Choosing the finishes for your kitchen is such an exciting and challenging task. Clearly, there’s a long list of elements you have to think about; the cabinets, the hardware, the accessories, the backsplash, the countertop, the flooring and the fixtures. So there is an endless decision to make to realise your desired kitchen but the most important one is how do you pick a countertop.
There’s no one countertop that’s ideal for every home. There are several factors and requirements you have to consider before committing and deciding on the type of countertop material. Don’t get confused with unlimited options in the marketplace. Just begin by setting your list of priorities and ask yourself the right questions.
As an interior designer who has supervised several kitchens remodelling, I break down 4 crucial questions you need to ask yourself before picking out the right material for your countertop kitchen. Ready to get started?
1. How do you use your kitchen?
The function should be always your top priority when deciding on any type of countertop material. You need first to consider the frequency of use and assess your key requirements for your kitchen. For example, if you are a cooking lover and you daily use your kitchen to prepare homemade dishes for your family, durable and resistant material for your countertop has to be your first characteristic.
2. How much maintenance can you handle?
Every single material comes with a long list of demands. If you are a person who doesn’t want to put time and effort into the care of your countertops and you would like something durable, porous materials like marble, limestone, and granite are just not for you because they Require maintenance every 10-15 years to protect against staining and oil penetration.
However, if you don’t mind regular maintenance, you can choose natural materials like Solid Wood that requires regular maintenance, scratches easily and is susceptible to damage by water, steam and other household items. This type of material requires light sanding and an application of oil into it at least twice a year.
3. What’s your budget?
The prices of the countertop materials vary widely and depend on your local suppliers and builders. For example, it’s a common myth that marble is the most expensive countertops material that you can get but these basic guidelines can be misleading. Actually, you can find high-end and exotic granite that can cost significantly more than low-grade marble. There is a big variation between prices per square meter depending on availability, the origin of species and finishes.
I suggest focusing on your ideal materials first and then trying to find the best combination that fits your budget. For example, if you have an island kitchen, as a designer’s tip, when you have a restricted budget but you still love high-end material, you can use two different materials; you might use the expensive material on the island top that doesn’t get a lot of use while on the adjacent counters you can use an affordable material.
4. What is your style?
Serving both as a workhorse and as a showpiece, the aesthetic aspect is very important as well as the functionality aspect for the overall appearance of the kitchen.
For example, if you like the elegant classic style you can go with an exotic granite that gives a classy luxury effect and high-end design to your kitchen.
If you like industrial style, you can go with stain steel countertop materials.
This high-end design kitchen will make you fall in love with the industrial style. The combination of two different stain steel finishes creates an exclusive and flavourful atmosphere. The antique black matte used for the island cabinet is an elegant splash, the satin stain steel finish of the countertop adds a professional vibe to the kitchen.
if you like contemporary modern and clean white quartz with minimal pattern is good for you
if you like farmhouse style you can use block butcher
