Opustone frames its natural stone and porcelain surfaces as high-performance, long-life materials as kitchen and bath spending shifts toward lasting value and ROIMiami, Aug. 20, 2026 <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com" target="_blank">(GLOBE NEWSWIRE)</a> -- Opustone, a luxury natural stone, porcelain and tile distributor serving South Florida's design community, today made the case that durable surfaces return more value over a home's life than lower-cost alternatives. The argument answers a specific market signal: kitchen and bath firms now expect revenue to fall 2% in 2026, down from a 4% growth projection one quarter earlier, with most of the remaining spending tied to price increases rather than real project growth, according to the <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=WJlNDk1GKG1WStLxBtwb7Z2MGHABnOe5mXXf1qeMg_s6tOmkoyeryFzEJy_Vf35821UsEZO-jjrIOn8-s23W_oGSkYezSJJKnlbCk32pp28LCAayWLEwvBl-eGTwdE_oX8n7Hf2wQgPgYzeYFkymvTSMCAaSzmyrq2D0JZyJibsnh7Xl3m2lpjNRmqlfKbja1oa1vqpayF1UKl-4qYNdNcYso1EjJqQbQodipgOKEx5DIP53C55Rc12MS2M-9bMA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="">National Kitchen &amp; Bath Association's 2Q26 Kitchen &amp; Bath Market Index</a>, released July 21. <img height="100" src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/479d8905-16fb-449a-9c82-491c7041eae4/opustone-logo.jpg" width="250" data-dpi="96" data-filename="opustone-logo.jpg" /> KEY POINTS <ul><li>Value beats price in a cautious market: Kitchen and bath firms expect a 2% revenue decline in 2026, driven mainly by price rather than project growth, per the National Kitchen &amp; Bath Association's 2Q26 Kitchen &amp; Bath Market Index, pushing homeowners toward materials that last.</li><li>A full range of natural stone: Opustone’s access to rare natural marble, quartzite and onyx provides designers with unparalleled high-performance options across every tier of a remodeling budget.</li><li>Built to last, shown in full: Opustone displays full slabs across three South Florida showrooms, so designers and their clients can judge the exact surface they will live with for decades.</li></ul> "We offer material that will earn its place for decades, not seasons," said Victoria Rehkamp, sales manager of Opustone. "Natural stone and porcelain hold up to daily use, resist wear and stay beautiful long after trend-driven finishes look dated. That is what makes them an investment, not an expense." ENSURING EVERY REMODELING DOLLAR WORKS HARDER More than a third of design firms reported that clients are shifting to lower price points in the second quarter of 2026, the highest share since the National Kitchen &amp; Bath Association began tracking the measure in 2023 and a 13-point jump from the first quarter, per the 2Q26 Kitchen &amp; Bath Market Index. Rising building material costs, cited by 42% of surveyed professionals, and consumer uncertainty, cited by 49%, are pushing homeowners to weigh every purchase against its long-term worth. That pressure changes how designers and their clients evaluate surfaces. The question is no longer only what a countertop or feature wall costs at installation, but what it costs to own, maintain and eventually replace across the years a family lives with it. DURABILITY AS RETURN ON INVESTMENT Opustone believes surface durability is a financial argument, not just an aesthetic one. High-performance surfaces are designed to resist scratching, heat, and wear from everyday life. In the long run, a surface that lasts the life of the kitchen removes the replacement cost that cheaper materials invite. For a major home upgrade, such longevity is where the return shows up. According to Remodeling magazine's <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=Bk7G3wmqepcVBuQrBWF3svdL5MKEdYo0XGecWCcSQfJY3-zg_FFiiHy23I17nw5yh5dF21pqi-gD5sS__PDOWtX08duXUSp0WviIHduRmwGF1FSmO3a389KfUYC6J51LYPn1tHgv3j_mNQFBiY39UnzzG9W7zh7AxnXesg5RAkU=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="">2025 Cost vs. Value Report</a>, an upscale major kitchen remodel (which includes stone countertops as a specified project element) recoups an average of 35.7% of its cost at resale nationally ($164,104 cost, $58,561 value added). A FULL SPECTRUM OF NATURAL STONE Opustone carries the full material range a high-performance remodel calls for, from natural marble, quartzite, onyx and porcelain. Opustone distributes rare and exotic natural stone, porcelain and tile to interior designers, architects, builders and fabricators across South Florida, displaying full slabs rather than catalog samples so buyers can judge the exact piece they will install.  THE PAYOFF FOR SOUTH FLORIDA HOMEOWNERS AND DESIGNERS For designers guiding clients through a major remodel, beautiful yet durable surfaces protect the design itself. A material that holds its finish keeps a renovation looking current years after the crew finishes, and it spares the client a second remodel to correct early wear. Opustone's showroom model, which puts full slabs in front of buyers, lets designers match that long-term performance to the exact look a project needs. "Our clients are not buying a countertop for this year; they are buying it for the next 20 years," said Rehkamp. "When you frame stone and quartz that way, the value is obvious." FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Is natural stone worth the cost? Yes. Stone holds up for decades and resists the wear of cheaper materials that force early replacement, so they spread their cost across the long life of the kitchen or bath. Kitchen and bath firms expect price, not project growth, to drive most 2026 spending, according to the National Kitchen &amp; Bath Association's 2Q26 Kitchen &amp; Bath Market Index, which raises the value of materials that last. Which surfaces does Opustone carry? Opustone specializes in premium natural marble, quartzite, onyx, porcelain and specialty tile, displayed as full slabs across three South Florida showrooms. Where can designers see Opustone materials? Opustone operates showrooms in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, each showing full slabs. ABOUT OPUSTONE Opustone is a luxury natural stone, porcelain and tile distributor serving South Florida's design community. Founded in Miami in 2001, the company curates rare and exotic surfaces for Florida luxury homes and high-end commercial projects through showrooms in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Construction Resources Company, LLC acquired Opustone in April 2025, and the brand operates alongside UMI Stone and Cancos Tile &amp; Stone within the Construction Resources family of surfacing companies. Learn more at <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=gnukuznSOzvkD0ha5-axuKIMtqe5AmJWQRY6AxL2pN8y9iNo6jCCgacPBz-Qdsv7IdbwyA_FZDfai25CqYTvfg==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="">Opustone.com</a>. Also from Opustone: <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=gnukuznSOzvkD0ha5-axuGvLNW2NxAMuSBgDX4kH9pHUXwP3k-42cFOZ7zX48GVhBwg-Fi02LlZjYAWagsfYF_ydpzo-qGG40XbdtFc1cMkzINhlmAkHdKCOQYNgM1cdbtPkwKhzk_eC180sf_7CWgAVgYsLV9q0dxxvMQVoGU22EwCY0ng9QxPa-XE5NeD0F7Y_fCdxHYkcW87rXDeBvQaFhs_LUA29gkHFpkzQUV5i8j-ybfDdo1oGIXEGKVyWaoew3To37u8fVtv1VtaFEqOYlloaSwzb8IixqhQCgYm490s9x7zKWcH95_CCuW1JNbaBOVSpKpdnQwAe9Fg4It1mmuDAiAdrjx21cnDxotohxeJBDsyHLgtYyR97N5fFT8AwWr_K_DVqH19fTQanxb-kLsRh6RF4uYzOqVMGXYbo05yc6Yr6BsArX2Kx9v-GWVKgKYpa5wLIMUqtQV1Och9cgiJDfY6Jka-9WbgRUWg=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="">Opustone establishes itself as South Florida's source for the world's rarest stone</a>. <pre>CONTACT: Doyle Albee
doyle@prolexitypr.com
303-845-2627</pre> <img alt="" src='https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/NGEyM2ZkODYtNzQ0ZC00OWJiLWIwNGMtYzA3YjQxODE4MzQxLTEzMjQzMzAtMjAyNi0wOC0yMC1lbg==/tiny/Opustone.png' referrerpolicy='no-referrer-when-downgrade' />

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