Is it Time to Choose a Countertop? You Have More Choices than Ever (Part 1 of 2)

Choosing a countertop is not so simple anymore. Gone is the era of one of two choices. And it really doesn’t matter what your kitchen style or aesthetic is contemporary, traditional, transitional, and modern or farmhouse; there is literally multiple choices for each style. The explosion of materials now makes the choices a little overwhelming.

However, instead of jumping right in to what you like, there is a much more sensible approach to your choice. After all, countertops can be very expensive and you want to make a choice that is right for you…and that’s why you have to look deeper and ask yourself several questions that can definitely steer you in the right direction.

Questions to Answer BEFORE you Start Shopping

• Do you or someone in your household cook a lot?
• Do you or someone in your house bake a lot?
• If your countertop had a small amount of damage, would it drive you crazy or would you stare at it constantly?
• Do you hate to clean and polish?
• Do you mind performing routine maintenance?
• Are you more interested in a statement, Pinterest Perfect kitchen?

We’ve already established that there are so many “looks” you can create with your countertops. However, there are also many varying degrees of hardness and durability based on what you do in your kitchen, as well as heat and stain resistance properties to
consider.

Let’s look at some types of materials and explore the pros and cons.

Marble

Marble is currently king. A natural stone, white marble is the most often go to color and material to convey a gorgeous, high end aesthetic. However, marble also comes in shades of gray, brown, taupe, and even green. However as a natural stone it is porous.
Translation – accidental spills like red wine, lemon juice will not be forgiving and likely stain. Notable is marble for bakers as it naturally maintains a naturally low temperature making it the perfect surface for bakers.

Quartz

Quartz has stepped up to nearly replace granite as a choice. Its incredible staying power, not porous surface and need to never be resealed, and super hard surface make it a solid choice for durability and longevity. Interestingly quartz countertops are not made up of 100 percent quartz, but a composite stone engineered from natural quartz combined with a resin binder.

Granite

Considered the natural stone standard because of its great looks and durability, as well as color and texture options, granite is still widely popular. Heat resistant and requiring very little in the way of maintenance, granite offers amazing results.

Concrete

No just for sidewalks anymore, concrete countertops are popping up as a look in farmhouse chic or widely popular industrial kitchens. Virtually indestructible, concrete can take whatever you throw at it. Important to note is that despite being virtually indestructible, cracks can appear as homes settle, and it takes a month for the concrete to “cure”. Also recommend that you
have a professional install and don’t be tempted to DIY it.

Come back for Karen’s next blog post, where will cover more countertops like Butcher Block, Stainless Steel, and Soapstone.