Kitchen becomes island of activity

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By Jonathan Butz | Thursday, April 12, 2007 5:40 PM CDT | () comments

(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Since having new granite countertops installed in their kitchen, Lisa and Paul Glynn have found that the room has become a hub of activity.

When Lisa and Paul Glynn moved into their new home in Bettendorf, they knew right away they wanted granite countertops in their kitchen, just like what they had done in their old house. They chose John Guhin’s Aceno Granite for the job, as they are one of the only suppliers in the area that imports their own granite, and the Glynns had a positive experience with the company in the past.

“The space is just completely different,” said Lisa Glynn. “It was a 10-year-old house and now it’s updated.”

Lisa Glynn

Q: What made you decide to go with the granite countertops?

A: Well, mostly I like the look of them. They make the kitchen look upgraded.

Q: And the center island and the rest of the countertops were installed by Aceno Granite?

A: Yes. It used to be completely different. There was a triangle-shaped island, and then it had a raised edge, so it was like bar height. It used to be Formica laminate.

Q: So this has worked out much better for you?

A: Much better. Everyone always stands around your island in your kitchen. We hardly ever use our kitchen table anymore, to be honest. The great thing too about center islands like this is that when kids come home, they have sports and they’re going in and out. And so they have their homework out there and then some kids are eating at 4:30, some kids are eating at 5:30, and not everybody’s sitting down to eat all at one time anymore.

Q: What helped you decide to go with Aceno Granite?

A: Almost every time that you go to get granite in this town, the granite comes from somewhere like Chicago or Burlington, and you have to take a trip there and it’s very inconvenient. John has a bunch of slabs of granite that you can see right in his warehouse showroom. He has lighting to see it right there. For instance I found my granite on my own and they didn’t have it in stock, and so he brought in a slab for me and if I didn’t like it, I could’ve sent it back. It’s convenient — it’s right there on State Street and you can pick and choose just what you want.

Q: Did you consider doing anything different before deciding on this particular design?

A: No, I never did. I knew that was what I was going to do. At my house before this, we changed from the laminate to granite. So we knew when we came in that that was definitely what we wanted.

Q: How would you say your kitchen fits in with the rest of the house now?

A: It flows with the rest of the house very nicely. I think your kitchen makes or breaks your house. You can have a great living room, a great dining room, but everybody’s in the kitchen.

Contact the Bettendorf News at (563) 383-2396 or at bettnews@qctimes.com.

The Business

Aceno Granite

Owner: John Guhin

Phone number: (563) 332-4419

Services offered: Granite installation for countertops, bathroom vanities, bars, and outdoor kitchens.

About the project: Aceno Granite installed a custom granite countertop for the Glynn family’s remodeled and refurbished kitchen. Homeowners are able to visit Aceno Granite’s warehouse showroom and select granite the company imports directly from Brazil.

“Of the materials we bring in, 80 percent of those are exclusive to us in the Midwest,” said John Guhin, “We’re the only company that imports from this specific Brazilian supplier.”