Your guide on selecting the best kitchen countertop

Close your eyes and think back to the time when your son brought his fiancée over to meet the family. What a sweet moment it was! Makes you want to go back and relive the entire scene!

Now, close your eyes again but this time transport yourself a little further back in time – when you, your partner, and your recent high school graduate son huddled over different college applications, trying to work out which institute would be best suited to bring out his abilities. Seems like a lifetime away, doesn’t it?

Your kitchen is one of the most significant areas in your home

Though these two life-defining events were spread years apart, there is one thing in common about them – the place where they happened. In most probability, both of these significant events that decided the course your son’s life would took place at the kitchen table.

Not only this, but your kitchen is also one of the most visible parts of your entire home. Anyone who walks in through the front door and stays long enough will eventually see your kitchen – whether it is to fetch themselves a glass of water or to grab a quick snack before supper.

When it comes to the kitchen, we make no compromises

With the kitchen being such an essential area of your house, it is often one of the regions whose appearances you are most invested in – and rightly so. You will make sure that from the knife block set you have to chop the vegetables to the wine glasses that you serve liquor into your most esteemed guests – nothing is the second rate. You want your kitchen to radiate perfection in every little way.

Kitchen countertops – function and fashion

But while you are foraging all the best furniture stores in Warwick RI for the best set of stools to match the cabinets, you cannot ignore the kitchen countertop. After all, not only will it be the most used item in your kitchen, but it is also the one that grabs the most attention at first glance.

So, whether you are remodeling your old house or making a recently bought house your own, choosing the kitchen countertop will be one of the most important decisions you will have to make regarding your interior décor. The type of countertop you pick for your kitchen will play a crucial role in setting the mood of the entire space.

Besides taking the aesthetics into account, you will also have to pay close attention to the durability and price of your cooking space. In this article, we will discuss the different types of countertops that are available in the market today, and which one should you choose depending on your taste, requirement, and budget. Let’s begin!

Consider different countertops in same kitchen

Using different countertops in the same kitchen and having Two-tone cabinets is a new trend that is becoming more popular every day. You don’t have to use the same color or even material on every surface. The best way to do this is by breaking up the contrasting counter materials. I wouldn’t put them side by side. A great place for a different countertop would be an island or a bar. Its not touching the other different counter surface.

What’s out there, Different Types of Kitchen and Bathroom Countertops

The modern kitchen countertops have evolved way beyond the traditional granite. Nowadays, there are many different options available in the market that you can choose from according to your individual preference and purpose. Today’s countertops range from natural stone to butcher block to metal. There is nothing that is not in fashion today.

Other than these options, there has also been a comparatively recent trend of using solid surface materials such as Corian to fashion your kitchen countertop. Still, other options include engineered Quartz and concrete.

Different counter types and materials

With so many options in front of you, which one should you go for? Well, other than any personal bias you may have towards the other, there are roughly three factors that you should consider when making the decision – the aesthetic value, how long you want the countertop to last, and the budget you have set out for the expense. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss the most popular choices for a kitchen countertop and debate their merits and demerits.

1.     Engineered Stone Counters

If you are looking to add beauty and personality to your kitchen and money is not an issue, then we suggest you look into engineered quartz. Not only are they fully customizable and a pleasure to look at, but they are also much more resistant than their natural granite and stone counterparts.

2.     Natural stone (marble and granite) Countertops

This category includes materials like marble and granite, limestone, and soapstone. Although hard rock granite is now being replaced by engineered quartz, for now, it is still the top choice for homeowners. However, the other natural stone materials are not as durable and hence, not as fashionable either.

The price of this category can vary from dirt cheap to ridiculously expensive, depending on how easy it is to find the stone you want.

3.     Laminates

Laminates are yet another popular choice for countertops between homeowners. The most affordable of all those listed, they do not rank so high on the durability scale and can be easily damaged. They are however a lot cheaper to replace.

4.     Concrete

Though concrete may look pretty and can be widely customized to your taste, they are not meant for the homeowners who lead busy lives. The reason is that they require a lot of maintenance to keep looking their best over the years. With a concrete countertop, you are recommended to seal it up to 4 times a year and wax it every couple of months.

5.     Solid surfaces

Solid surfaces countertops offer more or less the same aesthetic value as engineered stone countertops, but they are not extra resistant to the occasional stains and scratches. Still, these are some of the widely used countertops and are very much in trend today. This material gives the appearance or marble or granite but is instead a combination of alumina trihydrate (ATH), acrylic, epoxy or polyester resins and pigments. It is similar to the beautiful coatings that are used on garage floors.

6.     Metal Countertops

Finally, we discuss the most durable of all countertops – metal. A stainless steel countertop may be costly to install, but it gives a futuristic look to your kitchen that no other countertop can. They are super resistant to hot pots and pans and can take quite a while to wear out – given that they are cared for properly. Furthermore, they are a dream to clean with just one wipe of a wet cloth.

However, it is not that these metal countertops do not come with their disadvantages. Metal countertops are incredibly vulnerable to scratches, and you should not be chopping up your vegetables on the counter if you have opted for them. Consider investing in a proper chopping board to maintain the shine and zeal of your metal countertop.

The final word

For most families, the kitchen is not only the place where you prepare food for yourself or your family. It is the center for family discussions, a place to group and share laughs over handfuls of chips, and a haven where you can be with your loved ones and forget how bad your day has been, at least momentarily.

It is no secret that our surroundings have a direct influence on our mood and behavior. This is why you need to pay special attention when choosing the things you will see around the kitchen – the part of your house you will be spending so much of your time. It is necessary to select a countertop that does not clash with the surroundings but compliments them. The best countertop is the one that is as durable as it is pleasant to look at – and economical to boot!

Author Bio:
About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook