I received a quote today for granite countertops at $60 per square foot. I wouldn't even spend that much money on a grave marker for myself.
The current kitchen in the coach house on Gabriola has a butcher block countertop from Ikea. It cost less than $300, looks great, and can be sanded down when scratched. It only needs minimal maintenance with a food-grade sealer every few years.
Concrete countertops are showing up in many modern homes, and I've seen them with ground pieces of glass, shells, coins, etc. Below is a custom-made concrete countertop with glass.
In a house we owned in Saskatoon years ago we had countertops covered in copper sheeting. They looked great but were always tarnishing and were easy to scratch. Never again!
What kind of countertop do you recommend, and why?
7 comments:
Well, if you listen to designer-types (or care), granite is so over.
I think Marc and Hugette's concrete countertops are very nice - perhaps I'm a bit biased!
And I actually like a mix of materials - so maybe some butcher block and then choose something else.
A lot of designers here use laminate - sometimes mixed with other materials, too - so a few countertops in laminate and then maybe one in stainless steel or .... - inexpensive, can look great and you don't feel badly about changing them when you get tired of them.
Will be interested to hear what you decide.
Thanks Chris. I like the idea of a mixed approach. I guess one reason why granite has become so popular is that it contrasts nicely with the overwhelming amount of wood in most kitchens (e.g., hardwood flooring and cabinets).
I'm not sure what we'll do yet, but Kathy REALLY likes granite. I would prefer to get some more butcher block and figure out how to give it a richer look through staining.
True - and who cares what designers say as long as Kathy is happy (happy wife, happy life).
I like high contrast - especially in a modern space - so not too much wood.
So if I was going to use those dark walnut floors (which I love), then I'd want white cabinets and granite/stainless steel combo perhaps???
Have you checked out Houzz.com - it's an amazing resource where you can look at lots of different elements and save them to ideaboards thaty ou can share with others - or ask questions and get feedback. Virtual portfolio for all your house ideas.
I'm a huge fan of concrete, and it can be done at reasonable expense. I personally prefer the look if "plain" finished concrete to stuff with embedded glass, etc., but that's just me.
However, concrete is far more expensive and takes more time to produce/install that butcher block. For the money, I'm not sure there is anything as beautiful, functional, and timeless as wood. And the IKEA stuff looks great! Very good options on their finishes.
The one thing to consider is that you don't want your kitchen to come out looking like a hunting lodge, so avoid wood floors, unpainted cabinets, etc.
Have fun!
Thanks for these comments Chris and Anonymous. I will indeed check out the Houzz site since being able to play with and see how different elements interact is helpful.
I agree with Anonymous that having too much wood might give a more rustic feel, so clearly some kind of contrasting materials are required.
We have concrete countertops and love them! Concrete has a broad range of colour options PLUS I find the colour palette much more subtle (some granite is a bit over the top for my taste).
Thanks CC. What color did you opt for?
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