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It would be hard to meet a harder working couple than Dan and Jerica Barry; Dan’s a police officer and Jerica’s a nurse. When they’re not serving their community, they enjoy flipping houses in their downtime. Flipping two houses to date led to renovating their own home (their 3rd), including a full-kitchen reno. “We lived with the kitchen we had for about 5 years,” says Dan. Jerica adds: “It was a new build but it wasn’t our style or taste, so renovating was definitely on the to-do list.”
The couple’s design style is open and natural. “I like neutral, earthy tones and calming colours,“ says Jerica. They started with beautiful, handcrafted, homemade cabinetry designed and installed by J Berry Woodcraft and Design. “It’s a solid wood kitchen; not MDF {multi-density fibreboard }”, so we thought we needed a countertop that was going to complement the kitchen; not just a basic countertop.”
The Barrys’ kitchen island is Jerica’s favourite aspect, featuring Berkshire Brass Sculpted™ (part of Cambria’s® new Alloy Collection released in 2023.) This beautiful engineered quartz is not your average countertop, featuring never-before-seen brass veining over a beautiful white, marbled-looking background with subtle gray accents. You can feel the metallic texture, so it’s a tactile experience to sit at the island. “It’s gorgeous,” says Jerica, “It’s just the most elegant piece we’ve ever seen.” Dan adds, “It’s got texture and shine to it.” The couple was drawn to Berkshire Brass Sculpted quartz when they saw a 12×12” sample at Progressive Countertop’s showroom in London. But then they knew they also wanted to stand next to it, so they made a short drive to Progressive Countertop’s Warehouse in Strathroy to see it as a large format slab.
“We were sold as soon as we saw it,” said Dan. Jerica adds, “The gentleman that helped us; he was outstanding [longtime Progressive Countertop Sales Manager, Paul VanHoof.] And that’s putting it lightly. He advised us to keep the island as a focal point. We didn’t know what to do at the back [for the perimeter counter] and he suggested the black granite. He showed us how it would look and explained why it would work well. He was bang on. It’s perfect!”
The pantry and perimeter kitchen countertop features Black Pearl granite with a leather finish. Not only does the black granite countertop provide a stunning contrast to the white quartz island, but granite is naturally heat and fire-resistant; a wise choice next to a gas stove. Dan says, “It’s more practical for us because nobody has time to wonder, ‘oh, can we sit this on the counter? So knowing it’s heat-resistant is great. [Typically granite countertops are heat resistant to 450° F/230° C] It looks amazing but it’s also really good quality.” This particular granite slab came from Brazil, so the natural stone complements the earthly kitchen style. Also, leathering is a type of finish that produces a textured, unpolished/matte surface. This texture is achieved by brushing the surface of the granite with diamond-tipped brushes.
From templating to delivery and installation, the team of professional installers at Progressive Countertop impressed the Barrys. “They were awesome. Very cooperative, quick and professional. And I want to add… the model of stove we have has to have a bridge across the back. It was as simple as emailing Progressive and saying, ‘I know it wasn’t supposed to have a bridge piece behind the stove but we’d like one’. Within a week they had come by and matched it and it was done. Little things like that made us say, ‘wow’!”
Both the quartz and granite work well with the Barry’s natural design style. The cabinet designers agree. “At J Berry Woodcraft we really value working with natural products for their longevity – both in style and function. So we love it when clients choose natural stone to complement their cabinetry. The quartz island is striking with its gold veining; it pairs with the kitchen finish choices. And the two-toned counters [white quartz combined with black granite] offer a fresh take on a really classic design and cabinetry style.” Jeremiah & Angela Berry, Owners & Operators of J Berry Woodcraft and Design.
With so many design options available today, quartz and granite can instantly add natural charm and character. The ease of maintenance and longevity make granite and quartz both beautiful and wise investments. (Explore the features of quartz, granite and more natural stone surfaces available at Progressive Countertop.)
Jerica says, “We’re just an everyday couple who love our kitchen. We live in an average house, which is now stunning because of what Progressive Countertop has done. We were treated so well!”
When Jerica and Dan aren’t serving & protecting their community, they dabble in flipping houses. Check out their side projects @BarryFlips on Instagram
70 Canaan Street
Strathroy, ON N7G 1L8
Ph: 519-245-0019
3010 Colonel Talbot Rd. #1,
London, ON N6P 0B3
Ph: 519-434-0019
