The Work
Chicago weather is the test: freeze, thaw, sun, grill heat. The right stone shrugs it off. The wrong one doesn't make it through the second winter.
See all the work →Outdoor kitchens ask more of a countertop than any indoor one — direct sun, rain, the freeze-thaw cycle, hot grill surfaces, and no climate control. Only a few materials handle all of it honestly: granite, which is dense, heat-proof, and UV-stable, and large-format porcelain, which is fired non-porous and won't fade.
We steer people away from quartz outdoors — the resin can discolor in sun — and away from marble, which is too soft and porous for the weather.
On granite, a leathered finish is a favorite outside: it hides water spots and fingerprints and gives grip. A hand-broken edge, chiseled in the shop, gives an organic look that suits a stone base and a garden.
