Let's get Frosty!
No, I'm not talking about Wendy's chocolate flavored beverage. Though with the temperatures soaring here in Tucson it does sound refreshing.
I'm talking about AE Recycled Granite's newest Split Stone... Frost. ...and it is a beauty!
It just looks cool, like freshly fallen snow. It even glimmers like the snow on an early winter morning. Not harsh, but soft, peaceful and welcoming. It reminds me of winters in Pennsylvania, on the day after a big snow storm when they cancelled school because the plows couldn't clear the roads fast enough. The storm was gone, and you couldn't wait to enjoy the powder with your friends. Yea.. it looks like that. I'm 100% Arizonan now, so I doubt several feet of snow would look fun to me but this blend... It reminds me of the magic -- without the cold feet.
Frost is magical in another way... its AE's first Split Stone blend that, well, isn't really a blend. It's 100% one type of stone or to be specific it's actually a type of marble. Now, you might be thinking, "If it's not a blend wouldn't it be boring? Plain? Drab? Uninteresting?" My reply to you would be; First, good use of a thesaurus, and Second, no, Frost is anything but boring.
The stone is amazingly varied and not in a busy way. It has subtle color changes of white, gray, silver, misty blues and mink browns. It looks refreshing, invigorating and surprisingly cheerful. I say surprisingly, since most cool tones can be stark but this doesn't have that personality at all. Which means this stone can go into Modern design as well as Farmhouse. If you're a shiplap girl -- this is your new favorite stone to coordinate with it. If your style is Scandinavian, Olympic Coastal, Industrial, and even Southwest, Frost is for you. Let's explore how Frost works seamlessly in each of these styles...
MODERN
Modern design embodies open, bright with clean lines and an uncluttered approach to living. It should have simple edges in furniture, art and embellishments, however Modern should still feel comfortable to live in. The atmosphere should invoke serenity. I can see Frost as an entry wall, perhaps leading into the main living area of a Modern designed home. Adding stone to this normally ignored wall would create a textural balance without adding another design feature to the living space. If the entry wall is normally shadowed, or behind a staircase -- even better -- Frost would add just enough shimmer to keep it from feeling dark.
FARMHOUSE
Farmhouse design is the more organized, maybe even the little OCD sister of country style. Farmhouse invokes warmth with simplicity while relying heavily on the balance of contemporary cleanliness and rustic charm. Balance is the key to a good Farmhouse look, it should never be too stark or too cluttered, too modern or all antiques, too ornate or too harsh. A simple color palette and light wood tones help it stay harmonizing.
Frost would look great as a fireplace in the family living space. Add built-in storage cabinets on either side for symmetry. Frost will coordinate with the simple paint scheme, think Silo White from the Magnolia Home Collection, while giving balance to the comfy couch and super soft pillows in the room.
SCANDINAVIAN
Scandinavian is a style that has been around for a century. It debuted in 1918 in Denmark and quickly became popular in the Nordic countries. It had a boom in America in the 1960s and is having a resurgence now. This style focuses on simple, functional design that does not sacrifice visual beauty. Emphasize natural light, give your space a neutral color palette, use natural wood, natural cotton and stone.
With Scandinavian, I'd use Frost in the kitchen, either as the backsplash or an accent wall in the breakfast nook. I'd pair it with white cabinets, some natural wood shelves for coffee mugs, Fantasy Brown countertops and some beautiful hand thrown clay pots for plants. It would look fabulous with Benjamin Moore paint Seattle Mist. This shade would compliment the mink brown in the stone while still giving you a neutral space.
OLYMPIC COASTAL
Olympic Coastal is a new trend that keeps a relaxed beachy feel without using bold colors like typical tropical designs. Use natural woods and cozy furnishings. Paint an accent wall a muted, deep color that pays homage to the mysterious, woodsy beaches of Washington.
This style should feel relaxed, sophisticated and intimate, without feeling constrictive. Cozy but open. I'd use Frost as the fireplace stone. I'd give it a rich wood mantle, in a medium brown stain like Early American by Varathane. I'd paint the wall behind the fireplace a muted gray-blue, like Sherwin Williams Scattered Showers to compliment the misty blues in Frost.
INDUSTRIAL
Industrial is an amazing design style that at its very core is about recycling and reusing what is available. Turning industrial spaces into lofts, homes, studios and restaurants creates a foundational look that is utilitarian. Your new purpose for the space really determines what the over-layed design will be. This means that industrial design can be completely unique when finished. It can be a fusion of utilitarian and modern, utilitarian and victorian, utilitarian and boho, you get the idea. Frost would be a perfect fit for many of these fusions. I can see it in a powder room, or perhaps another interior space with minimal natural light. Perhaps as an accent wall behind a pedestal or floating sink. I'd take it floor to ceiling and accentuate the space with dark metal lighting fixtures with seedy glass and an impossibly tall mirror.
SOUTHWEST
Southwest design and a cool, frosty shimmery stone that reminds you of snow??? Absolutely. Southwest isn't all coppers, reds and yellows. This design style can be at its
most appealing when you think outside the box. Southwest also features grays, silvers, turquoise and purples. Though typically the cooler shades are used as accents, why not go bold and flip it. In a living room start with a paint color like Benjamin Moore La Paloma Gray.
I'd use rich gray, exceptionally comfy sofas, cause who doesn't like to fall into something extra soft after a hard day on the ranch. I'd use live edge wood accent tables with wrought iron bases and flank the fireplace with the Gray Wood Cabinet
from Riverbend Home.
Frost would take centerstage on the fireplace.
Let's install it mantle high and use a custom made thick wood mantle. A large art piece above would really complete the look, like Madaras painting, "Cowboy Guitar". That painting will tie in the grays and silvers and allow for pops of slate purple and muted tans as accent pieces. They would find a home in the rug, pillows and other decor. This room would be a calm, cool reflection of life in the southwest. Makes me want to curl up on the sofa with a glass of wine and a Louis L'Amour book.
Our newest blend Frost has a unique personality to the other stone blends we manufacture in Arizona. It's surprisingly welcoming for a cool blend and brings that vibe into many
different design styles. Like freshly fallen snow bringing a unique shimmer to your living room fireplace, master bathroom or even your entryway columns. For an Arizona girl, this is the kind of Frost I love! No frostbite, just a beautiful stone that can make your space totally chill!
Ready to see it first hand - reach out for an estimate and let's get started on your project!
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