Charles Luck Stone Center Kitchen Countertops
24 August 2010
“All Together Now”
One of the things that happens during bad economic times is that families tend to cocoon a bit more than they have previously, and a lot of us find ourselves emphasizing more basic interests and concepts, especially those that revolve around families. In that regard, kitchens as gathering rooms is pretty much a natural, because it’s the one room in the house in which families come together.
Actually, when our home was first built, the kitchen was an isolated room, but when the original owner remodeled it, he added a large family room that butted to the kitchen, and installed a L-shaped peninsula counter that became the heart of both kitchen and the adjacent family room. When people come over they always sit up at that counter, and they stay there until it’s time for dinner. One of the things we particularly like is that there are no hanging wall cabinets over that peninsula countertop, as this would have simply restored the kitchen to its original isolation. But in such a setup, the countertops become particularly important. One of the things I absolutely insist upon in our new-kitchen-yet-to-be is a solid surface, because I’ve had my fill of tile and grout, but beyond that there is the wow factor we all want for our kitchens if we’re able to get it. And with that I can talk abut a wonderful company I came across just recently on the Internet.
Charles Luck Stone Center is a family-owned and operated business headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and like so many family companies that can stretch back several generations (they were founded in 1923) they take an immense pride in both the type of work they do and the manner in which they do that work. They believe that stone has a tradition and legacy that deserves their respect, because it is nothing less than a product created by the earth itself. The other thing I found myself respecting about their company philosophy is that they feel a “profound responsibility to make certain that the excavation, transportation and labor that yield this amazing product are ethical, socially responsible and environmentally sound,” a sentiment I very much applaud because I am beginning to gather some horror stories about the kind of conditions under which those who work overseas obtain the stone that goes into our homes.
The other thing I like about the company is what first drew me to them, their products, because they seem to have cornered the market on gorgeous stone countertops. Marbles, granites, limestone, quartzite and travertine: they have it all, gathered from every corner of the world. But in doing so, they remain true to the concept of simple, purposeful design executed with meticulous attention to detail.
I think what most fascinates me about stone is the infinite variety of it, both in 
the types of stone itself (marble, etc) to the coloration to the sweep of the grain itself in the stone. As a woodworker, I think of grain and figure (which is the word for wood that has taken on unusual properties because of things like spalting) being things that are related only to once-living things like harvested wood. On one of their WebPages they say: “Stone is nature’s building block. Stone has stories. Stone takes us places. Stone endures.” And they’re right.
From my standpoint, as I said, any solid countertop will be a marked improvement over the tile I have now, but stone brings to any kitchen an element of wow that is difficult to achieve with any other material. It makes the otherwise humdrum spectacular. More than that, it makes the simple act of sitting at a counter an occasion, an event, a happening, something in which people wish to participate. With these countertops from Charles Luck Stone Center, your honored guests feel almost privileged to sit at the counter, as does your family on a daily basis. And suddenly, your kitchen counter, and your kitchen, has been transformed into that most marvelous of things, an item that helps bring us together.
Joseph
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3 Responses to “Charles Luck Stone Center Kitchen Countertops”
August 24th, 2010 at 10:26 AM
I love stone as well. I like the variations and the spectacular effects that you can only find in natural products. That’s also what I like about wood – unstained naturally finished wood of course.
Joe
September 20th, 2010 at 11:34 AM
A bit of a delayed response, but thank you so much for featuring Charles Luck on your blog. It is always an honor to be written about and we love when our philosophies and passion for natural stone resonate with others. I’m impressed that you’ve been able to keep up the daily post – that is a huge commitment and I’ll enjoy catching up on your entries!
Thanks again, Heidi
September 20th, 2010 at 5:41 PM
Thank you for your comments. You’re very kind.