We had the pleasure of working with some amazing people with this project: MSI Surfaces, Adventures in Mom Life, Jana Corrie and Interior Designer Shauna Ward, to transform an outdated kitchen into a dream come true with the beautiful MSI Surfaces Calacatta Idillio Quartz Countertops. The following blog post is from the perspective of Jana and her experience remodeling her kitchen with Rocktops. We were so excited to be a part of her journey and thankful for her letting us share her story!

Calacatta Idillio Quartz: From Drab to Fab

Before and after kitchen remodel, I’m smitten. I love coming home and walking into this gorgeous room. It is lighter and brighter and even better than we could have possibly imagined. I am so thankful to have worked with such amazing partners in Rocktops and MSI Surfaces, who provided the beautiful Calacatta Idillio Quartz countertops. All views and opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Countertops are a big investment, and I knew they would be a focal point for our remodeled and updated kitchen. My vision for our kitchen transformation was lighter and brighter. A home remodel can feel overwhelming at times, and having that simple goal or key theme to keep coming back to helps throughout the renovation process. The team at Rocktops is nothing short of amazing. Walking into their showroom for the first time made me feel even more excited about the renovation process. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Alyssa, who has an amazing eye for design and pulling things together. She had a wealth of knowledge and was wonderful about suggestions when I needed them and listened to my style and ideas when I had them.

Helpful Tips & Things to Consider

Rocktops has a very helpful blog post that was a great starting point for me on How to Pick Your Kitchen Countertops in 5 Steps. Of course, cost is important to consider; I knew we wanted a mid-range countertop. I wanted something that looked expensive but was middle of the road when it came to cost. I learned about the different tiers of quartz. Another important consideration involved the maintenance. As a busy mom with a family regularly racing between school and sports, I knew we needed a low-maintenance countertop. I was leaning toward granite or quartz in a light or white variation, and my next step was seeing them in person.

My showroom visit was extremely helpful so that I could see all of the options in larger form. Countertops with veining and design elements can look very different in small sample squares versus large showroom pieces. I shared photos of my kitchen space and my vision for lighter and brighter with Alyssa. She helped show me the options that were in both my budget range and my aesthetic concept. I narrowed down my choice to two mid-range options: the Calacatta Ultra and the newest Calacatta Idillio Quartz. I brought my measurements of the spaces that would need new countertops so they could tell me how many slabs I would need for my project.

More Bang for Your Buck

The other helpful element of my visit to Rocktops was deciding on a less expensive option for my new mudroom. Alyssa suggested considering a remnant piece for the smaller spaces. This allowed me to save money by not needing to buy another full slab of quartz. Instead, she helped me identify leftover pieces they had in their warehouse that were still every bit as gorgeous as our kitchen countertops. The other exciting thing about going this route was utilizing a higher contrast quartz to accentuate the tile we chose for our mudroom. We went with a statement tile of white, grey, and black. Alyssa suggested using a dark black or grey remnant piece to add additional personality and interest to that space.

As I write this blog post, I’m currently sitting at my kitchen island in the room that is now my favorite room in our home. Admittedly, I was nervous as we went through our remodel process, but every step of the way went beautifully. I don’t know why we waited so long to transform our kitchen into a place we love. I’ve learned that remodeled space is so much more than just a room. Ours has become our favorite place for our family to gather and spend time in our home. What do you think of the before and after transformation? If you’d like to see videos of the transformation process, you can find me on Instagram: @adventuresofmomlife and check out my “Kitchen Remodel” highlights to see it from start to finish.