Contemporary Stone & Tile Design kicks off the New Year with a look at kitchen and bath design. Whether a renovation or new construction, stone and tile remain a consistent choice among homeowners for various applications in these living spaces. There are not only seemingly endless product options in colors, shapes, textures and sizes, but stone and tile also provide the necessary durability – especially in areas such as kitchens and baths that are prone to getting wet and staining.

I have been writing about stone and tile for more than two decades. Through the years, I have interviewed countless architects and designers, spoken with many countertop fabricators, builders, and stone and tile distributors, and visited numerous quarries. But although I have that under my belt, when it came to my own kitchen and bath renovation last year, I still found it a bit overwhelming when it came to making decisions on just about everything – including product selection. I’m fortunate that my husband and I had a reliable contractor that could answer our questions or point us in the direction of experts who could. And I also was able to seek the expertise of stone and tile industry professionals that I know.