TWO FROM THE DARK SIDE: INDIAN BLACK & WINTER WOOD

With white and light grey kitchen worktops pouring out of our workshop, it has become a refreshing change to work in some really dark materials from time to time.

One group of stones which keep coming back are the “Cosmic Black”-type materials. Predominantly black, but with striking patterns in white, grey or cream, and often with crystal inclusions in other colours, these stones make excellent granite kitchen worktops and make a real statement in the home.

Here are three stones with which we have worked in the past. The kitchen worktop installation of Black Fusion shown here was one of our earlier projects with Nick Geard, our neighbour on John Lory Farm.

Belvedere Granite, leathered finish

Black Fusion Granite worktops

Cosmic Black Granite

I have just photographed a couple of materials that fall into the same kind of “family look” as the worktop stones above. One is Sensa Indian Black – a stone which we stock at present and which represents seriously good value for money. The other is Winter Wood in a leathered finish – a relatively more expensive but truly stunning stone with an angular pattern. Granite kitchen worktops made in either of these materials have real wow factor in any kitchen.

Sensa Indian Black comes from Cosentino and receives their branded deep-seal treatment. As a very dark stone with a lot of colour, I am unsure of just how advantageous this is, over and above other similar patterned black materials. However, Indian Black IS very beautiful, and relatively economical. It can give your granite kitchen worktops a lot of impact at a far lower price than a high-end, big vein quartz.

I have photographed slabs from two batches of Sensa Indian Black today. Here they are – whole slab view and then in close-up. It is really good to be able to see the variation between batches.

Sensa Indian Black Granite – batch 1

Sensa Indian Black Granite – batch 1

Sensa Indian Black Granite – batch 1

Sensa Indian Black Granite – batch 2

Sensa Indian Black Granite – batch 2

Sensa Indian Black Granite – batch 2

Sensa Indian Black Granite – batch 2

Winter Wood Granite is one of those materials which was sent to us by a supplier on spec. We haven’t seen this variant before, but all of us are impressed by the p[attern, the quality of the textured surface and the lovely leathered feel. It isn’t as strongly textured as Belvedere Leather, for example, but you can still feel the pattern with your fingers. A lovely granite kitchen worktop material!

An oblique view of the surface, showing the finish