Top Materials Hand-Selected by a Clazak Design Consultant
November 24, 2025
By Clay Miller with over 10 years of Design Experience
I love to design things that are functional and durable. I believe these products are among the best in the industry, and they look amazing too! Clear Hickory’s durability, Cambria’s Warranty, Blanco’s Bulletproof Silgranite Sink, and Delta’s new Lumicoat finish are some of my favorite materials that last forever and are very easy to clean. I challenge you to find materials that will last longer than these!
Hickory is typically used in log cabins and other rustic projects. Most of the Hickory you would see has many knots, heavy grain, and color variation. Today, people are looking for smoother grains and more modest color variance. Clear Hickory removes knots, creating a less rustic cabinet finish. If you take it one step further and use a clear “white” hickory, you will notice the grain becomes even smoother, and the color variance between pieces really tones down. With this door, we paired clear white hickory with a Clazak exclusive stain that has just the right amount of grey with a hint of taupe to soften the mood.
Two-tone kitchens are in! I’m sure you’ve seen a two-tone kitchen with the main kitchen one color and the island a different finish. I like to take it a step further and make all the base cabinets a wood-stained finish, including the island, then make all the upper cabinets a painted finish. This makes the island feel more like a part of the kitchen, and also, I think the stained cabinets wear better over time. Base cabinets are where you will see the most wear in a kitchen. This is just another step to make your kitchen last a lifetime! I chose Sherwin-Williams Natural White for my upper cabinets because it went best with the quartz, which is not a perfect match, but a good neutral white that will tie the backsplash in perfectly.
Cambria is simply the best quartz money can buy. Industry's best lifetime warranty, only quartz made here in America, very high quartzite ratio, it can’t get better than that. In my opinion, you can truly feel and see the difference in Cambria quartz vs other quartz manufacturers. Most importantly, it is durable and will last for many years to come. Cambria Everleigh will light up your kitchen, especially when paired with undercabinet lights that come standard here at Clazak.
Delta is the plumbing company we carry at Clazak. The Stryke Collection is a contemporary collection from Delta that was introduced in 2020. Since its release, it has been one of our most popular collections for bathrooms and is now becoming a favorite for kitchen faucets. It has modern angles and shaping, with a soft touch around the corners, making it very sleek and easy to clean. My favorite finish for this faucet is the Lumicoat Champagne Bronze. Lumicoat was also released in 2020 and has quickly become a favorite of mine, especially in areas with hard water. Lumicoat adds another layer of protection to your faucet's finish that helps the water bead up and run right off, meaning fingerprints and water spots will not show up as quickly – less cleaning for you.
Blanco Silgranite Sinks are composite sinks made up of 80% natural granite. This is a very high ratio when compared to other sink manufacturers. I love these Silgranite sinks because it doesn’t scratch as easily as porcelain sinks and are much quieter than a stainless steel sink. Blanco even recommends cleaning Silgranite with bleach, which is normally a no-no for any composites. My favorite part about this material is that it is that the composite is the same throughout the thickness of the sink, meaning the finish is not just on the surface, making it seem like it can almost heal itself. Here is what Blanco recommends when you somehow manage to scuff the sink.
Our SILGRANIT sinks are very durable, and scuff marks caused by pots, pans, and knives can be easily removed. Just moisten the rough side of a sponge with some warm water, add a little baking soda, and the scuff mark will scrub right off.
I’ve had to put this method to the test a couple of times at my house, and I am in awe of how well it works every time. It looks like it never happened.
Amerock’s Blackrock hardware collection was an easy pick for me. It is a go-to when paired with Delta's Styke collection. Just like the two-tone cabinet finishes, I like to have two-tone hardware. I’m thinking I would use these Black Bronze cabinet pulls on the base cabinets and try some Golden Champagne on the white upper cabinets.
Handmade ceramic tiles are in! The texture is what matters on a backsplash tile. This 3x8 tile is imported from Spain and looks amazing. The matte finish is really what I was after because of how it catches the light. It has a softer glare than the glossy tiles, but it is still enough to show how each tile is different and unique. Pair this up with a light-colored sanded grout, and you’ll love how this ties in with the countertop.
Vertical Offset is a tile pattern very similar to the popular vertical stacked pattern, but this offsets each tile and, in my opinion, makes it a little more timeless. A 3x8 tile in this pattern is not ideal for small backsplash areas, though. I would recommend using a different pattern for backsplashes 18” or less. If you have a run of tile that goes to the ceiling around your range hood or around your sink window, this pattern can work out very nicely.
If you’ve made it this far, you can tell I’m passionate about things that will last a long time! I’d love to share something that will last forever. It’s a quote from Jesus. I believe it with all my heart and hope you can too.
“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26
