When Hurricane Sandy hit their factory at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the entire place was under water. Their forklifts and machinery were ruined. Six months later, though, they are back to work.. due in large part to the company’s own workforce. An amazing story! For the details please read this recent article in the New York Times. Congratulations, IceStone!

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We had the opportunity to see and touch their new ultra-compact product, Dekton. For more information about Dekton, please click here.

 With new colors available, it’s going to be a great year for Silestone, Eco, Dekton and all the Cosentino products. Please call your sales person to schedule an exclusive look at the brand-new product!

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Cardinal Kitchens has responded by increasing both our granite and quartz selections. Our 2013 granite palette has expanded to 34 patterns including 10 new stones.
20 of our 34 stock colors are in our Group “A” price category. All are in stock for viewing at our facility. 

We have also made special arrangements with LG Viatera to fabricate 3 exciting quartz patterns exclusive to Cardinal Kitchens.
Along with these 3 patterns we will also be offering 3 additional colors at introductory promotional pricing.

I know everyone is excited about what appears to be an upward trend in our industry. Cardinal Kitchens looks forward to providing you
with products that will help to grow your business.

If you are a current Cardinal customer, your Sales Rep will contact you soon to make arrangements to deliver samples. For more details, please contact us directly!

The post New colors for 2013! appeared first on Cardinal Kitchens.

Recently, we had the opportunity to exhibit at the 2013 AIA CSI Trade Fair in our hometown of Louisville, KY.

Our Booth

Displaying our brand-new textured granite product

We met with people from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and also the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and their local chapters. It was great getting to know so many new people.

Additionally, we had the opportunity to meet with Mayor Greg Fischerabout his vision for the city.

Mayor Fischer shares his vision.

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Chuck O'Koon, President & CEO

An entrepreneur at heart, Chuck returned from his army stint following college in the 1960s to join his father in an already established, family-owned, local baking company, The Tasty Cookie Company. In 1971, Chuck found himself with a wife, a mortgage and a 2-two-year-old son, but in need of his own business. With a hunch, and a leap of faith, he and his wife, Sarah, put everything on the line and bought a 5-person countertop operation.

The first years were challenging – Sarah worked in the office and Chuck worked in the plant part of the day and then would change into a suit later and go out on sales calls. Their first big breaks came from the building boom of local apartment complexes needing a quality, durable countertop product. Over the years, Cardinal Kitchens has installed countertops ranging in product from laminate to solid-surface, quartz and granite, and most recently their brand-new textured granite. Their projects range in size from airports, hospitals and college dormitories to projects as small as residential kitchens and bathrooms.

Since that day in 1971 when Sarah and Chuck purchased the business, they have grown Cardinal Kitchens to the leader of their industry in this region. They’ve expanded their operation to 65,000 square feet and have evolved their workforce from five to 75 employees – many of whom have been with the company for more than 30 years.

Our operation

While other countertop shops have developed over the past few decades, Chuck O’Koon and Cardinal Kitchens remain as the largest and most well-known fabricator and distributor of countertop products in this area. The company’s constantly evolving innovative ideas continue to bring new customers and repeat business to Cardinal Kitchens. With the company’s systems and “can do” attitude, it is able to service large, commercial projects.

Throughout the past two years, Chuck and Sarah, together, have also developed Cardinal Concepts, a division of Cardinal Kitchens, meant to service the interior design community. With more hands-on support, this division can service the most discerning client.

At the core of Chuck’s being is his ability to run a company based on instinct, to offer cost-effective, smart solutions, to make confident decisions and to continue to move forward. As his two grown children and five grandchildren will tell you, his mantra in life has always been to continue putting one foot in front of the other.

Sarah & Chuck O'Koon and their five grandchildren

The post Experience, innovation and family – the secrets behind Cardinal Kitchen’s CEO, and his success. appeared first on Cardinal Kitchens.

Silestone… it does not have to be JUST for countertops. Check out our recent installation. This client designed a brand-new kitchen with red Silestone not only on the counters but in the floor. If you can dream it, we can create it.

Thanks to Stephanie Kersey, AKBD at Home Depot Hurstbourne in Louisville KY for her design and photographs.

The post Getting creative with Silestone (TM) – design the kitchen you want! appeared first on Cardinal Kitchens.

We, at Cardinal Kitchens, are always looking forward for the next “greatest thing” in the countertop world.  We do the research for you…

It started with the introduction of Corian, THE acrylic solid surface for years.  Then, with the innovations in mining, shipping, and fabricating granite, the price and abundance of natural stone became a dream achievable!  Quartz surfacing came on the scene a little over ten years ago in the midwest and began to rival granite sales with it’s consistent color palettes, non-porous material, and ultimate sustainability…

So we asked ourselves, what’s next??

It’s Textured Granite!
After some painstaking research, we discovered the surface everyone will want.  Have you ever noticed how beautiful granite is in the yard in the big slab, propped up and uncut?  Of course you have!  Once the granite is fabricated and installed,  it is sometimes difficult to see what the color or interest is from a distance.  Because of the high gloss, you often only see the “shine” until you’re on top of it and can actually see the top.

Textured granite is the answer!
Imagine the rock in a natural finish.  Completely sealed with all of the same benefits as the traditional granite, but a deeper, richer, more vibrant look and feel.  A greener look!

How is the look achieved?
We use specially designed pads or buffers to create four distinct looks (listed below). These pads “bump” over the granite to give the stones these varying finishes:
Honed:  a matte finish
Brushed (wet and dry):  a textured, silky finish with wet being darker than dry
Riverwashed:  a deeper texture than the above finishes that looks just like an empty riverbed whose water ran over the rocks for eons making them smooth and brilliant.

Can all granite colors be used to make these finishes?
Yes! Any color of granite can be converted into any of these gorgeous styles.

Is the care and maintenance different from traditional granite?
NO! Your textured granite is installed pre-sealed with all of the benefits of traditional granite. There is no special handling or care required.

It’s affordable!
Cardinal Kitchens has not only done all of the research for you, we are also committed to helping you grow your business! We want to be your best business partner.  Because of our  complete confidence in our textured granite, we have priced it to sell. (you guys insert your promo here).

The post What is Textured Granite and How Can I Get It… appeared first on Cardinal Kitchens.

STONE UPDATE

Stone People: All in the Surfaces

TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2012 02:51 pm

Meet the Cardinal Leadership Team

Chuck O’Koon President

I welcome you to my Cardinal blog.  Cardinal Kitchens & Commercial Surfaces has been your one stop for all your countertop since 1971. Time to put a face with a name. Below, I’d like to introduce you to our leadership team.

Chuck

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