A visit to Selective Stone will leave you inspired to start your next project. This year, Selective Stone founders Kevin and Jinny Nip marked 25 years since the company first opened in the Honolulu airport industrial area. The husband-and-wife team is eager to welcome local homeowners, contractors and designers to talk shop and find the perfect materials in the company’s 22,000-square-foot showroom and warehouse space.

“We’re a one-stop shop with accessories, mosaics, flooring, sinks and prefabricated stone,” says Kevin Nip.

Although the Selective Stone showroom has “only” been around since 1999, the Nips have more than five decades of experience in the industry. They understand the need for high-quality flooring and countertops at reasonable prices, and can walk you through a variety of options for your personal budgets, aesthetic tastes, and building or remodeling stages.

In addition to its industry-leading inventory of prefabricated engineered quartz, Selective Stone also has a section in its showroom dedicated to flooring and wall tiles in porcelain and natural stone (shown here). Customers can speak with knowledgeable staff to learn more about the best options for their projects.

“We’re kind of up there on trends,” says Kevin Nip. “I like to call friends in California and New York and ask what’s popular.”

The showroom shines with pristine slabs of engineered quartz and marble — according to Nip, these alternatives to natural stone are trending with homeowners for their low-maintenance properties and cost. For kitchen and bath surfaces, Selective Stone carries industry-leading lines like Dekton and Silestone by Cosentino, in finishes such as matte and high-gloss.

A colorful feature wall invites visitors to browse decorative tile for backsplashes, side-splashes, shower floors and accent walls. Nip and his staff can offer guidance on which tiles are best for nonskid surfaces, and which may require grout to create a desired look.

Selective Stone also offers an array of stone options for indoor-outdoor use. This sample slab shows an application with stone and filler for optimum slip-resistance.

For indoor-outdoor enthusiasts, Selective Stone has displays of materials for pool copings, walkways and lanai. Noble Gold exterior stone, which was used at the International Market Place in Waikiki, is “one of our biggest sellers,” says Nip. Samples of the material are available at the showroom.

Selective Stone is located at 2979 Koapaka St., Honolulu, HI 96819. The showroom is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Parking is available in front of the showroom. For more information, call (808) 839-2979 or visit selectivestone.net.

Selective Stone owners Jinny and Kevin Nip.

Nip’s Tips

Kevin Nip has some advice for folks searching for the right products:

1) Maintenance is the most important consideration when selecting flooring and countertops. “Treat your flooring and countertops like your car” — a new car looks great when you buy it, but requires oil changes, battery replacements, cleaning and upkeep over the years. Surfaces also start off shiny and new, but “even with higher technologies, countertops and flooring still require maintenance.”

2) Industry experts and contractors can offer ideas on which materials to choose for various areas such as the kitchen, bath and shower, but the homeowner’s commitment to product selection is key in achieving the best results. So be sure to make your personal preferences known for every area of the home. “We often give advice, but you’re going to have to live with it.”

3) If you’re opting for natural stone, understand that each slab will be different when it comes to colors and veining patterns. “The beauty of natural stone is in its variation.” Selective Stone provides “control samples” in its showroom as general representations of natural stone collections, but these are not exact matches for your final installation.

Editor’s Note: This article has been slightly modified from the original print version for optimal online reading. To view the full print story, pick up your copy of Hawaii Home + Remodeling at one of our partner locations.