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Jannicke Moffat is the branch manager of Formation Stone Surfaces. The company recently opened at 807 Soscol Ave. in Napa.
Formation Stone Surfaces recently opened in the former Gelow, Borreson, Gelow newspaper distributorship at 807 Soscol Ave. in Napa.
A sample of some of the many surfaces available at Napa's Formation Stone Surfaces. It recently opened on Soscol Avenue.
Napa's Formation Stone Surfaces recently opened on Soscol Avenue.
There’s a new store in town featuring unique floors, countertops, and backsplashes. Formation Stone Surfaces has come to Napa and customers no longer must visit their San Leandro, Palm Desert, or Bend, Oregon locations.
“We’re best in smaller, more boutique markets like Napa,” said Formation Stone Surfaces President Lindsey Muser. “I’ve thought about moving to the North Bay Area for a long time and came often but couldn’t find a location. We worked a year with the Holcombs for the former Gelow, Borrelson, Gelow Building on Soscol Avenue.”
Muser said the 26,276-square-foot property needed few upgrades.
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“It was old, of course, but strangely well-suited for our needs. We’re using the office area in front as our showroom and the back of the warehouse space for stock.”
The showroom is light and airy, with orderly rows and displays of all manner of quartz, marble, granite, and porcelain tiles and mosaics in many shades by numerous manufacturers.
These include Vetrazzo, a unique manmade surface that uses recycled glass and concrete, with each piece having distinctive colors and variations. For the beach lovers there’s even a tropical tile by Tommy Bahama.
The warehouse space closest to the showroom is stocked with large slabs of glittering quartzite and matte marbles.
“We cater to homeowners as well as professionals,” said Muser, who went to college for Interior Design and started working in tile and stone surfaces in 2008. “We can cut, ship and recommend local installers.”
For the uninitiated, the website (formationstone.com) has descriptions of all their surfaces.
“Formation sells high end and boutique marbles and quartzite. Quartzite is really hot right now.”
If you don’t know marble from granite or the difference between quartzite and quartz, the Formation Surface professionals can help.
Branch Manager Jannicke Moffat discussed the properties of each surface. “Quartz is the ground-up mineral of quartz mixed with glue. Quartzite is a natural stone that can have interesting colorations.”
“Our most popular Italian marble varieties are Carrara, which is primarily white and gray, and Calcatta, which can have golden tones,” explained Moffat.
“We can get anything you want in matte or polished finishes. For the budget-minded, we often recommend porcelain. It can run a quarter of the price of marble, requires no sealing and won’t stain. We have all sizes from 2”x2” up to 32”x32”. We represent several manufacturers and have recommendations of the best lines for individual projects.”
Standing outside his building at 807 Soscol Ave., Keith Borreson recalled how the busy city thoroughfare used to dead end at Third Street, jus…
Muser said the top three most requested stones sold by Formation are quartzite, marble, and porcelain.
The natural stone Quartzite has a rich, deep color and distinctive veining. Many slabs have a sparkle of crystalline gold running through them. Quartzite is strong and versatile. It is a sandstone formed by heat and pressure and is a good selection for countertops because it is not acid or water-soluble, which reduces the likelihood of stains. Quartzite is usually white but can also have a pink or grayish shade.
“Quartzite can be used everywhere, is durable, and has soft veins,” explained Muser.
The first word that comes to mind about marble is “timeless.” Greek and Roman statuary, the façade of important buildings throughout history and anywhere that calls for elegance often uses marble. For thousands of years, marble flooring signified wealth. Now it’s used for backsplashes, countertops, tabletops or stair treads, and wall tile.
“A lot of people love marble for bathrooms,” said Muser. “We don’t recommend it for busy kitchens, however, as it tends toward etching and staining with hard use.”
A porcelain slab is a high-fired ceramic surface and, through manufacturing, can mimic natural stone or wood. Liquids don’t absorb because it is non-porous, and spills are easy to clean. Unlike marble, porcelain is resistant to chemicals and won’t get dull spots from acidic foods and drinks.
Like granite and quartz, porcelain resists scratching. Because they are manufactured at high temperatures, hot cookware won’t scorch or damage the surface, but manufacturers recommended that consumers use a trivet beneath hot pots.
What’s the biggest misconception about stone surfaces?
Muser laughed. “Home remodeling shows,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen TV hosts point at a surface and said it was marble when it was really granite. Also, we prefer that the actual installer order the material our customers want to ensure that size and measurements for cutouts like sinks and faucets are accurate.”
Gray and white are the fashionable colors right now, she said. “Though I’ve notice in design magazines that we may be trending toward darker and moodier colors.”
“We really pride ourselves in finding the best quality, most unique and smaller companies to supply our products. We can be selective. That’s our edge on the competition; we can offer unique things.”
“There’s something for everyone. We do our best to educate homeowners by finding out how they live and get to know them. One product might be great for a couple living alone but not for an active household with a frequently used kitchen.”
Parking at their Napa facility can be tight, she admitted. There is the new off-street parking on Third Street around the corner from the store and limited street parking. Their plan is to convert some of their unused warehouse space into an open lot.
“We’re excited to be in Napa and want to be part of the community and events. We were so happy to see our sign going up.”
Formation Stone Surfaces is located at 807 Soscol Ave., Napa. 707-406-4004.
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You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com
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Jannicke Moffat is the branch manager of Formation Stone Surfaces. The company recently opened at 807 Soscol Ave. in Napa.
Formation Stone Surfaces recently opened in the former Gelow, Borreson, Gelow newspaper distributorship at 807 Soscol Ave. in Napa.
A sample of some of the many surfaces available at Napa's Formation Stone Surfaces. It recently opened on Soscol Avenue.
Napa's Formation Stone Surfaces recently opened on Soscol Avenue.
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