View Full Version : Countertops?
pinkytoe
11-30-13, 10:58am
Recently, we put a new sink in our old countertops - one of those weirdly divided sinks and ultimately - one of those why did we do that decisions? And a new faucet which ends up puddling water everywhere because of its bad design. The whole setup is a disaster and now that the dishwasher broke...I am thinking we are going to start over with this and make it work - on a budget of course.
I am looking for countertop ideas - we have only 35 sf - so not a huge area to cover. I don't have a clue what to put in since we will be selling in a few years. Currently, we have granite tile so I know I don't want grout lines anymore. Any thoughts?
catherine
11-30-13, 11:07am
I got quartz for my BIL's house and also for mine recently. We both have small 70s kitchens--price was about 2000. I'm very happy with it.
However, if your budget doesn't allow that, if I had needed to spend less, I'd go for laminate. I know it isn't sexy, but it's changed a LOT over the past decades in terms of style and color options. My SIL has a beautiful Sarah Susanka-style house that she built, and she chose laminate. Also my son bought a charming restored house that had JUST been redone up in Burlington, and the builder used laminate and you really can't even tell that it's not granite until you're up close.
ETA, I forgot to add that when we prepped my MIL's house for sale we replaced the counters with laminate and they look nice.
Also, the only reason I didn't choose laminate for our kitchen is because DH is a careless cook and he ruined our last laminate by putting a hot pot on it and burning it. He was ADAMANT that the countertop be heat and scratch resistant.
I had laminate counter tops installed a few years ago and they are totally functional and are wearing pretty well. I think you can get laminates that look pretty much like granite or marble, but it shows wear a little more. My philosophy was that the more expensive materials may last longer and look a little better, but the way kitchen fashions go what ever you get may well be out of style in ten or fifteen years anyway.
SteveinMN
11-30-13, 11:44am
Rogar makes a very good point about the timing of the installation. Anything put into a kitchen in 2013 is going to look dated by 2023 or 2033, well within the service life of anything that got even a bit of care. Some buyers will toss perfectly good countertops and appliances just to change the style.
So one question I think you should answer is what people expect to find in homes like yours. When I replaced countertops about 5 years ago, I was thinking that I might have to sell in a few years. At that time (peak of the housing boom here) granite was becoming quite common in houses in my price range. I hate granite, for many reasons. At the same time, however, I wasn't going to spend thousands of dollars installing an alternative or "green" countertop that I was not going to get to enjoy myself. So I went with laminate with a nice edge treatment. I was lucky to hire a good installer who figured out how to cut one piece of laminate into the three I needed without any seams. It looks fine years after installation.
Laminate, indeed, has come a long way since the Boomerang days. Laminate can look like anything, is not very expensive (half the price of granite or solid surface), and lasts a long time if people are not careless with it. There are ways to address that, too, by putting stone (matchy-matchy or not) on either side of the stove as a landing spot for hot pans, or by building in a cutting board elsewhere so people are not tempted to slice right on top of (and into) the countertop.
iris lilies
11-30-13, 11:57am
I don't think laminates look like granite or stone, and I don't think they've changed much in 15 years. That's why I'm keeping my boring, grey laminate countertops because I don't want to spring for expensive stuff, and all of the laminates out there thrill me as much as my current one. We do have, like Steve suggests, tile on the surface next to the stove. There was one stone/resin mix that really excited me at The Home Show, but when the rep came out to measure, she said it's not available any more. So, that is just as well. The other surface that I found stunningly beautiful is colored concrete , but that stuff is more expensive than granite.
Tussiemussies
11-30-13, 12:32pm
We just put in laminate with a beveled edge and it looks really nice....
pinkytoe
11-30-13, 12:40pm
Some buyers will toss perfectly good countertops and appliances just to change the style
Yes! I am a craigslist peruser and notice listings fairly often from the fancypants hoods where someone is demolishing a kitchen that looks like it might be 2-3 years old. I am hoping to score some nice counter top from one of these do-overs. As far as putting in what is being used in our neck of the woods for resale, I have not seen any formica though I would consider it. Seems like everything around here lately is ultra modern with recycled glass, quartz,marble - things that are over my "spend authority".
We build our own home in '76 (with our very own hands, no contractor) and to save costs a little and since we had some paneling left over, we used that for countertops. For some reason we put the grooved side up, which seemed kind of weird at the time, but it worked out really great. Remember, those were our hippie years :) ... We sold it in '89 and moved, and two years ago we went back to see it (it's still beautiful!) and the people who own it still have the wood counters and love them. They've been refinished, but they're beautiful and still work great. I'd do wood again ...
catherine
11-30-13, 2:39pm
We build our own home in '76 (with our very own hands, no contractor) and to save costs a little and since we had some paneling left over, we used that for countertops. For some reason we put the grooved side up, which seemed kind of weird at the time, but it worked out really great. Remember, those were our hippie years :) ... We sold it in '89 and moved, and two years ago we went back to see it (it's still beautiful!) and the people who own it still have the wood counters and love them. They've been refinished, but they're beautiful and still work great. I'd do wood again ...
Cool story! And great job of repurposing.
We moved into this house ~13 years ago. The counters are some sort of thin white laminate of Formica or something, atop oak frames, and the stuff was perhaps 10 years old at the time. It looked dated when we moved in, and I always meant to replace it Some Day. Well, 13 years later, Some Day hasn't come yet, and it has held up just fine. Doesn't look amazing, but works well.
What I like about it is I don't care about it at all, as I intend to replace it, yet it doesn't complain about my mistreatment. And stuff doesn't break when I drop it onto the surface, unlike granite.
I'm not even sure what it is, and it can't have cost all that much.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_ZAGwvPSyaQ/Upoyps7CspI/AAAAAAAAI5k/Q_s-sGHlW0s/s640/Awesomized.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YeWDdp7i3PQ/UpoysN2ePqI/AAAAAAAAI54/xX3f95X0Enw/s640/Awesomized.jpg
ToomuchStuff
11-30-13, 2:53pm
Somewhat of a threadjack. For those who have had granite, what is required for maintenance? "Marble" around here, that I have seen, isn't truly marble, but a man made substitute with marble dust, etc. (the bakers I know that use true marble say it isn't the same for their purposes)
Is the granite the same way (man made out of scraps, etc), or is it actually granite. I would think at some price point you could get either.
I don't know what the price point is here, before you get to stone. Most of the homes I have been in, have always used laminate. (people still use pot/pan holders) A few years back, there was a couple of solid surface materials that were popular (don't see them advertised now). One former neighbors house (was a metal worker, died in the 60's) had built a basement kitchen area (hunter) that had stainless steel countertops. I would have liked to get those when the next owner ripped them out. I figure whatever I would do, will be wrong to the next person.
ApatheticNoMore
11-30-13, 3:22pm
I'm glad many people are keeping their old countertops and not doing the countertop insanity (yea grout is a little harder to clean - there is that shrug - I'm lazy, but even lazy has it's limits, like if I owned this place would I really replace all the countertops because lazy, probably not if they worked, if my whole sink was leaking otoh). Not to mention some granite might more than the normal levels of radon, so much for being trendy:
http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/news/20080730/granite-countertops-a-recipe-for-danger
None of the materials strike me as remotely sustainable but surfed the net a little:
"Granites are unique and they are cut out of mountain sites into big blocks, which are sawed into slabs like a loaf of bread and polished and shipped to market [oh lovely lovely mountain side removal! this is what I suspected was going on]. Quartz is unique and its crystal are actually mined, crushed up and mixed with resins, poured into a form of slabs, compacted and heat treated, to give them their slab forms.
Since granite is a natural stone and comes from the Earth, it has fissures in it. Fissures are inconsistencies in stone itself. When you cut a hole in granite, for example for sink or a cooktop, it weakens the stone a little bit. So, those fissures tend to crackle a little bit and over time it could crack the countertop. Quartz on the other hand, is entirely a different product, it is 93 percent quartz and 7 percent polymer [plastics I figure] filler, that is what keeps it all together.
Granite is non renewable; once removed from earth’s crust, it cannot be reused again and as far as quartz is concerned, its mining does have a clear impact in our environment. So, the neither of them are eco-friendly as far as their extraction and manufacturing is concerned."
http://www.ecofriend.com/granite-quartz-countertops-home-environment.html
I'm going to replace my counters eventually (harvest gold, anyone?) and I'm perfectly happy with formica. It's period-appropriate, durable, and handsome in its own way. Concrete would be nice, but probably won't happen.
goldensmom
11-30-13, 3:45pm
We replaced our countertops a couple of years ago just because I wanted a change. I wanted concrete but it was deemed too heavy for our cabinets. I priced granite ($3500) and laminate ($450). I found a laminate that resembled concrete and went with the laminate. It looks good and is functional which is good enough for me.
Don't know how this will work ... here's a photo of the current owner of "our house" and the countertops:
https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/197442_10150104398027666_1962369_n.jpg
Let's see ...
Well, granite is a renewable resource, it is just that the timescale involved is...wait for it....geologic.
Much of the earth's continental crust is granite, so I suspect we won't run out of it anytime soon.
My countertops are tile. Yes, the grout can be a pain to clean, but I love how I can take something out of the oven or off the stove and place it right onto the counter.
At our old house (sold a couple of years ago) we installed a solid surface countertop that was a Corian competitor. It wasn't expensive, it was dead easy to clean, it held up well, and it did --- from a distance -- resemble a very dark granite when polished. We loved it.
Probably would do laminate here, though, something like Bae's. We have a ridiculous amount of counter space in odd shapes, and wouldn't want to put too much into it.
Just got back from all the big box stores. Just finding a dishwasher is a big enough pain and then add all the countertop choices. I was amazed at all the laminate choices but oddly it isn't much cheaper than granite. I asked our potential realtor about laminate and he said any buyer will "wrinke their nose". Counter snobs, who knew? Maybe I'll just live with what we have...
Just got back from all the big box stores. Just finding a dishwasher is a big enough pain and then add all the countertop choices. I was amazed at all the laminate choices but oddly it isn't much cheaper than granite. I asked our potential realtor about laminate and he said any buyer will "wrinke their nose". Counter snobs, who knew? Maybe I'll just live with what we have...
I don't think that's universally true. I'd just as soon have that as some surface I have to fuss over.
iris lilies
11-30-13, 8:30pm
Just got back from all the big box stores. Just finding a dishwasher is a big enough pain and then add all the countertop choices. I was amazed at all the laminate choices but oddly it isn't much cheaper than granite. I asked our potential realtor about laminate and he said any buyer will "wrinke their nose". Counter snobs, who knew? Maybe I'll just live with what we have...
I found the granite, at least any granite or solid surface that I want, to be very much more expensive than laminate. But then, we have a LOT of counter space.
I think another thing you might want to think about if choosing granite is that it can emit radon. Just something to think about. We have too much radon in our house already, so we wouldn't want to add to it.
oops.......just realized that ApatheticNoMore already mentioned the radon.
(Kestrel, that is a bee-you-ti-ful countertop!) I actually prefer good laminate with a deep bullnose edge to granite or other, more pricey materials because it's more user-friendly...wears better, doesn't have to be re-sealed, or babied. Having said that, most people DO prefer the look of granite, and you might ask a big granite countertop place for remnant pieces....you might get a great deal on a slab.
OK, I do have *one* use for granite - as a machinist's surface plate, a reference for "flat".
It is also very handy for sharpening edged tools, lay sandpaper down on the known-flat granite plate, and have at it.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7Vlq5fDANSE/T2fFwHY4ftI/AAAAAAAAEtg/7aUVu1vAaCk/s640/IMG_0546.JPG
If my counters were granite, I'd be too tempted to sharpen things on the counter, and do machine work inside the house :-)
SteveinMN
12-1-13, 11:49am
I was amazed at all the laminate choices but oddly it isn't much cheaper than granite. I asked our potential realtor about laminate and he said any buyer will "wrinke their nose". Counter snobs, who knew? Maybe I'll just live with what we have...
One thing to be careful about in pricing laminate versus "everything else" is that laminate costs frequently are quoted in linear feet while "everything else" is priced by square feet. Since a standard kitchen countertop is about two feet deep, laminate at $26/linear foot is half the price of granite at $50/square foot. The other big cost in laminate is the edging. You can very quickly run up to stone-like prices with inlaid edges and the like. One more thing: if you're going with custom laminate (i.e., not the prefab counters available at big-box home-improvement stores), consider going with a "flat deck" -- running the countertop surface all the way to the back wall. You can then put in a backsplash of your choice (or just paint) and it won't look like "laminate from the big-box store".
And if you're selling a home anywhere near or below the median in most areas, any buyer who wrinkles their nose at clean, well-installed laminate has been watching too many H&G home shows. All the trendy stores these people like to shop at use laminate by the truckload -- though their stuff usually is higher end stuff like Laminart (http://www.laminart.com/success-stories/portfolio) and Abet Laminati or at least Pionite or Wilsonart HD.
fidgiegirl
12-1-13, 1:50pm
Yes! I am a craigslist peruser and notice listings fairly often from the fancypants hoods where someone is demolishing a kitchen that looks like it might be 2-3 years old. I am hoping to score some nice counter top from one of these do-overs. As far as putting in what is being used in our neck of the woods for resale, I have not seen any formica though I would consider it. Seems like everything around here lately is ultra modern with recycled glass, quartz,marble - things that are over my "spend authority".
Here's the thing we are trying to figure out with used countertops, especially stone ones (we are on the prowl for a future basement kitchenette) . . . who will fabricate it to fit in our space? The chances of finding a counter with holes in exactly the right spot AND the right length/width are slim to none, so it would almost certainly need some tweaking . . . what do others think about this?
Now onto the OP's question, we are also looking at butcher block for the kitchenette. It is more affordable than other materials, timeless, and a homeowner could cut it to size him/herself. My question is how much upkeep does it require? That we haven't figured out yet.
I would want rid of the grout lines as well. I'm not a particularly overly clean person, but we had a tiled countertop in our old house that DH had installed himself, and those grout lines skeeved me out.
We ended up going granite in each house . . . we have a guy who does installs for some of the big companies and he'll do side work for himself, especially for small kitchens (both of these were). He watched for months for a slab in the color we wanted and in a size that would work and then fabricated and installed it. We were very happy in both cases. Hey, maybe he's the answer to our question from above! Not sure if he would be willing but he'd know how to cut down whatever stone we might obtain.
iris lilies
12-1-13, 2:29pm
I like butcher block as well but don't know about the upkeep. I saw a counterop made of cherry wood, egad it was gorgeous!
Our Formica has held up well, sort of TOO well, actually. DH installed it himself and the corners are not nice and there's a big grout line there in the corner. But dang, all of the countertop in this kitchen is still perfectly fine, no damage. No reason to trade it in.
That's one of the best things about laminate: it's practically indestructible. It's good enough for me, though I fantasize about concrete with an inlay of stone with embedded ammonites or orthoceras or something.
This little house that I purchased after my divorce has a tiny kitchen with a granite slab countertop and it is a beautiful touch, I must say.... And I have been very pleased with the functionality of it.
rosarugosa
12-1-13, 6:59pm
I'm interested in wood as well. I think it would go well with the character of my little cottage.
Kestrel: Can you tell us about maintenance requirements of your wooden counter top (which was a very impressive case of re-purposing)?
rodeosweetheart
12-2-13, 6:39am
We have used butcher block in the last two kitchens and there is no fancy upkeep-- I love it, easy peasy, and so beautiful
ToomuchStuff
12-2-13, 12:12pm
Bae, Love the Tormek? (I picked up one with some jigs, for under $200/estate sale) I am trying to learn it now. I've had the surface plate a while, and you I am sure know that granite countertops are not flat, in relation to them.
Fidgie.
Do you have a Habitat ReStore around? This is a place to look for used stuff, as well as assorted sizes of stone. Ours gets enough that would be large enough for a mantle or misc tables, but typically not large enough for kitchen counters (not there every day, so I don't know when it comes in, or if they have larger slabs that day). Stone can be cut with the tools, but not the same blades, as wood. Diamond blades are typically used in circular saws for stone or tile, and diamond drill bits for boring, but these both need lubrication (damp sponges I have seen used). For rounding the edges, I don't know what bits are used, but the router that I have seen used is a higher end, heavy duty router (Milwaukee 5625).
For butcher block counters, it depends on how they are made. There are counters that are in the style of butcher block, without being butcher block (BB entails a special finish, food grade mineral oil). Ikea I know is one place that sells them, but also places like Woodcraft and Grizzly tools.
The ReUse/ReStore locations around here are big enough for countertops. My experience in raiding them for both my house and my mom's place, though, is that they're much better at stocking countertop styles that could most kindly be termed "vintage"; rarely something as nice as marble/granite or even solid-surface. Then there is the matter of finding one with holes and angles in the right places, etc. I've learned that they occasionally get some very nice countertops and cabinets from some higher-end homes, but those barely hit the sales floor before they're spoken for. Re[Whatever] can be a great deal if you have the time and patience to keep looking or can find a sympathetic clerk willing to give you a heads-up as items come in. But if you're on any kind of schedule, you'll be better off choosing a lower-cost material and going ahead with your plans.
Gardenarian
12-2-13, 8:54pm
Ikea has some really nice wood countertops at prices that are much lower than anywhere else.
I know several people who used Ikea for their entire kitchens and are very pleased.
I'm happy with my sturdy tiled counters; I have brown grout that doesn't get nasty looking.
fidgiegirl
12-2-13, 10:27pm
Toomuchstuff, yes, we have one, and they have advertised slabs in the past . . . not sure if they would have worked or not, didn't give them too much thought because we weren't sure how to cope with them, but will have to bear your advice in mind and look at them in a new light as we move forward. Thanks!
Based on what I see on HGTV I think granite may be going out of style. People seem to be griping that it's ugly and that they prefer other solid surface tops. Personally I agree. Granite can be beautiful, but so much of it is just dreadful but for years people oooo'd and ahhhh'd over it just because it's granite and ignored whether it actually looked nice.
Having been to the Rock of Ages granite quarry in NH I'm not so concerned about environmental issues, other than perhaps the fuel cost to ship such a heavy thing long distances. The quarry is certainly not so dreadful as mountaintop removal to get at coal is. And if we somehow use up all the granite I suppose we can just switch to another counter surface. It's not as though granite is some critical resource that we use for something more important than countertops. In the unlikely event that we run out life will go on just fine.
Our apartment has ceaserstone, which we love. It looks nice and is EASY to keep clean. It also has an undermount sink which makes cleanup even easier.
If I had my way, if I redid the kitchen, I'd go all stainless, with floor drains and such. This is why I never get my way :-)
http://millsspecialtymetals.com/wp-content/uploads/stainless-steel-commercial-kitchen-fixtures.jpg
I don't understand why you don't get your way, bae. That kitchen looks great! And very practical. When I was in high school my first job was as a bus boy/dish washer in a restaurant. If I worked the closing shift one of my tasks was to use the "hot hose" (it was connected to a water heater that produced a non-stop flow of 190 degree water) to clean up the floor and wall area by the dishwater. A kitchen like you want would be so easy to keep clean as long as it had a hot hose like I used all those years ago!
Exactly, I worked in a place like that in college. I like being able to move everything easily to clean too.
I will try to resell the idea once we have college paid off, and Alan is paying for my healthcare finally.
Ugh! We don't like our bisque colored corian! Stains like crazy!
A whole lot of stainless like that reminds me of autopsy rooms...I see sheeted cadavers on those countertops:)
Rosarugosa: Our wood countertop required only being kept dry and the grooves cleaned out. No problem. The paneling had a finish on it already. We lived there 11 years and I don't recall any wear to it, but there must have been. Maybe some scratches? I do know the current owner refinished it, tho. We saved $$ on the countertops, but we splurged on some things: Pella windows throughout (you can see in the picture), a Vermont Castings Defiant wood stove (our only heat), and 6" walls. We had to pay a small fortune to get the Defiant stove to CA by train -- they weren't available Out West then. We didn't use the paneling for our walls, btw, but only for the ceiling in the kitchen. Another weird thing we did, I guess. I could go on ... :D
Some more pictures to share -- nothing to do with countertops. ... these were taken about 30 years after it was built ...
The front: https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/422405_10150587878747666_1754277057_n.jpg
The Defiant: https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/197715_10150104397807666_3205074_n.jpg
Living Room: https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/185735_10150104398077666_42217_n.jpg
DH made the screen door.
Living Room door: https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/197148_10150104398132666_4290935_n.jpg
DH did the stained glass.
And the truck that made it all possible: Our '52 GMC one-ton truck -- #1 son learned to drive in this truck when he was seven.
EDIT: forgot to post the link to the truck! https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/p480x480/429642_10150588212907666_1320040718_n.jpg (it was green, such as it was) ...
rosarugosa
12-4-13, 6:11am
Kestrel: Thanks for sharing the great pictures! Your DH is quite talented. We've paid big bucks for wooden storm/screen doors - I hate the big-box aluminum ones. Very cool truck!
This thread has definitely helped me decide that wood will be the countertop material for us. Another plus for wood: my IL's have a beefy, thick oak kitchen table. It's truly a wonderful table. It has seen decades of constant use in a household of smokers, and whenever it would get a burn or two, they would just sand it and add a few coats of poly. So I like the fact that a serious burn or stain would be more fixable with wood than with other surfaces.
gimmethesimplelife
12-4-13, 8:28am
When the friend of my family passed on back in September 2012, I found myself working with one of his sisters to move his two properties here in Arizona. Both properties were in horrible shape - not so much dirty as unmaintained and the kitchen was the worst. Seriously the appliances had never been maintained and dated to Nixon's leaving the White House. A few months after both properties sold, the sister called me and told me to look up the addresses of the properties on trulia.com I think it was.
The kitchens looked amazing, and part of it was the wonderful laminate countertops that had been installed. The laminate was made to look like some kind of stone and it really worked with the cabinets that had been installed. I am a big believer in laminate after this, especially as I believe personally that granite is a bit of a fad, kind of like how I feel about stainless steel appliances. Just my two cents. Rob
as I believe personally that granite is a bit of a fad, kind of like how I feel about stainless steel appliances. Just my two cents. Rob
I HATE stainless appliances. They always look dirty. When I was a kid my mother put a post-it note on each of the kitchen cabinets (white painted doors) that said "Please use the handle", because she was tired of cleaning off our grubby fingerprints. Maybe if I did the same with our fridge... I'd much rather have basic black.
SteveinMN
12-4-13, 11:17am
When I was a kid my mother put a post-it note on each of the kitchen cabinets (white painted doors) that said "Please use the handle", because she was tired of cleaning off our grubby fingerprints.
Appliances sheathed in real stainless steel do, indeed, show off every grubby fingerprint. Then consumer-grade appliance makers smartened up and started applying coatings to the steel to fend off fingerprints -- or using materials that looked like stainless steel but weren't. That particular problem has been receding into the distance for years.
That said, I find stainless steel appliances so ubiquitous as to border on cliché and, for that reason alone, will choose another color. :)
fidgiegirl
12-4-13, 6:39pm
I HATE stainless appliances. They always look dirty. When I was a kid my mother put a post-it note on each of the kitchen cabinets (white painted doors) that said "Please use the handle", because she was tired of cleaning off our grubby fingerprints. Maybe if I did the same with our fridge... I'd much rather have basic black.
Now . . . stainless steel bathroom stall dividers? THAT'S a bad idea . . . ew ew ew
I have this tiny kitchen in my tiny cottage. When it was remodeled before I bought it the owner put in granite and stainless steel. It is not a sleek look in this house, but fits the cottage style of the house. I never thought I would want it either, but after living with the granite and stainless steel for awhile now I absolutely love it.... I never liked white appliances because they just look dirty after awhile, and I hate black - they show dust, cat hair, etc. The stainless just looks nice, and the granite is a natural beautiful stone look. I can't imagine granite being a fad, because after all, a countertop made of rock will last forever! I will never replace it...
SteveinMN
12-5-13, 10:35am
I can't imagine granite being a fad, because after all, a countertop made of rock will last forever!
Not to be contrary, but granite is kind of a fad. Granite has existed for thousands of years, but its use as a countertop material dates back only a few decades.
Fads are the antithesis of "forever". Color preferences change (avocado green or harvest gold or pink appliances, anyone?), preferences for light/dark/highly-patterned/shaded/monochromatic come and go. And, interestingly, granite and marble countertops used to be the province only of rich people. Now that pretty much anyone can have granite if they want it, rich people seeking kitchens which are a cut above are looking for materials other than granite and marble. Even if the countertops they have will last forever.
catherine
12-5-13, 11:02am
Now that pretty much anyone can have granite if they want it, rich people seeking kitchens which are a cut above are looking for materials other than granite and marble. Even if the countertops they have will last forever.
I FINALLY heard someone on HGTV wrinkle his nose at granite/stainless steel BECAUSE he felt that it was going to be tomorrow's harvest gold/shag carpet. He was clearly more of a visionary buyer and he and his partner wound up buying something pretty modern and cutting edge. But it was so refreshing to not hear the common chant: "Oh! And I LOVE the granite and stainless steel!" I get annoyed when people purchase with the mind of sheep.
If I had more money to spend on my counter, I would have gone for IceStone or PaperStone or concrete.
Now that pretty much anyone can have granite if they want it, rich people seeking kitchens which are a cut above are looking for materials other than granite and marble.
It does seem like once something becomes available to the masses, it loses its appeal. The whole notion of having abundant and expensive counter tops is fairly recent. I recall that my grandparents and parents kitchens might have had 3-5 ft of counter space total and it were made of either wood or tile. We recently stayed at a cabin where the counter tops were granite, only slightly polished and had a natural, rough-chiseled edge. I thought they looked kind of "eternal." If my mother were still alive, she would say that granite is for tombstones.
goldensmom
12-5-13, 11:57am
I FINALLY heard someone on HGTV wrinkle his nose at granite/stainless steel BECAUSE he felt that it was going to be tomorrow's harvest gold/shag carpet.
I must have seen the same episode. It was so refreshing to see someone not go 'ga-ga' over granite/stainless steel. I've also heard that stainless steel is soooo 2011, made me laugh. To me stainless steel (which I had in a previous home) means finger prints, water spots and much upkeep. Granite is nice but I have other things to spend my money on such as electric, heat, taxes, etc..
If I had more money to spend on my counter, I would have gone for IceStone or PaperStone or concrete.
I love the idea of IceStone or Vetrazzo, on appearance alone (nevermind the recycled aspect of it). Unfortunately their cost makes granite look like the budget choice. :(
Stainless steel is on a 20+ year run because it is what's used in real commercial kitchens. People like to feel like their home kitchen is 'restaurant quality' or 'professional' and there's nothing wrong with that. You can get stainless from almost the very bottom end of appliances all the way to the very top. In fact, at the top there are still very few other options. Stainless can look just as good in a cabin as it can in a modern loft so its probably here to stay. In the most recent cost vs. value report from NAHB (I can't link non-members to it) stainless steel appliances fall into that 'no-brainer' category for any house above $225,000. We just renovated our place and DW went with all stainless because the stove I picked out was also stainless, there was no other choice in that model, so she wanted it all to match.
All kinds of crazy countertop options are coming online. You can get jatoba or wenge butcherblock, custom glass in any color that even has lighting underneath to make it glow, soapstone is popular, recycled paper is an option, concrete is the new granite (we have it because I can make the tops in the garage), etc. Personally, I'm still a laminate fan because the new stuff is durable and it doesn't cost a fortune or make a mess to overlay it with a new color or pattern a few years down the road, but DW would have none of that. Something new will be the hot thing next year, guaranteed.
I'm going to replace my counters eventually (harvest gold, anyone?) and I'm perfectly happy with formica. It's period-appropriate, durable, and handsome in its own way. Concrete would be nice, but probably won't happen.
Well I think my counters out date yours. My house has the original 1950's mint green/dark green tiles in my kitchen (and original tiles, baths, sinks and toilets in both bath rooms - one bath in baby blue and the other pink) and they are still in great condition. I'm a sucker for tile anyways and like it much better than anything "new" out there and it seems to last forever with very little maintenance. Of course it does look very dated - in a trendy retro way that I like - and tile generally cost a lot to install. My sink (also orginial 1950s white cast iron double sink with the spout coming out of the wall) is actually embedded in the tiles so I'd have to remove them if I wanted a new sink.
This is a picture of a bathroom but it's basicly how my kitchen tiles look:
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1337&d=1386274792
Well I think my counters out date yours. My house has the original 1950's mint green/dark green tiles in my kitchen (and original tiles, baths, sinks and toilets in both bath rooms - one bath in baby blue and the other pink) and they are still in great condition. I'm a sucker for tile anyways and like it much better than anything "new" out there and it seems to last forever with very little maintenance. Of course it does look very dated - in a trendy retro way that I like - and tile generally cost a lot to install. My sink (also orginial 1950s white cast iron double sink with the spout coming out of the wall) is actually embedded in the tiles so I'd have to remove them if I wanted a new sink.
This is a picture of a bathroom but it's basicly how my kitchen tiles look:
That tile is NICE! Most of my neighborhood is 50's early 60's and there are a few thriving businesses that specialize in used and reproduction "vintage mid-century" (I am having trouble adjusting to the term since it might include me) furnishings. I can attest that tile like that in good shape would be highly desirable in my area.
Spartana, I would LOVE to have a bathroom like that! Every time I see one like it on HGTv and the people talk about wanting to change it if they buy the house I feel the need to shout "NOOO!" At the tv.
If I ever spend money on restaurant grade appliances it will be because I have enough money to hire a restaurant grade chef to use them. My cooking ability would not be improved by those appliances.
Spartana, I would LOVE to have a bathroom like that! Every time I see one like it on HGTv and the people talk about wanting to change it if they buy the house I feel the need to shout "NOOO!" At the tv.
If I ever spend money on restaurant grade appliances it will be because I have enough money to hire a restaurant grade chef to use them. My cooking ability would not be improved by those appliances.Well my bathrooms are even MORE retro and "vintage mid-century" as Roger would say (and that almost...almost mind you...includes me too :-)!) then that photo. That photo I posted is almost down right modern compared to my old bathrooms - one pink titled and one baby blue titled with original fixtures. But I'm like you guys - love the old retro look and go crazy when people want to take out perfectly good and functional things to make them sleek and modern. However trying to find matching tile has been difficult as the sizes I have (weird sizes and weirder bullnosed tile) don't seem to exist anymore.
I was looking for a project a few months back and toured a warehouse that is owned by a plumbing supply company and has been since 1938. On the 5th floor there is a HUGE stash of pink, blue and green bathroom fixtures from the 1950s. Tubs, toilets, sinks...all there in all colors. I'm talking HUNDREDS of fixtures all still in the original packaging! The owner said his dad got a "great deal" on them in the 1960s when white became the way to go. Maybe not such a great deal to carry inventory for 50 years, but cool nonetheless. I asked him if they came with the building and he said that could be arranged! Lol.
I was looking for a project a few months back and toured a warehouse that is owned by a plumbing supply company and has been since 1938. On the 5th floor there is a HUGE stash of pink, blue and green bathroom fixtures from the 1950s. Tubs, toilets, sinks...all there in all colors. I'm talking HUNDREDS of fixtures all still in the original packaging! The owner said his dad got a "great deal" on them in the 1960s when white became the way to go. Maybe not such a great deal to carry inventory for 50 years, but cool nonetheless. I asked him if they came with the building and he said that could be arranged! Lol.I'd love to see that place!! My bathroom sinks, tubs and toilets are all white (in that very heavy molded painted cast iron) and not in those wild colors (which I do think are cool) so I'm not too retro. But the bathrooms are tiny and the fixtures huge compared to today so they often seem to overwhelm the space. I do love the functionality and size of more modern kitchens and bathroom - and the easy care of the new counter top material - but have grown fond of the vintage look too.
But then some things can be too vintage :-)!:
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=1338&d=1386441746
Wow, Spartana, you're almost making me wish I still had my vintage bathrooms and kitchen... except mine were in pretty bad shape. Fixtures and tiles cracked or missing pieces or just cruddy. Yours really looks pretty good!
But I do admit that the functionality is what I love about my kitchen now. I made just a few very simple changes to the cabinetry and boy, it's a pleasure to work in now.
Wow, Spartana, you're almost making me wish I still had my vintage bathrooms and kitchen... except mine were in pretty bad shape. Fixtures and tiles cracked or missing pieces or just cruddy. Yours really looks pretty good!
But I do admit that the functionality is what I love about my kitchen now. I made just a few very simple changes to the cabinetry and boy, it's a pleasure to work in now.Ha Ha - well those aren't mine - which are all white - but they are similar (my bathrooms are bigger though but not by much). Not sure I could handle green and pink tubs, sinks and toilet! I'll take a photo of my stuff and post it in another thread we can start on "vintage" things. Or see if I find photos similar online somewhere. If I wasn't planning on selling the house in the near future (2014) then I might actually decorate with vintage stuff from the 1950's (all that kitchy pink, green, and blue stuff I see in old photos) but as a minimalistwho likes whites and beiges it might be too much for me.
This is the kind of craigslist ad I was talking about where we might be able to get some countertop for a good price. I would just have to fid a fabricator that could repurpose it to our space.
Seems crazy that people feel the need to remodel something like this:
http://austin.craigslist.org/fuo/4232536814.html
Not to be contrary, but granite is kind of a fad. Granite has existed for thousands of years, but its use as a countertop material dates back only a few decades.
Fads are the antithesis of "forever". Color preferences change (avocado green or harvest gold or pink appliances, anyone?), preferences for light/dark/highly-patterned/shaded/monochromatic come and go. And, interestingly, granite and marble countertops used to be the province only of rich people. Now that pretty much anyone can have granite if they want it, rich people seeking kitchens which are a cut above are looking for materials other than granite and marble. Even if the countertops they have will last forever.
For me, this granite will be forever....it is really beautiful, and very neutral colors. I will be able to use many different colors with it over the years, so will be able to change things up with it as to not get bored. I could never afford to change it out anyway for anything possibly better in the future, although, I can't imagine what could be better.... I just lucked into this lovely stuff when I bought my little cottage. And I am grateful that it will last me years and years. :)
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