Building Traditions In Stone

It wasn’t that long ago that our options for kitchen countertops were limited to ceramic tile and laminate materials. Granite and other natural surfacing materials seemed out of reach except for only a fortunate few.

Things have changed since then, and now it’s common to see granite countertops being offered at prices that are within reach for most of us. As any homeowner that is remodeling a kitchen or bath knows, there are many options for countertops but few stand the test of time like granite. In a word—there is no equal.

For Lynn and Trey Warnock of south Charlotte, granite was the only option when it came to remodeling their dream kitchen.

“Our old kitchen had Formica countertops on the main food prep areas and ceramic tile on the island,” said Lynn. “It was real throw back to the 1980s, so when we gutted our kitchen and had custom cabinets installed, we knew granite was the best surfacing choice for our family’s needs.”

The Warnocks demolished a wall that ran between their kitchen and family room. In doing so, it allowed them to expand their kitchen island. They decided to follow a popular trend in kitchen design—use a more formal cabinet style and countertop on the island, while making the main food prep areas another countertop option with a second cabinet style.

“We entertain a lot and invariably, our guests end up in the kitchen area,” said Lynn. “By going with a more formal island area for countertops and cabinets, we were able to use this space as a transitional area from our kitchen to the rest of the living space.”

Once the cabinets were installed, they turned to Harkey Tile and Stone, one of Charlotte’s most experienced granite fabricators, to make the vision come true. For three generations now, the Harkey family has been helping hundreds of Charlotte homeowners and builders with their natural stone needs. Along the way, they have earned a reputation as one of the most trusted names in the industry.

Recently, Harkey opened a new design center just minutes from uptown that carries one of the area’s best selections of natural stone and ceramic tile.

“Unlike a national retail chain, we offer consumers more choices and better customer service,” said Reid Harkey. “Despite the popularity of natural stone, buying stone countertops can be an intimidating process that requires education. We suggest consumers look at an entire slab of granite before purchasing the material.” Harkey noted that color choices and stone variations can be dramatic. Buying 75 square feet of stone by looking at a 6 inch product sample is not only foolish, but does not leverage consumer buying power.

For the Warnocks, this buying power translated into having enough kitchen surfacing materials to use in a guest bathroom. It also formed the foundation for a relationship that has blossomed.

Recently, the Warnocks built a second home in the mountains near Boone and once again, called in the Harkey design team to help with kitchen and bath countertop options.

“Their customer service, pricing and craftsmanship were impeccable,” said Lynn. “In fact, my sister is also building a house in the mountains and she is using Harkey Tile and Stone for her home as well.”

Now that’s what we call “building traditions in stone.”

Harkey Tile & Stone is located minutes from downtown at 1226 Central Avenue. They can be reached by calling 704-334-0512.