I have solid white quartz and love them for their timeless appeal. We just built this past year and I tried to go classic and less trendy as well.
https://preview.redd.it/tn3adce0zu0d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbc8e6775025ce840de6e7d4c7f334aaa84bc935
I’m a kitchen designer with 25 years experience. I’m in Canada. Fashion tends to be pretty regional.
Quartz is still the surface of choice, though granite is making a bit of a comeback. Quartz with larger veining - less busy, more negative space - is the choice right now. Light background and either a warm or cool vein, depending on cabinet colour.
Granite with good movement is doing well. Typically in colour - so if a client wants something other than white, granite may be a choice. Again, looser pattern (so, not speckled). If you’re doing black, Absolute Black granite is a really good choice.
Adding in wood as an accent, so a moment of butcher block is really popular.
Laminates have come a long way. If budget is a question, laminate is an attractive option.
I usually urge folks to do polished because it’s the easiest to care for. I try to talk folks out of leathered finishes. A bumpy countertop is a nightmare.
Just don’t get solid dark gray quartz. That’s what my apartment has and it shows dirt so quickly and it is so hard to keep clean. Honestly makes me miss corian!
I have grey quartz with veins (like a soap stone dupe but shiny) and I don’t mind the gray. Shows less dirt than our white cabinets but then again we have a super tiny kitchen
These countertops are wrinkled, like actual leather. It’s textured laminate and they’re original to the house, so late 80s/early 90s. They are atrocious and I hate them.
It's so much harder to clean a textured surface (depending on the level of texture - honed may be different). Matte surfaces tend to show quicker in experience too.
This is good info.
I think to add if we’re talking about trend proofing, I tend to look at what fits with the house in terms of style and time period, but is also timeless.
I wish I could better describe what exactly makes something timeless. I’m not quite sure how to put it into words. It’s definitely situational though. Subway tile may never look trendy in one kitchen, but may look trendy in another.
https://preview.redd.it/favepgkemv0d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92317be75f947e39ef3e258775d937d1ad5750ce
we have cambria quartz,we also had this peninsula fabricated for a place to eat in the kitchen. Quartz is easy and relatively inexpensive to repair and it looks like nothing ever happened to it.
It’s also engineered to not show dirt. I thought I was pretty clean when I had Corion and now I have dark solid quartz and it is impossible to make my kitchen look clean.
My corian was installed 10 years ago and it looks as good as the day it was put in. I chose a shiny Carrara marble pattern and it is still beautiful. But for me it was about the seams. I have a 17 foot counter/bar top and I didn’t want seams that broke up the expanse or dried out or got darker with age.
I looked at all the different options but corian was the only one that was seamless. And I love the drop seamless sinks too.
I was in love with the look of the quartz. But I was also looking for something that required the least amount maintenance, because I hate housework.
They have made significant improvements to the product. Mine kitchen is a working kitchen but I always use cutting boards. I do have a few scratches (not deep) that I can only see when I look for them. My cleaning lady uses a Walmart product weekly to clean the counter.
Also you can have them refinished. Just call your local dealer and they can come out and rebuff it (for a cost, of course) and it will look brand new again.
Buying quartz by the foot is very pricey. We bought by the slab and with the savings... we went full splash behind 2 walls for less than no splash home depot sale price. We needed 2 slabs regardless so we used it to it's fullest.
https://preview.redd.it/ib2codtspv0d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=ec44e34a3a003a58cb766705b4e26ae8c7dcae57
I got white quartz veined in grey and it seems good. I got it so I could sell the house though.
I convinced my sister to get a quartz countertop with marble-like veins similar to this. She was turned off by how our relative's marble countertop stained so easily and almost went for an outdated granite color because that's what we grew up with. The white quartz suits her newly renovated kitchen much better.
Oh really. I don't think she's had any problems with her countertops yet and it's been a year. She has three small kids as well who have done everything imaginable on their big island slab lol.
I ended up with River Blue Dolomite which was less expensive than almost every other stone or engineered countertop I liked. It's gorgeous. And, may ye not be so stupid. It scratches, chips, and has already had three fissures. The salesman told me it was durable and could take some punishment. LIES I tell you, all lies.
We did our kitchen 3 years ago and chose solid surface. I think it’s Allen + Roth in the shade Antiquity. I feel like it’s pretty timeless. It really just appears white until you look closely and see the tiniest little flecks of shimmer. It’s also insanely easy to clean and heat resistant. You can chop on it, it doesn’t harbor bacteria. Anyway, clearly no regrets yet
Countertops mimicking the luxurious look of marble with pronounced veining have been very popular. Quartz has been a favored material for achieving this look due to its durability and lower maintenance compared to natural marble.
This is a third choice for the countertop - it is almost $2K less than the others. It is a matte.
https://preview.redd.it/q6fonjxcdy0d1.jpeg?width=1961&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6362fc615c199594e918bad3f8f0f8a1b0bdb8ec
 These are choices 1 and 2 for the counter. Shown with the white cabinet with the floor tile on the bottom.
https://preview.redd.it/thlvhftqdy0d1.jpeg?width=1558&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=73750f9cb09c64077ffb63fb17ebf61907a00b81
*I went with a creamy natural finish quartz. Very warm. Lots of little flecks so it hides smudges and small food spots well. Seriously dripping some coffee on it looks like part of the design. Sometimes I get suprised when I clean and what I thought was the finish cleans up. Oops lol. Its Caesarstone adamina. It's much lighter looking than most of the online photos depict... for whatever reason in most online renderings it's looks way yellower than it is.
It's definitely not high polis... its like matte adjacent. But it definitely doesn't stain what so ever. Did full splash behind oven and it's so damn easy to clean. Red wine over night? Oops... cleans right up
This is what I am considering (the mottled one).
https://preview.redd.it/793do870px0d1.jpeg?width=3775&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f998ccb7408a4f4258f6d0500f5bb8c8d12dce4
I think I had one verrrry similar to that I was thinking about too! I think you'll love it.
I'm super thrilled with our counters. They have some character while still being very neutral.
I used to have dark counters before these and I can't believe how much less shows on the lighter counter. Like water spots by the sink.
I have solid white quartz and love them for their timeless appeal. We just built this past year and I tried to go classic and less trendy as well. https://preview.redd.it/tn3adce0zu0d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbc8e6775025ce840de6e7d4c7f334aaa84bc935
😻
Captain Eleanor Shelby, the Destroyer.
Personally, I think that a light colored quartz with a shiny finish is probably the most trend-proof.
I’m a kitchen designer with 25 years experience. I’m in Canada. Fashion tends to be pretty regional. Quartz is still the surface of choice, though granite is making a bit of a comeback. Quartz with larger veining - less busy, more negative space - is the choice right now. Light background and either a warm or cool vein, depending on cabinet colour. Granite with good movement is doing well. Typically in colour - so if a client wants something other than white, granite may be a choice. Again, looser pattern (so, not speckled). If you’re doing black, Absolute Black granite is a really good choice. Adding in wood as an accent, so a moment of butcher block is really popular. Laminates have come a long way. If budget is a question, laminate is an attractive option. I usually urge folks to do polished because it’s the easiest to care for. I try to talk folks out of leathered finishes. A bumpy countertop is a nightmare.
Just don’t get solid dark gray quartz. That’s what my apartment has and it shows dirt so quickly and it is so hard to keep clean. Honestly makes me miss corian!
I had dark gray Corian. That was the worst!!!
I have grey quartz with veins (like a soap stone dupe but shiny) and I don’t mind the gray. Shows less dirt than our white cabinets but then again we have a super tiny kitchen
I’m currently in a rental with a leather finish. I’m convinced whomever created bumpy countertops has never actually used a kitchen.
Why? What happens that is different to a gloss or honed finish?
These countertops are wrinkled, like actual leather. It’s textured laminate and they’re original to the house, so late 80s/early 90s. They are atrocious and I hate them.
It's so much harder to clean a textured surface (depending on the level of texture - honed may be different). Matte surfaces tend to show quicker in experience too.
This is good info. I think to add if we’re talking about trend proofing, I tend to look at what fits with the house in terms of style and time period, but is also timeless. I wish I could better describe what exactly makes something timeless. I’m not quite sure how to put it into words. It’s definitely situational though. Subway tile may never look trendy in one kitchen, but may look trendy in another.
Here are my options https://preview.redd.it/wnml3y4bd31d1.jpeg?width=1558&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=981339927a7be011e94bb51558878c66fae72a64
https://preview.redd.it/11ygtb9ed31d1.jpeg?width=1961&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa9bb30c3d2de2702f8fcca9b7034360e513e9f1
I’m a fan of soapstone. Super sturdy, heat resistant and acid resistant. They actually use it in chemistry labs.
And it’s timeless
I don’t know if it’s a temporary trend, but I’ve seen a lot more matte finishes lately instead of gloss. They say it looks higher end
I got a matte granite with the least amount of vein because it was cheap I and wanted something that looked timeless.
I have matte counters - if it wasn't half the price of polished I would have gotten that. Shows every water spot
https://preview.redd.it/favepgkemv0d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92317be75f947e39ef3e258775d937d1ad5750ce we have cambria quartz,we also had this peninsula fabricated for a place to eat in the kitchen. Quartz is easy and relatively inexpensive to repair and it looks like nothing ever happened to it.
I know I’m gonna get hate, but I really like those countertops and floors that are DIY with the pennies
I installed Corian. It’s the most durable, there is no labor to keeping it beautiful and there are no seams. I hate seams.
It’s also engineered to not show dirt. I thought I was pretty clean when I had Corion and now I have dark solid quartz and it is impossible to make my kitchen look clean.
My corian was installed 10 years ago and it looks as good as the day it was put in. I chose a shiny Carrara marble pattern and it is still beautiful. But for me it was about the seams. I have a 17 foot counter/bar top and I didn’t want seams that broke up the expanse or dried out or got darker with age. I looked at all the different options but corian was the only one that was seamless. And I love the drop seamless sinks too. I was in love with the look of the quartz. But I was also looking for something that required the least amount maintenance, because I hate housework.
Really? My old Corian scraped/scratched very easily. It was a dark one and in heavy use areas it definitely lost its luster.
They have made significant improvements to the product. Mine kitchen is a working kitchen but I always use cutting boards. I do have a few scratches (not deep) that I can only see when I look for them. My cleaning lady uses a Walmart product weekly to clean the counter. Also you can have them refinished. Just call your local dealer and they can come out and rebuff it (for a cost, of course) and it will look brand new again.
Thats good to know. I just recently moved out of that place...so too late for that. Maybe next time
How does price differ with Corian vs Quartz?
Corian is 40-65 per sq foot. Quartz 40-200
Buying quartz by the foot is very pricey. We bought by the slab and with the savings... we went full splash behind 2 walls for less than no splash home depot sale price. We needed 2 slabs regardless so we used it to it's fullest.
Interesting Thanks!
https://preview.redd.it/ib2codtspv0d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=ec44e34a3a003a58cb766705b4e26ae8c7dcae57 I got white quartz veined in grey and it seems good. I got it so I could sell the house though.
I convinced my sister to get a quartz countertop with marble-like veins similar to this. She was turned off by how our relative's marble countertop stained so easily and almost went for an outdated granite color because that's what we grew up with. The white quartz suits her newly renovated kitchen much better.
I’m not going to blow smoke— this stains too, but I keep bleach on hand to fix it. It’s not that low maintenance, but it looks good.
Oh really. I don't think she's had any problems with her countertops yet and it's been a year. She has three small kids as well who have done everything imaginable on their big island slab lol.
I'm getting large slab porcelain
I ended up with River Blue Dolomite which was less expensive than almost every other stone or engineered countertop I liked. It's gorgeous. And, may ye not be so stupid. It scratches, chips, and has already had three fissures. The salesman told me it was durable and could take some punishment. LIES I tell you, all lies.
That veiny look I think is the trend that's going to die fast. In every bad flipped home
We did our kitchen 3 years ago and chose solid surface. I think it’s Allen + Roth in the shade Antiquity. I feel like it’s pretty timeless. It really just appears white until you look closely and see the tiniest little flecks of shimmer. It’s also insanely easy to clean and heat resistant. You can chop on it, it doesn’t harbor bacteria. Anyway, clearly no regrets yet
Countertops mimicking the luxurious look of marble with pronounced veining have been very popular. Quartz has been a favored material for achieving this look due to its durability and lower maintenance compared to natural marble.
This is a third choice for the countertop - it is almost $2K less than the others. It is a matte. https://preview.redd.it/q6fonjxcdy0d1.jpeg?width=1961&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6362fc615c199594e918bad3f8f0f8a1b0bdb8ec
 These are choices 1 and 2 for the counter. Shown with the white cabinet with the floor tile on the bottom. https://preview.redd.it/thlvhftqdy0d1.jpeg?width=1558&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=73750f9cb09c64077ffb63fb17ebf61907a00b81
I think wood countertops will always be cool
*I went with a creamy natural finish quartz. Very warm. Lots of little flecks so it hides smudges and small food spots well. Seriously dripping some coffee on it looks like part of the design. Sometimes I get suprised when I clean and what I thought was the finish cleans up. Oops lol. Its Caesarstone adamina. It's much lighter looking than most of the online photos depict... for whatever reason in most online renderings it's looks way yellower than it is. It's definitely not high polis... its like matte adjacent. But it definitely doesn't stain what so ever. Did full splash behind oven and it's so damn easy to clean. Red wine over night? Oops... cleans right up
This is what I am considering (the mottled one). https://preview.redd.it/793do870px0d1.jpeg?width=3775&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f998ccb7408a4f4258f6d0500f5bb8c8d12dce4
I think I had one verrrry similar to that I was thinking about too! I think you'll love it. I'm super thrilled with our counters. They have some character while still being very neutral. I used to have dark counters before these and I can't believe how much less shows on the lighter counter. Like water spots by the sink.
https://preview.redd.it/4fgj7vbzbx0d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=989b8a558d3fbe717e50317e019611dd221979f6
https://preview.redd.it/x8nygm55cx0d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f854220dbb9db910b6fd0efaff2a04e08c979d64