Choosing the right, nice kitchen countertops can be tricky and maybe expensive. Before starting to make a big update, check out what Luxcess Home did for their customers or read What Stone is the Best Choice for Me? It may help you select the right one for your space. 

There are numerous types of countertops available in the market. All of these countertops have different qualities that make them unique. One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying quartz countertops is that they often make the wrong choice when buying these countertops. You should keep in mind that not all countertops would go well with the theme of your kitchen or your bathroom. You should consider many things before buying a countertop for your luxurious home.

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Most people do not know this, but countertops can have a considerable affect anywhere you install them. Therefore, you should be patient whenever you go out to buy them. Your cooking proclivities and your sense of style are a couple of things you should consider before buying countertops. Mentioned below is a guide that will help you decide which countertop would best suit your needs.

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Granite countertops are not expensive when you compare them to other countertops. Additionally, the range of colors and designs in granite countertops is minimal. If you are looking for funky designs and fancy colors, going for granite countertops would not be a good idea.

However, the limited range of designs and colors go exceptionally well with almost all pairings which makes granite countertops a good option for your luxurious home.

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MARBLE COUNTERTOPS

If you are looking to add a gleaming and polished look to your house, marble countertops are a great idea. One of the best things about marble countertops is the fact that they offer great flexibility as they can easily go along with almost every décor.

Keep in mind that marble countertops require a lot of maintenance as they can stain and chip easily. You should keep your cooking style in mind before going for marble countertops.

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QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS

Contrary to popular belief, these countertops are not mined. Quartz countertops are carefully engineered in factories. This engineered stone has a significant advantage over other countertop materials.

One of the most significant advantages it has is the fact that it is extremely low maintenance and durable. It is stain resistant and non-porous which makes it ideal for use in kitchens. You can easily clean stains by using warm water, a towel, and a dry cloth. Quartz countertops have excellent value because of their stylish looks and durability.

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Although quartz countertops are an excellent option for anyone, they do have a few cons. First, you will require professional help if these countertops get scratches and chips, which is extremely rare. Secondly, you have to avoid putting extremely hot objects directly over these countertops. Doing so can cause discoloration. You can prevent discoloration by placing a towel or a tray below the hot object.

Granite countertops have become the staple of a high-quality kitchen. Though only one of many countertop options, granite is deservedly popular for its durability, ease of maintenance, and sheer beauty. However, despite all of these benefits, some may still wonder if granite countertops are worth the relatively high cost, or what causes variations in price. So how much are granite countertops, exactly, and what factors affect their pricing?

GRANITE COUNTERTOP PRICES

The cost of granite countertops per square foot is usually about $45 to $200. Though this is a widely-accepted average price for granite countertops, many different factors influence this price point. One of the most obvious of these is the color of the stone. Certain colors are rarer or more in-demand than others, causing an increase in their price. Size and finishes also contribute to the cost. Using larger slabs in order to create minimal seams will increase the price of your countertop—especially for large jobs. On the other hand, seams are naturally a weak point, so the fewer seams, the more durable and stronger the countertops. Fancy finishes will also add to the bottom line, although many find it worth the extra cost to give a personal touch to their kitchen.

Other factors that influence granite countertop cost may be harder to see. For example, granite comes in a variety of different grades based on qualities that may not be easily visible to the typical consumer, such as composition and strength. However, once you’ve decided to go with granite for your kitchen build or renovation, such considerations become very important in deciding where you will purchase your granite.

THE CHEAPEST OPTIONS FOR GRANITE COUNTERTOPS

The cheapest options might be big box stores such as Lowes, but before you immediately run out to purchase Lowes’ granite countertops, it’s important to be aware that these stores don’t necessarily specialize in stone, and while you may have access to some design consultation, it will likely not be as extensive as that offered by companies whose focus is more specialized. At Sky Marble and Granite in Sterling, VA, for example, our experienced professionals work with the customer every step of the way. You’ll have access to superior assistance in the design of your kitchen and selection of your stone, and you’re even invited to go to the warehouse and hand-pick your slab, so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting. With top quality products, you might spend a little more up front, but your countertops will last longer, and you’ll avoid costs such as unnecessary granite countertop repair due to errors in design or poor quality stone. Furthermore, should you need repairs or other services in the future, you’ll always know that you have a team of professionals to turn to.

When comparing prices and shopping around for your granite countertops, it’s important to weigh initial cost with other factors such as the grade of stone, color and design preferences, and professional support. At Sky Marble and Granite, you’ll find only the highest quality products and top-notch consultation services for every step of the design and installation process. We want you to love your new kitchen for many years to come, and for us, quality makes all the difference.

For more information, please read What Stone is the Best Choice for Me? or watch this video.

Step one, selecting what category of material.

Make a laundry list of priorities you would like your countertop to have similar to qualities you cannot do without in selecting a home. Are you going to stay awake at night worrying about the possibilities of red wine stains the morning after entertaining? If so, you are going to lean toward a stone with less porosity? Will seeing every speck of dust or drop of water play havoc with the definition of clean? Then Absolute Black polished would not be your first choice due to its highly reflective properties.

Step two, color.

Have you determined a color palette for the space the stone is intended? Is the stone going to determine the surrounding colors and textures or are you applying stone to an existing color scheme? Color selection can affect the type of stone selection as well. Engineered (man-made) stone, such as quartz products, were produced to bring colors into countertops that were either non-existent in natural stone or not as common and therefore were quite expensive.

Step three, pattern and texture.

When clients walk among the slabs, they determine quickly whether they are a spot person, a speckle person, a movement person (stones that create a wave), a wow factor person, or a minimalist. Your eye and emotional response determine these selections. You will find that your selections will be similar in pattern but could vary a bit in color. In this case a review of your goals, cabinets, flooring, and walls will finalize the color.

Currently, texture is playing a bigger role in the selection process. Due to more sophisticated stone processing techniques, there are more available choices in an array of slab selections. Leathered finishes are becoming more popular. Like a honed stone, the finish has little or no shine. Unlike honed, which has a smooth surface, leathered is textured with a slight bumpy surface when you run your hand across it. The effect is warm and inviting. Another plus is that the texture tends to seal the pores of the stone, which is not the case of a honed surface.

Step four, budget.

Most often there needs to be a balance of wants and desires and budget. In the case of stone, usually one of your finalists will be either in your budget or near it. If you have that number in mind, it is good to tell your stone designer so that selections you choose from are in that range.

Last words

Keep these steps in mind when you take the walk among the slabs. You will find that it will be an exhilarating process. The end result will be owning your own customized piece of nature that will create the look and feel you want in the heart of your home.

Storage

Two of the dominant cabinetry trends contradicted each other: very open and very close. “Hidden Kitchens” are not new, but they are offering some interesting new features.

Many of the manufacturers were showing open backsplash storage systems designed for islands. Some were towers installed on top of the countertops. Others were suspended from the ceiling, sometimes surrounding an integrated vent hood over an island cooktop.

Backsplash storage cabinet

There were also some very clever concealed backsplash storage cabinet systems. These allow for holding and hiding necessary items convenient to the sink, and may (and probably should) become popular with designers and clients here when exported.

Another feature that was both eye-catching and simplifying is the one-touch long wall door. These look great but would be difficult to open or close by a more petite person without an easy-opening mechanism.

Finishes and Countertops 

Popular finishes also offered appealing contrasts. Matte black and obscure glass showed up pretty widely. (Ribbed glass was especially popular for tall hidden kitchen doors, and more frosted glass showed up on base cabinets and bathroom vanities.)

Metallics, including copper, brass and lead-look panels and detailing, were also on display, in panels, door and drawer fronts and detailing.

Door and Drawer

The typical door and drawer front on display featured integral beveled handles. Generally speaking, kitchen and bath cabinet hardware was scarce in Milan last month. One notable exception was a Scavolini kitchen designed by Carlo Cracco (the Italian Emeril Lagasse, you could say), who included easy-grip handles for fast-moving, professional hands.

Countertops were still strongly quartz and porcelain, with solid surfaces gaining appeal in other parts of the world like Africa and Asia, according to one cabinet brand.

Arts and Innovation

Some of the innovative elements around the show floor were artistic in nature. Bosch and Aran Cucine both showcased customizable fronts that let designers or homeowners be creative. The Bosch panels were vibrant colors available for select refrigerator models. The Aran panels could include whatever designs clients want to see on their easy-to-reface cabinet fronts. Valcucine is also offering customized art for cabinetry. It’ll be interesting to see whether these trends catch on in the U.S.

On the purely artistic side, SMEG decided to mass produce two of its Dolce & Gabbana designs showcased in hand-painted appliances at last year’s Architectural Digest Design Show. Those will now be available on hood, range and fridge suites.

Interesting Developments

There were some other interesting developments around the kitchen and bath halls. In addition to the chef-designed kitchen by Scavolini noted above, Ernestomeda showed off an odor-killing system for trash bin cabinetry, SMEG showcased its Flexi Duo third dishwasher rack, which can be reconfigured for small items, and its automatically opening door for energy-saver drying. Vola offered its customizable towel heating bars. You probably never thought you needed towel warmers to be customizable, but when you consider different towel sizes, user counts, and finishes, you might find yourself specifying these more than you expected – at least for your luxurious master suites and pool baths!

In showcasing unique prototypes, Euro-Cucina is much like the Detroit Auto Show: Enter the concept kitchen! Porcelanosa showcased a backsplash system prototype with integrated LED lighting and modular accessory options. This could definitely have appeal for American and Canadian designers and clients.

Aran Cucine’s Oasi island was easily the most unique kitchen prototype. While its striking feature was the tree planted in its center, this all-in-one island included a trash compactor, recycling bins, dishwasher, undercounter fridge, sink, cooktop, extending tables, storage and a self-watering system for the tree.

This will probably not be a big seller in the U.S. if it’s developed, but the arborial inclusion did highlight the growing trend of plant life in kitchen spaces. (Scavolini’s chef kitchen also included plants in its modular wall accessory system.)

Bathrooms

Trough sinks were a strong bathroom trend this year. So was “smart showering,” with illuminated showerheads having a very large presence. As seen in the kitchen, very open and very closed storage showed up in baths, too. It’s not clear how many North American homeowners will want open wall storage in their bathrooms, but it can be stylish for decorative elements or beautiful perfume and lotion bottles. On the closed front, pull-out wall bins to conceal less attractive elements like toilet brushes may find fans here. These holders certainly free up floor space and make good use of otherwise wasted wall surface.

Last words

Many of the products shown at Salone will never make their way across the Atlantic, but a surprising number of exhibitors do export to the U.S. and Canada, and some even have showrooms here. Focusing just on those companies in three action-packed days delivered trends we’ll surely be seeing here in the next year or two. Even if you can’t make it to Milan in 2020 for the next kitchen and bath exhibitions, you’re sure to see some of them at KBIS next year in Las Vegas (minus the jet lag, exquisite food or fabulous Italian fashion everywhere you turn).

Quartz Countertops with Dark Color Cabinet

A fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest ways to update your kitchen. It’s a cost-effective, low-hassle way to make your space feel fresh and new. Talk to a kitchen design expert or pick up some samples from your local hardware store to find a color that suits your tastes and works well with the existing elements of your kitchen. If you’re looking for a cool, airy feel that maximizes natural light, white or pastel colors are excellent options that yield a clean and timeless look. If your cabinets are black, white, or grey, consider a stylish neutral color scheme—you’ll be surprised by the variety of grays available to choose from!

Alternatively, a bold, vibrant color choice can add energy and excitement to your space, making it a more appealing place to pass your time. A brilliant red or rich blue might be just what your kitchen needs to spice it up a bit! And if you’re looking for an even easier project, or it there’s a color that your particularly love but fear might overwhelm your space, consider creating an accent wall. You’ll be surprised just how much changing one wall can alter the atmosphere of your entire kitchen.

Marble Kitchen Countertops with Accessories

Even just the addition of a few accessories can give your kitchen new interest. New chairs or tables can totally change the look of your kitchen—and so can even smaller details. Consider swapping out the old plastic storage containers that hide in your cupboard for lovely ceramics that are useful and aesthetically pleasing. And don’t forget about the knobs and handles of your cupboards and drawers—exchange old, standard handles for something more suited to your tastes or the theme of your kitchen. You’ll be surprised at the difference even this small change can make.

White Marble Countertops with White Cabinet

If you’re ready for more than new cabinet drawer handles, it might be time to think about upgrading your kitchen countertop. Countertops are in many ways the centerpiece of the kitchen, and a great stone can drastically increase your kitchen’s functionality and its aesthetic appeal. Sky Marble and Granite in Sterling, VA, has a wide selection of granite, quartz, and quartzite selections, and you’re sure to find one that’s perfectly suited to your needs and tastes. Both engineered and natural options are durable, low-maintenance, heat resistant, and just downright beautiful. A quality stone is an investment that will last for many years, holding up to the wear and tear of everyday use and still looking good enough to impress your guests. In addition, selecting the right stone can help unite your kitchen design—for example, a light stone with gray swirls can be the perfect finish for a neutral kitchen with gray cabinets and white walls, or vice versa. Whether you’re envisioning a sparkling light stone or a luxuriously veined or grained pattern, a countertop upgrade is a surefire way to revitalize your kitchen.

Scituate, MA — A 300-sq.-ft. addition not only tripled the footprint of this kitchen, but also laid the groundwork for its transformation. The small, awkward room with too many angles and too little countertop and storage space was recreated as an open, well-functioning kitchen with dual islands, updated appliances, coffee station, bar area and bonus breakfast nook.

Find the perfect kitchen countertop material and give your kitchen a new look. Granite, Marble, Quartz are the best selections for kitchen countertops.

“My clients bought the home about four years ago and recently finished working with an interior designer to update other rooms,” says Marlene MacDonald Ketchen, owner/designer, The Cabinetry Kitchen & Bath Design Studio, in Hingham, MA, and president of the Bath & Kitchen Buying Group. She collaborated with Meyer & Meyer Architects for the addition.

“It is a beautiful home, but it needed a new kitchen…a place where my clients could cook, entertain and be comfortable,” she states.

However, simply adding square footage wasn’t the be-all, end-all solution, notes Ketchen, who indicates the potentially cavernous space was further complicated by an abundance of windows and openings that left little in the way of wall space for upper cabinet storage. The clients also had an extensive list of appliances they wanted incorporated into the space, creating another challenge.

“We had to get very creative to find enough storage and fit all the appliances,” she explains, noting the end result is a kitchen with sophisticated efficiency…a place where the cooking process is well thought out and where aesthetics are well appointed.

Foundational cooking island

Given their specific parameters, positioning the 48″ Wolf range and its associated ventilation hood became top priority, with their final destination incorporating an existing column that supports the second floor and an additional faux column to offer symmetry.

“[Due to] the range’s size, downdraft ventilation wasn’t possible,” she says. “Plus, my clients wanted a traditional wood hood that matched the cabinetry. Because of the way the addition was done, and because of the way we needed to vent the range, there was really only one place for the range and hood.”

Ketchen built upon the cooking island’s functionality by adding additional appliances, including a Wolf microwave and paneled warming drawer. A pull-out cabinet for spices and cooking oils on one side of the range is balanced by a bank of drawers on the other. Additional storage via shallow cabinets with touch latches is located on the back side of the island, which faces into the breakfast nook. This side of the island also features a gracefully curved raised bar top.

“It gives a nice aesthetic,” the designer notes. “When my clients are entertaining, guests who are standing can also use it as place to set their drinks.”

Ketchen enhanced the island’s visual appeal with the addition of wainscoting and cabinet details, such as corbels and bands of spherical trim, from Omega Cabinetry’s Infinity Collection.

“My clients really loved the circles and wanted to work them into the design,” she explains.

Oversized seating island

With the focal-point cooking island located, Ketchen turned her attention to the second island, which serves as home to the sink and paneled Miele dishwasher. Its oversized dimensions offer plenty of storage – including large drawers for pots and pans – and a place for in-kitchen seating.

“This island needed to be chunkier and ‘heavier’ than a standard 36″ island,” she says, noting it reaches to 60″ at the broadest point along its curved top. “I wanted to use that width to provide more storage and to tighten up the walkways so they weren’t too wide.”

The island’s Omega Cabinetry Dynasty Series base echoes the same Pumice stain as the cooking island. The designer also included Infinity Collection details, such as turned support legs. Additional details include a pair of custom Hubbardton Forge pendant lights that hover above the island and complement the chandelier in the breakfast nook.

Ketchen also tied both islands together visually via their Copenhagen granite tops.

“They fell in love with the stone,” she says. “It’s beautiful and has a lot of movement.”

‘Quiet’ perimeters

To keep the kitchen from becoming too busy, Ketchen suggested a ‘quieter’ stone for the perimeter countertops, including those on each side of the paneled Sub-Zero refrigerator as well as at the coffee station and bar area.

“I often recommend quartz for perimeter countertops, usually something solid if a ‘wild’ grain stone is used on the island,” she notes. “But these clients really wanted natural stone. I helped them search for something complementary and we found this Calacatta quartzite. It really complements the granite and keeps the busy stone from overpowering the space.”

Ketchen also set the perimeters apart from the islands by choosing a creamy white Magnolia paint finish for the maple cabinetry to differentiate it from the Pumice-colored alder islands.

Additional elements in the refrigerator surround include glass upper cabinets with curved mullion details and drawer base cabinets with organized storage accessories, including cutlery dividers and a peg system for dishes. To pull the refrigerator into the space and closer to the islands, Ketchen deepened the wall by adding a tall, narrow pantry with rollouts behind each cabinet that flanks the refrigerator.

“These cabinets bump the refrigerator further into the work triangle,” she says, noting they also offer additional storage. “Without them, the refrigerator would have been too far away from the islands.”

Entertaining extras

The kitchen’s addition gave Ketchen enough space to include a bar area as well as a coffee station. The bar, set at an angle, repeats the curved mullion glass doors and features dual refrigerator drawers and a pass-through that offers a view into the living room. The Calacatta quartzite countertop, which overhangs into the adjoining space, coordinates quietly with elements on both sides.

Ketchen’s clients also wanted to include a tall wine refrigerator. Since the bar couldn’t accommodate the appliance, she incorporated a Sub-Zero unit into the adjacent coffee station, adding an undercabinet ice maker beside it. On the opposite end of the coffee station, Ketchen complemented the wine refrigerator with storage cubes for champagne. In between, the designer added more storage, including dual lift-up garage doors to conceal the couple’s coffee maker as well as their blender and mixer.

“They really wanted a coffee station for entertaining and for when they have overnight guests,” she says, noting that they wanted to give visitors easy access, yet close off the area when not in use.

“My clients were very involved with every inch of their new kitchen,” she continues. “I love customizing a design to get a space just the way a client wants it. And this kitchen really is customized for the way they live…and they love it!”

Source | Kitchen & Bath Design News