• what's new
• products
  • silestone
  • eco
  • sensa
  • vetrazzo
  • edges
  • more surfaces
    • muro
    • marlique
    • caesarstone
    • prexury
  • sinks&faucets
• showroom
  • silestone
    • kitchen
    • bath
    • commercial
  • eco
  • sensa
  • vetrazzo
  • more surfaces
    • muro
    • marlique
    • caesarstone
    • prexury
  • sinks&faucets
• find a dealer
  • all dealers
  • by region
• start your project
• e-store

OUR WORK IS DEDICATED
TO MAKING BEAUTIFUL COUNTERTOPS EVERYDAY
THE BEST YOU CAN FIND

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, May 2010

The choices are many with the addition of new countertop materials

By Rick Moon         Posted: May 8, 2010

When Cindy Gear began selecting countertops for her new town of Summit home, she held a marked advantage over most other consumers.

Namely, a decade-plus of interior design experience.

Gear, a professional designer since 1996, had plenty of opportunities to get creative. Several rooms in the ranch house on Waterville Lake needed refitting.

“I knew I wanted to have a variety of countertops,” she said. “We had so many areas that needed countertops that I knew I could select a variety.”

Gear grasped that the decision was about far more than aesthetics, though. The counter materials had to match the needs of the room.

“Something that’s beautiful, that’s not all there is to it. It needs to be durable and functional as well,” she said.

She opted for granite countertops in two rooms that required the most durability: the kitchen and bar area. For the latter, she chose “suede finish” granite with a slightly rougher surface.

“Nobody ever asks us ‘Do I need a coaster?’ because it feels like it belongs here,” Gear said.

In the master bathroom, she chose a polished marble that blended well with the surroundings. Marble is a softer stone than granite, but bathroom use rarely involves cutting or putting heat on the counter.

For a small kitchen in the lower level, Gear selected a quartz countertop for its “cottage feel” and durability. The material is a sparkly, neutral white color.

“It felt more like something you’d see near water,” she said.

Oh, the possibilities

Most homeowners choosing countertops won’t face as many decisions as Gear. Usually the selection is limited to one or two rooms, one of which is likely a kitchen or bathroom. Yet the universe of available materials, colors and patterns has expanded to where even choosing one surface might prove head-spinning for a decision-inhibited homeowner.

In other words, it’s not all about granite anymore.

“Of course, the first option was always granite. But now quartz has become even more popular,” said Carmina Mendez of AMC Countertops, Fond du Lac.

Quartz is more durable, easier to maintain and offers more colors than granite, she said. Quartz also is a “greener” option because it uses recycled materials and less energy in processing than granite, Mendez said. When the designers on HGTV opt for green building materials, the public takes notice.

“For our busy lifestyles, a quartz countertop is all about convenience,” she said.

Still, man can’t duplicate nature. A manmade quartz surface — comprised of the crumbly quartz stone blended with pigments and resin – can’t match the randomness, depth and “movement” of pattern found in granite. Granite remains the standard-bearer of durable, high-end countertops.

“I think people are attracted to all the colors and patterns” of granite, said Robin Swernoff of Lakeside Stoneworks, Brown Deer. The dramatic veins and clusters of color in granite, coupled with its toughness, make it hard to beat for long-lasting use and beauty.

“You literally have to whack it with a sledgehammer to break it, and even that can be repaired,” Swernoff said.

Anyone considering a new countertop should, of course, do his or her research. Consulting with an expert is advised. The sources for ideas can be many, as with the aforementioned television designers.

Swernoff noted that customers often inquire about marble and limestone countertops after seeing them in ads or while traveling elsewhere in the U.S. While offering another palette alternative to granite, these natural materials are susceptible to etching by common kitchen acids and oils such as ketchup, citrus and some cleaning products. A preventive measure is to have the surface honed, which removes its sheen and leaves a matte finish.

Soapstone is another natural stone option. While again softer than granite, it is highly heat resistant and develops a rich black-green patina with veins wandering through.

Natural stone has an undeniable beauty. Yet, manmade countertop materials are more numerous — and colorful — than ever. Swernoff termed the color palette of concrete products “divine” which, coupled with its low maintenance, makes it hugely popular.

Repurposed with purpose

The growing demand for “green” products has created additional options for consumers. Recycled materials are increasingly common in countertops, and Mendez predicts these products’ popularity will grow rapidly.

Vetrazzo is a countertop brand comprised of 85% recycled glass. One only has to consider the many bottles on a grocery store shelf to appreciate the color spectrum it offers.

Another product, ECO by Cosentino, uses recycled glass and a corn oil-based binder instead of chemical resin, Mendez said. As important, she added, these manmade “green” materials share many characteristics with quartz.

“If you saw these countertops you would not believe the durability and beauty,” she said.

In the meantime, Gear, the Summit homeowner, has taken on another big project. She is rehabilitating a house in Brookfield. One element is replacing a plastic laminate countertop in the kitchen. She chose granite.

“It’s going to sell the house. I just know it,” she said.

(For the original article, click here)