into the countertop, and then you drop in the new sink. Also, because drop-ins are considered the standard type of sink, you may have more colors and styles to choose from. Finally, and this is a big one if you ever want to change your sink, a drop-in sink can usually be easily removed and a new one installed in its place without disturbing the countertop.

The choice will be yours, but here's one more "under and over" bit of advice: Come in "under budget" and be "overjoyed" with your new kitchen sink! Master plumber Ed Del Grande is the author of "Ed Del Grande's House Call," the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate. Visit eddelgrande.com or write eadelg@cs.com. Always consult local contractors and codes.

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Ask The Plumber: A drop-in versus an under-mount sink

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A monarch butterfly samples a flowering plant in Joey Cresta's yard.Joey Cresta photo

The countertops are finally here; we'll be installing them today. But I'll write about that adventure after we get it done.

This week, I wanted to step outside our home and highlight our wonderful yard. Our house sits on 0.6 acres of land, which feels like plenty to me, especially when I have to mow the grass.

Our yard is one of the things that makes me feel most fortunate about where we live. The previous owner conceded to us he was never much of a handyman around the house, but he clearly had some of the greenest thumbs known to man. After moving in during the cold, bleak days of late March and early April, we slowly watched our property blossom into a display of nature's delicate beauty.

It is the "delicate" part that has me a bit worried, to be honest. On more than one occasion, I've thought to myself, "Am I going to ruin this?" I don't know much about caring for flora, and I'd be devastated if next spring the plant life didn't come back because of something we neglected to do.

But for now, I continue to marvel at and be surprised by what grows up during the year. We always knew we had the massive rhododendron bushes surrounding our house; you couldn't miss those. Their pink flowers bloomed earlier this year and have since passed us by. We really want to trim the bushes back now, because at around 13 feet high, they have sort of taken over the front of the house.

As time passed, more flowers continued to sprout up in the multiple gardens scattered around the property: orange day lilies, exquisite pink peonies, hydrangeas, lilacs and all sorts of other flowers I couldn't possibly identify without doing some research. The life they bring to our yard is palpable.

Even better than the flowers are some of the other surprises we've come across in our four short months here. First, we found the rhubarb patch out back. My fiancee has already tried her hand at making some delicious strawberry rhubarb jam. Then came the strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. As time passes, we find new treats all the time.

I feel really fortunate to have these plants growing in my backyard. What a serendipitous thing that, through no effort of my own, my gardens produce a delicious bounty for us to enjoy and share with family and friends.

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Former owner's green thumb appreciated

"The children spend a lot of time in this space," says Alicia Eddy, the unit's program manager. "They eat three meals a day here and also have three small snacks, so they are in this kitchen at least six times every day."

CBAT is a short-term residential program for children and adolescents experiencing behavioral and emotional problems. The idea behind the new kitchen is to prepare them for their return home, where, the hope is, they will continue to choose healthy foods, cook safely, and enjoy mealtime with their families. It is part of the overall treatment at CBAT, which simulates everyday activities so that patients can easily integrate back into homes and schools.

With a limited budget, the project was propelled forward by generous donations of time, services, and materials from the local design and building community. After a year and a half, the new kitchen opened last month.

Safety was a key factor in the design. For example, the oven is purposely set at the end of a long and relatively narrow space so only one person, a staff member, can get close to it. Cabinetry is no-slam and labels in drawers make it easy for the many children using the space to organize and find things. Dining tables seat four children with a staff member, and are equipped with rolling bases. "When family comes in, the tables can be moved to accommodate everyone in a homey, banquet-style configuration," says Venegas.

The range is located for optimal saftey, while the large Caesarstone countertop opposite the refrigerator forms a penninsula so children can gather and work on three sides.

Jill Adler of DiscoverTile, also at the Boston Design Center, brainstormed with Venegas and came up with a hand-cut glass mosaic of larger-than-life fruits a permanent "CBAT poster" about healthy eating. "I wanted the children to walk into the kitchen and have something to smile about," says Adler who worked with Paul Grubb of Paul Grubb Tile Co. on the custom design and installation. The orange, green, and white striped glass artwork between the kitchen's two windows was created and donated by Karole Moe of Karole Moe Art, who also is Mohr & McPherson's Boston Showroom Manager.

Proud of their new space, the children wear aprons they decorated for the kitchen's opening. Karole Moe's artwork and the bright mosaic colors inspired the aprons as well as the nameplates they created for personal food cubbies.

Other donors from Massachusetts include Gian Luca and Chelsea Arnold of Marble and Granite Inc. of Westwood who helped obtain Caesarstone countertop, Popular Painting of Boston gave the room freshly painted walls, Ron Bresse of TBR Marble & Granite Inc. of Foxboro did fabrication work, Patrick and Robert Malone installed the cabinets, Christian Jason of Boston Appliance donated the faucet, and Yale Appliance of Boston offered the appliances at a discounted rate. A hospital crew did the demolition, framing, electrical, and plumbing work.

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Hospital kitchen feels and works like home - Design New England - Boston.com

With an upbeat energy and pseudo-folk style, Jake McKelvie and the Countertops will be at the Coffeelaneds Caf, 50 High St., Clinton, on Thursday, July 12, playing original and covered tracks. Based in Keene, N.H., the Countertops have created a home base among Keene State students. Vocalist and songwriter Jake McKelvie formed this trio with bassist Nick Votruba and Jeffery Hall just a few years ago. Since then, this group has been touring from Boston to Keene and just released their first CD for an audience of hundreds in Gardner. With original tracks and lyrics by Jake McKelvie, this act is original, unique, and sure to impress.

Musical events at the Coffeelands World Gifts Espresso Caf will begin at 7 p.m. Donations and RSVPs are appreciated by optional. To RSVP, email or call Michelle Miller, mmiller@poluscenter.org, 978-733-4277.

The World Gifts Espresso Caf is a project of the Polus Center for Social and Economic Development, whose mission is to create opportunities for persons with disabilities and members of other vulnerable groups to become valued citizens within their communities. In addition to serving Deans Beans organic fair trade specialty coffee, smoothies and a variety of other cold and hot specialty drinks, the Caf is a gift shop that offers unique fair trade products from around the world. For more information on the Coffeelands World Gifts Espresso Caf go to worldgiftscafe.org. For more information on the Polus Center, go to poluscenter.org.

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Jake McKelvie and the Countertops to perform in Clinton, July 12

For those who can afford it, granite has been the top choice in countertops for years, but studies point to the growing supremacy of quartz in the marketplace. Some 54 percent of designers in a 2011 National Kitchen and Bath Association survey said their clients had requested quartz instead of granite.

There are several reasons that quartz a hard, nonporous, engineered stone is becoming a popular choice in countertops.

Because its nonporous, the chance of staining quartz is almost non-existent, said Eric Ashby, a kitchen and bath designer at Southside Lumber in Herrin.

Quartz also doesnt have to be sealed regularly to keep it protected, as has to be done for natural, porous stone like granite.

With quartz, if you get a scratch, you can buff it out, and it holds up well to heat.

For people who like a more consistent design and color in countertops, quartz is also tops.

Because quartz countertops are partially manmade, it allows more consistency in pattern and color, said Cathy Creed, an interior designer with F-W-S Countertops in Carbondale. There are two kinds of countertop people: Those who like a consistent color and pattern, and those who like the uniqueness of natural stone. With natural stone, each piece is different. Quartz works well for the first group.

The look of quartz is improving, too.

Quartz has always had a kind of dot look, said Creed. What were seeing now are the next steps in Quartz. Some of it has a river effect, with swirled, more natural patterns, like natural stone.

Manufacturers are simulating the look of granite, marble, travertine or limestone.

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Quartz is scratch- and stain-resistant choice in countertops

Norton Co., acquired by Saint-Gobain in 1990, opened its research and development center in Northboro in 1985. Now some of its 360 professionals are contributing to innovation in 55 partnerships between Saint-Gobain and innovative materials startups around the world. Among those is Los Angeles-based Grenite Sustainable Solutions, a maker of so-called sustainable materials used to make countertops.

On June 20, I interviewed Erik Johnson, a managing partner of Grenite, which sprung up in 2005 from Greneker, the 75-year-old mannequin and retail display company where Mr. Johnson is the chief executive officer.

Greneker has an interesting history. Its founder was Lillian Greneker, a sculptress in New York City whose work found its way onto the Broadway stage. From there, various department stores decided she could do a great job designing and making mannequins. Ms. Greneker moved the company to Los Angeles in the 1950s, after which it passed through the hands of several owners before Mr. Johnson acquired it.

Mr. Johnson was not pleased that Greneker and its peers lagged in the adoption of sustainable materials. The industry continued to make mannequins and displays from fiberglass and other petroleum-based materials. And Mr. Johnson decided to do something about this problem.

To that end, one of his green colleagues introduced him to recyclable materials. Specifically, Grenekers R&D labs started testing so-called refractory ceramics, which were used to insulate steel mill furnaces and glass kilns. This resulted in Grenite sustainable, engineered stone counters made of 85 percent recycled materials with maintenance-free properties that customers found quite appealing. As a result, Mr. Johnson and his partners, Randy Riley and George Cox, introduced it to Wal-Mart, an existing customer, which asked GSS to manufacture enough for the big retailer to use as countertops in more than 100 stores. Orders soon followed from other big retailers interested in sustainable building practices.

And this success left GSS at a strategic crossroad to decide whether it should go out and raise the capital needed to invest in manufacturing, distribution, R&D and service, or find a partner. Mr. Johnson decided that Greneker lacked the capabilities to manage Grenites growth internally, so he started looking for partners.

Among those considered initially were some of the traditional counter-top companies. These included Formica and Wilsonart, who were introduced to Mr. Johnson through a mutual colleague. After meeting with them, however, Mr. Johnson concluded that despite their burgeoning efforts in the field of sustainability, their infrastructures did not fit with Grenites long-range vision.

However, when Mr. Johnson met with Saint-Gobain, he realized that it was the perfect fit. From Saint-Gobain, Grenite would get a deep corporate commitment to the development of sustainable materials, along with the ability to convert his artisanal manufacturing process into a mass-production one housed at a new Saint-Gobain plant in Ravenna, Ohio. Moreover, Mr. Johnson saw an opportunity to benefit from Saint-Gobains global presence and its extensive R&D capabilities.

For its part, the 350-year-old Saint-Gobain was getting an innovative product that was consistent with the mission of one of its corporate groups. That group, called NOVA External Venturing, is an international group of Saint-Gobain analysts (founded in 2006) that identifies and evaluates startup companies for partnerships with the company. As Michael Mahoney, North American manager of Saint-Gobain External Venturing, explained in a June 20 interview, Saint-Gobain has a large annual budget for R&D and is looking for ways to commercialize it. Specifically, the company has 15 R&D centers, including the 360-person R&D center in Northboro, where Mr. Mahoney is based.

NOVA tries several different approaches to finding innovative companies that fit with Saint-Gobains vision of becoming the global reference in sustainable habitat in construction products, advanced materials, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability (including recycling materials such as wood, using green materials and improving indoor air quality).

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Saint-Gobain forms innovative partnerships

338 Spear St., San Francisco

Beds: 2 Bath: 2 Square footage: 1,2o0 Price: $5,000/month

This apartment is only steps from the Embarcadero, the Financial District, San Francisco's famous Farmers Market, and some of the city's finest restaurants. Highlights of the kitchen include stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and large windows overlooking the San Francisco skyline. Carpeted flooring lines the master bedroom, which features a master bathroom equipped with dual vanities and both a shower and a jetted tub. This unit includes a single-car parking space.

Leasing agent: Jeanne Zimmermann, McGuire Real Estate, (415) 901-2779,

jzimmermann@mcguire.com.

2187 Braemar Road, Oakland

Beds: 3 Bath: 2 Square footage: 2,715 Price: $3,600/month

Constructed in 1955, this property features a fine Oakland hills setting and exquisite interior detail, along with an ideal location. Highlights of the kitchen include modern appliances, tile countertops and adequate cabinet storage. The entryway features hardwood flooring, which flows into the grand living room and the formal dining area. A fireplace is found in the living room, along with bay windows and a tall ceiling. This property provides a two-car garage.

Leasing agent: Frank Hennefer, Wells and Bennett Realtors, (510) 485-7235, fhennefer@sbcglobal.net.

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What you can rent in San Francisco for $5,000 and Oakland for $3,600

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, KNS/2012

photos by AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL A vanity top produced by Virtuous Products Inc., made of Sedonite on Saturday, June 23, 2012. Sedonite consists of crushed recycled glass and a proprietary bonding agent that is activated with water, the material can then be cast like concrete.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess, KNS/2012

Mark Wasserman, president of Virtuous Products Inc., with a table made of Sedonite;

A Knoxville company has developed a proprietary material made from recycled glass that can be used for flooring, countertops and casual outdoor furniture.

Virtuous Products Inc. is the exclusive producer of Sedonite, named for the colorful "Painted Desert" around Sedona, Ariz. where the company was founded in 1999.

Founder Mark Wassenaar recently won the "What's the Big Idea" business plan competition sponsored by The Development Corp. of Knox County, Knoxville Chamber and Tech 2020.

Sedonite is made from crushed recycled glass bonded with a unique glue-like material that can be cast like concrete.

Unlike concrete, which can take several weeks to completely dry, Sedonite can be poured into a mold and removed within a few hours, according to Wassenaar. The water-based binding agent is easier to work with and less expensive than epoxy resins, he said.

"Lowering the production cost has allowed us to offset the increasing price of fuel. We can now afford to ship our products," he said.

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Different kind of recycler

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --A well-known Myrtle Beach family tradition, Springmaid Beach Resort, has recently completed a seven million dollar property-wide renovation.

Specifically, renovations to Springmaid Beach Resort's Live Oak guest rooms feature decor with new carpet and porcelain tile; new window treatments; new American-made furniture; new wooden cabinetry, Five Diamond Series mattresses with plush bed toppers, pillows and linens; contemporary artwork; granite countertops; all new energy efficient lighting fixtures; new appliances; flat panel televisions; and new balcony flooring. The Resort's Live Oak tower features new corridors, elevators, refurbished parking areas and newly renovated pool areas; resurfaced and tiled water features, resurfaced decorative pool decks; new pool furniture and landscaping.

Renovations to the Resort's Palmetto guest rooms feature; Five Diamond Series mattresses with plush bed toppers, pillows and linens; new American-made furniture; new window treatments; contemporary artwork; granite countertops; all new energy efficient lighting fixtures; new appliances; flat panel televisions; and new balcony flooring.

A majority of the Resort's oceanfront meetings and conference facilities have been renovated to feature new carpeting; updated bathrooms with granite countertops, lighting, partitions and decor; window treatments; updated foyers with new furnishings; and crown molding.

Resort-wide upgrades include decorative corridor flooring; enhanced resort signage; landscape enhancements with new vegetation; renovated pool areas including resurfaced and tiled water features, and new pool furniture; an upgraded fitness center with all new equipment including treadmills, elliptical, exercise cycle and nautilus weight machines, gym flooring and wall coverings.

Springmaid Beach Resort also now features a newly constructed tackle shop stocking all necessities for the perfect day of fishing on the Springmaid Pier; an enhanced General Store and renovations to the Resort's Harbor Oaks miniature golf course; as well as extensive renovations to the Resort's on-siteMarlin's Restaurant.

"We are already receiving overwhelming positive feedback from our guests on our renovations," said Don Singletary, Springmaid Beach Resort's general manager.

For more information about Springmaid Beach Resort, visit http://www.SpringmaidBeach.com.

Springmaid Beach Resort is managed by Charlestowne Hotels, Inc., a full-service hospitality management company offering innovative, yet proven expertise in hotel development, operational controls, marketing and revenue management and financial reporting. For more information about Charlestowne Hotels and to view the hotel portfolio, visit http://www.CharlestowneHotels.com.

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Springmaid Beach Resort Completes Multi-Million Dollar Renovation Project