More than three decades of research and development has led to the revolutionary material we know today as SILGRANIT. Our patented granite composite sink material is strong, durable, and beautiful, and available in a range of nature-inspired, designer colors. SILGRANIT has changed, grown and evolved over the last three decades and popular sink families like PRECIS, DIAMOND, PERFORMA and IKON continue to make SILGRANIT the #1 choice for granite composite sinks across North America. Take a journey with us through the evolution of SILGRANIT in North America, from the 90’s to today!
/nightblue-image-300w-300h.jpg "Night Blue was a popular kitchen sink colour in the 90s")
90s Colour Trends
Night Blue was a popular SILGRANIT colour in the 90s
/sand-jasmine-image-640w-360h.jpg "The nineties colour palette for BLANCO kitchen sinks was on the lighter side")
Lighter Colours in the 90s
Sand and Jasmine were some of the light SILGRANIT colours in the 90s
/rich-tones-image-300w-300h.jpg "By the start of the milennium, there was a transition to darker kitchen sink tones")
Darker Colours in the 2000s
Trends shifted from light to dark, resulting in richer tones like Café
/two-facilities-2-image-300w-300h.jpg "BLANCO Canada expanded in 2002")
Expansion in 2002
Continued growth and investment in plant infrastructure
/cooler-colours-image-300w-300h.jpg "In the 2010's, kitchens began to shift towards cooler tones")
Cooler Hues in the 2010s
Truffle is introduced in 2010, as trends shift from warm to cool shades
/the-decade-of-grey-image-300w-300h.jpg "The use of warm and cool neutral tones in the kitchen is a popular design trend")
2010s: The Decade of Grey
Cinder, Metallic Gray and Concrete Gray were added to the palette
/future-of-silgranit-2-image-300w-300h.jpg "BLANCO continues to be a market leader in Canada")
The Future of SILGRANIT
New & exciting product innovations are in the works for 2021 and beyond!
/cmp-1995-pic4-image-450w-253h.jpg "BLANCO Canada officially opened its doors in 1995")
Founded in the 90s
Production started at our North American SILGRANIT manufacturing plant in Toronto, Canada, and it was the first SILGRANIT manufacturing facility to establish Research & Development outside of Germany. There were only six people in the office and the facility was producing less than 5% of what’s currently being produced today. As you can see below, our plant looks a little different today than it did back in the 90s!
/img-6099-image-640w-360h.jpg "Canadian Manufacturing Plant (CMP)")
/1990s-swatches-en-v2-image-450w-253h.jpg "90s Color Trends")
90s Color Trends
The color trends of the early 90s, carried over from the late 80s, included base hues of white and beige with pops of super bright saturated primary colors. However, by the mid 90’s colors in interior design shifted to pastels and more muted, earthy tones. 80% of the colors in the SILGRANIT color palette were light and reflected the cozy, down-to-earth country kitchen trends. The 90s brought the country kitchen aesthetic into the mainstream, so there’s no surprise that moody shades like Night Blue, and warm neutrals like Sand and Jasmine, were prominent in the SILGRANIT color palette!
/elite-silgranit-cropped-image-640w-360h.jpg "Lamiinate countertops and light wood oak were popular 90's kitchen design trends")
/plenta-biscotti-image-640w-360h.jpg "Kitchen sink colors of the 90s shifted from bright, primary tones to cozy, earthy palettes")
/2000s-swatches-enfr-image-450w-253h.jpg "Kitchen design trends of the 2000s - Tuscan style decor and darker tones")
Expansion in the 2000s
As BLANCO continued to grow, investments were made in excess of $40 million for plant infrastructure. The SILGRANIT color palette was also evolving. Color trends of the late 90s were still present in the early 2000s, but with this new decade, also came a pendulum swing. Trends shifted from mostly light colors, to mostly dark. Tuscan style décor was gaining traction, so richer tones like Chocolate Brown and Builder Beige were increasing in popularity. New SILGRANIT colors like Café, Cognac and Biscotti were added to the palette.
/400911-vienna-ca-401452-alta-ca-bs-image-640w-360h.jpg "The BLANCO SILGRANIT colour palette continued to evolve in the 2000s")
/400742-image-640w-360h.jpg "Kitchen design of the 2000s was heavily focused on making a statement")
/2010s-swatches-image-450w-253h.jpg "2010's kitchen design is heavily based around cooler neutrals")
Colour Innovation Continues
The 2010s marked the decade of grey for mainstream interiors, especially kitchens. The rich, warm tones of the 2000s were replaced with cooler shades of grey and light blue. BLANCO launched transition neutrals like Truffle and Biscuit. Cinder, a dark, matte grey was introduced along with a sparkly mid-tone: Metallic Gray. In 2019, Canada’s R&D team formulated and launched SILGRANIT’s latest color: Concrete Gray. This color was exclusively developed for the North American market.
/2010-innovation-image-450w-253h.jpg "The 2010s kicked off the minimalist trend not only in kitchens but all throughout the home")
Innovation in the 2010s
The investments made in the 2000s were paying off and SILGRANIT continued to evolve. Our teams of designers, engineers and technicians diligently worked behind the scenes to produce new and innovative SILGRANIT products. BLANCO launched the IKON farmhouse sink model in 2016 - a huge achievement in the world of modern manufacturing. The IKON was the first farmhouse sink in the world made of granite composite. The IKON family has since grown to become a best-selling farmhouse product line in the United States.
/402261-ikon-33-cg-401993-401991-solenta-ss-bs-image-640w-360h.jpg "SILGRANIT's strength, durability and beauty is unmatched")
/401870-ikon-33-an-401993-401991-solenta-ss-bs-image-640w-360h.jpg "BLANCO IKON SILGRANIT KITCHEN SINKS - Apron front masterpiece defined")
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A New Decade of SILGRANIT
With over three decades of material development, rapid advances in manufacturing technologies, and several BLANCO exclusive patents, the evolution of SILGRANIT continues today. Our Hygienic+Plus surface protection is the perfect example of continuous SILGRANIT innovation. SILGRANIT's Hygienic+Plus surface acts as a protective shield that literally pushes away water, liquids, and dirt, and reduces bacteria growth by up to 98%. This is what makes SILGRANIT stain resistant and so easy to clean.
/2020-beyond-2-image-450w-253h.jpg "Blanco Canada Kitchen Sinks and Faucets - Made in Canada SILGRANIT high quality sinks!")
2020 and Beyond
2020 has brought more challenges than we could have ever imagined. Moving into the next decade, we understand that our lifestyle needs will continue to change. The rise of smart appliances, sustainable technologies and hygienic solutions continue to gain traction and permeate our homes and kitchens. SILGRANIT will continue to expand its offerings with exciting new colours, innovative product features and material advancements.
“We’re setting our sights on the horizon and looking forward to the next 30 years!”
The BLANCO team
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Every month we’ll send you the latest kitchen design trends, kitchen reno tips, how-to’s and lots of ideas to inspire your next kitchen project. You’ll also get the inside scoop on our latest product innovations and new product launches!
