One of the pleasures of decorating a new kitchen or renovating an old one is picking just the right countertop. This task can be as bewildering as it is pleasurable, for there are many types of countertops to choose from. Some things to keep in mind are now much traffic the kitchen gets, whether the homeowner cooks a great deal and the overall decor of the room.
If the kitchen gets a lot of traffic, a good type of countertop is engineered stone, which is usually quartz ground into a powder then mixed with pigment and resin. This results in a surface that’s easy to clean and resists molds, mildew, scratches, etching and stains. It is nonporous and does not need to be sealed like natural stone.
Engineered stone also comes in so many colors that it is bound to match any kitchen decor. Stainless steel is also a good countertop choice for a kitchen that’s used often, but it might not go well with a more traditional decor. It's hard for re-sale purposes and appeals to a very specific homeowner.
Natural stone like granite or marble is tough, it is perfect for a kitchen that gets middling use and for a homeowner who loves to bake. That’s because the coolness of stone, especially marble, is just the thing or making pastry.
A solid surface countertop is made of acrylic, and the countertop and the sink are usually integral, or made of one piece. This allows a solid surface counter to be made into interesting shapes for a more modern kitchen. Solid surface counters have a great variety of patterns and colors and can be made to mimic natural stone. They are supremely easy to clean.
Concrete countertops are becoming more and more popular., but again, are for very specific homeowners. These too can be poured into forms according to the homeowner’s wishes and decorated with bits of shell, crushed stone, sea glass or even the homeowner’s family crest. They can even have trivets inset into them and be polished to a satiny matte finish or a mirror glass shine.