Wow what a crazy, uncertain time right now!  Now, more than ever, we need each other. We need each other for truth, for support and to feel less alone during a time that can honestly feel quite scary.

Our willingness, as a people, to step up in the face of what we are all experiencing with COVID-19 is awe-inspiring.   

We are being told to self isolate and engage in social distancing. That means many of us aren't leaving our homes, unless we truly need to.

We truly believe our home is a place of refuge and hope you can love your space while you turn to family and friends in an era of social distancing.  ​

​Perhaps we can think of some fun things to do, that otherwise we might have not had time to do.
 
Here's a few examples:
 
Decor ideas:

• Re-style our bookcases
• Re-style our mantle tops
• Paint an accent wall
• Spray paint old items: a fresh coat of paint really brightens things up! Perhaps an old picture frame or vase?
• Edit your home, declutter
• Rearrange your furniture
• Try swapping draperies from one room to another
• Make pillowcases for your throw pillows with, left over fabric. Or look here for some great ideas! 

 
Cleaning ideas:

​Let’s all be there for each other OK?  I’ll be posting lots of great ideas of what to do design-wise while staying inside, on my "Jil Sonia Interior Design's Facebook group."
  We’d love to have you join us! 
 
Keep safe and remember to have fun!

Need Countertops?  Are you building a new home? If so you might be interested in learning about the different countertop options.

There are several countertop options to choose from, here are some of the most common ones that I specify for my interior design clients.

Engineered quartz:  this is by far the most common type of countertop that people are installing in their new homes. Natural quartz, one of the hardest and most common minerals on Earth. It is the most durable, beautiful countertop on the market today. It also has anti-microbial properties, making it food safe and because of its dense structure is does not require any sealant (as does granite).  They pulverized quartz and mix it with a resin to hold it's shape.  Usually the ratio
will consist of 93% stone aggregates by weight and 7% resin. 

Important note:  there are several budget countertop suppliers that do not have the same  quartz/resin ratio as the top three engineered quartz manufacturers. These suppliers may have more resin added and less quartz. ​I strongly caution my clients to stay away from any of the lesser priced/ budget manufacturers. The quartz is often not food safe and they can stain very easily.  I have a client who selected a budget priced engineered quartz on her own and spilled turmeric on the countertop. Unfortunately, it stained the surface and it was very challenging to remove. She did get some of the stain out but you could still see it mildly embedded in the surface of the engineered quartz.
With low cost quartz you may find:

• spots and smudges
• shade differences on the same slab
• small holes in the surface
• inconsistency in thickness (due to lack of slab calibration)
• tainted surfaces and superficial resin coats (done to cover up porous surfaces)
• more resin, less quartz

The top three engineered quartz companies I use are Caesarstone, Silestone and Cambria. I find Cambria has more 'Granite looking' countertops, some clients like that but as a designer I find them quite busy looking and I prefer a more classic looking countertop.  Personally I love Caesarstone as I find that they have great patterns that are simple but classic looking and they have great colorways without splotches of resin in them (which can make them look like a brownish Gray blob).

​Wood:  We occasionally use it for kitchen island countertops, not usually for the perimeter as it's not good with water.  But it sure looks beautiful!