Before choosing the ideal countertop for your project, be aware of your possibilities.
One of the most crucial elements of kitchen and bathroom design is picking the appropriate countertop. Your sense of style and your way of life will both influence which countertop is best for your house since it is an investment that you want to endure for many years. Consider your options realistically and ask yourself the following. Do you prepare a lot of meals for your family? Do you regularly prepare your meals? Why not try baking? Would you be bothered by or even notice a little crack in your countertop? In terms of hardness, durability, heat and stain resistance, each kind of countertop has advantages and disadvantages.
Do you insist on real stone for design purposes, or might a synthetic, composite material work even better? After that, think about the room’s overall design to ensure that the countertop you adore will blend in well with the cabinets, flooring, and other design decisions.
Here are all the various counters to take into account, regardless of whether your kitchen is classic, modern farmhouse, or contemporary. For additional information on each variety, continue reading or refer to our short guide below.
Marble countertops
In recent years, marble countertops have become more popular. In terms of aesthetics and high-end new construction, marble is still king, according to realtor Allison Chiaramonte of Warburg Realty in New York. It’s simple to comprehend. This natural stone gives a kitchen an immediate upgrade and a sleek, modern vibe. There is nothing else that looks as good as a polished brilliant white marble surface, but marble countertops are also available in grey, brown, taupe, and even green hues. Marble countertops don’t look precisely same.
Marble has the distinctive quality of maintaining a naturally low temperature, which makes it the perfect material for those who like baking. Dough may be shaped and rolled out well on marble.
Additionally, this kind of countertop may be less expensive than you may think. While certain varieties of marble, like Carrara, might be inexpensive, marble generally has an elegant and refined appearance.
Quartz Countertops
Do you have a large family, cook a lot of meals, or just want to make sure you invest in an all-around durable countertop that’s built to last? Then quartz could be the best choice for you. You might be surprised to learn that quartz countertops aren’t made of 100 percent quartz, but rather they are a composite stone engineered from natural quartz combined with a resin binder. This stone is also non-porous, incredibly hard, and never needs to be re-sealed.
According to Chiaramonte, it’s a smart investment. “We are seeing an increasing number of quartz countertops being coveted by buyers and sellers alike,” she says.
Because they’re man-made, quartz countertops are a great way to get the look of natural stones like marble or granite without worrying about durability.
Due to its longevity as a natural stone, granite countertops have long been the norm. Granite comes in a variety of bright and dark shades with different specks and variances. The ability to be cut with a variety of edges, including square, bevelled, ogee (an S-shape), and half and full bullnose, is another distinctive quality of granite.
Granite countertops are fairly low maintenance and simple to maintain, although it’s recommended to stay away from abrasive cleaning agents. It simply takes a little soap and water to clean granite. Some granites are more porous than others, so frequent sealing may be necessary to keep them stain-free.
You are welcome to put pots right from the oven onto the granite counter since granite is heat-resistant. No need for a trivet! However, it is not advisable to cut straight on granite since it would dull your blades due to the stone’s extreme hardness.
Concrete countertops, made famous by Joanna Gaines, are a great way to upgrade a farmhouse-chic kitchen or give a unique touch to an industrial, contemporary kitchen. Concrete has a very brash, arresting appearance. They utilise this material to construct roads and sidewalks because it is almost unbreakable.
Commercial concrete countertops are available to purchase, or if you are an expert do-it-yourselfer, you may create your own using a kit. However, bear in mind that it might take up to 28 days for concrete to fully cure, so it’s not the best option if you’re on a tight timetable. Additionally, it must be sealed.
Concrete is not flawless. As a house settles, these countertops may break. The good news is that cracks can be quickly and easily fixed. However, this isn’t the ideal option if you want a countertop that will continue to appear picture-perfect for years to come.
