Dwell Home Venice: Part 19

In this series, Sebastian Mariscal designs a home in Venice, California, that brings the outside in. We track the project from start to finish with future resident Michael Sylvester. Part 19, March 2013: Installing the Caesarstone countertops.

For the countertops and backsplashes in the bathrooms and kitchen of Dwell Home Venice we selected Caesarstone in Organic White 4600 with a polished finish.

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Caesarstone is comprised of natural quartz aggregates combined with pigments and polymer resins. After the raw materials are blended together, they are poured into a mold which forms a slab that is 120x57 inches. The slab is compacted by a vacuum and vibration process at a pressure of 100 tons and then cured in a kiln which is heated to 194ºF for 45 minutes. The final stage is polishing which delivers a remarkably strong, durable and beautiful product.

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The vanity in the master bathroom is ready for the Caesarstone to be installed. The top portion of the vanity is a plywood sub counter which the Caesarstone will rest on.

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This bathroom countertop and front apron have been fabricated off-site. This will be installed as a single piece, with the backsplash added separately.

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For each countertop, the opening for the sink was cut at the fabricator’s workshop. In this image one of the openings is fine-tuned on-site.

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A freshly installed Caesarstone countertop with backsplash and front apron in a guest bathroom.

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The master bathroom vanity with the Caesarstone apron, counter and backsplash installed.

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Mounting one half of the kitchen backsplash. The opening in the foreground countertop is for the gas cooktop.

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Lifting the Caesarstone countertop onto the kitchen island. A template provided by the sink manufacturer was used to cut the opening for the sink at the correct size and location.

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The kitchen island countertop is settled into place. We will drill holes for the faucet and food disposal switch after the adhesive has hardened.

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Guy Katz from Caesarstone came to check on the installation and to clean up a small mark on a counter which developed during fabrication. Guy has an array of special restoration and cleaning products, and also expert knowledge of Caesarstone’s material properties.

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Michael Sylvester
Michael Sylvester is a writer who lives in both Los Angeles and an aisle seat, preferably in the exit row.

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