Kitchen remodeling is a tough cookie to crack. Your kitchen is the lifeblood of your home. You need it to be complete in design techniques, visual aesthetics, and function. Here are some tips on what we think may be missing from your kitchen today.
Which of Your Kitchen’s Features is Your Favorite?
Answer this first. Then, you’ll have a better understanding of what may be missing in the home, what you’ve been looking for, and what you’d like to do differently. This could be anything from changing the color of appliances to remodeling the entire layout. However, we contend what’s likely the factor you could really use is a complete relationship between your cabinets and countertops.
Why are Countertops and Kitchen Countertops Important?
These two absolutely have to work in tandem. Otherwise, the rest of the kitchen falls flat. Your cabinet design and countertop finishes set the tone for the room. They heavily impact the first impression guests have and determine a ton about the quality of your home finishing.
What are The Best Countertop Materials?
Fortunately, there are a ton of options for new countertops. They come in a variety of different materials, finishes, colors, and more. The three crucial factors you should consider when selecting a set are: How often do you expect you’ll complete maintenance on these surfaces? What’s your budget? How would they fit in with the rest of the room?
Granite
You can never go wrong with granite. Easily one of the most reliable surfaces, granite is the most popular surface in the US. If you haven’t touched your home’s countertops, you probably have granite countertops today.
Pros of Granite
- Long-term reliability
- Minimal maintenance
- Easy to clean
- Fast installation
- Wallet-friendly
Quartz
Quartz is a fantastic option that is also wallet-friendly. However, the biggest draw of this surface is its beauty and durability for your kitchen remodeling project.
Pros of Quartz
- Almost indestructible
- Comes in a variety of colors
- Easy to clean and keep stain-free
Marble
Most homeowners see marble as the cream of the crop. Marble is easily the most recognizable, classic look for both rustic and modern homes. Regardless of design, marble fits any occasion.
Pros of Marble
- Beauty
- Longevity
- Property Value
- Long-Term Viability
Additionally, marble is fantastic for cooking. These surfaces have a naturally cool state that makes those summer afternoons and days with the AC out so much simpler.
With these pros, marble is one of the most coveted surfaces in the industry. You will not recognize your kitchen with freshly installed marble. However, with this added beauty, there are a few more maintenance and risks to be aware of. This includes the porous nature of the surface, cost, and how easy it is to scratch.
More porous surfaces stain a bit more easily. You’ll need to be on the lookout for wines, sodas, and other liquids being spilled on your marble counters. Also, the same goes for knives and other materials that can scratch the surface. Since marble is natural, it doesn’t have as much resistance from these potential risks for your kitchen remodeling project.
Also, the cost is going to be a bit higher upfront. You’re going to have to account for this in your remodel budget early if you decide to go with marble. Should it not be in the budget, granite and quartz are never bad options either.
Which Surface Should I Pair With My Cabinets?
If you want to keep your current cabinets set, you’ll need to consider your options more carefully. Since the colors and styles are already in place, it’s best to take a look at examples. Then, you’ll see more clear-cut results of what you can expect with your new countertops.
However, if you do plan to install both new cabinets and countertops, make sure they mesh first. This simply means that you should be considerate of how the colors would contrast, if the styles of both units are different, and if it makes sense to match them up. You’ll need to consider some of the questions we covered earlier as well.
Do I Plan to Keep Up With Maintenance?
We are all busy people. Keeping your surfaces in tip-top shape is tough to do with full-time jobs in both work and family matters. However, it still needs to get done. If you don’t think you’ll have much time to really set aside to keep your surfaces clean, consider more durable options. That way, you should be in better shape with a little bit less attention.
Although, if you do plan on having the time, you have more options available to you.
Which Surfaces Fit in My Budget?
Your budget needs to be a set-in-stone number as well. Mend your surfaces around your budget rather than the other way around. You don’t want to over-invest, although it is a good “stock” to invest in for your home.
Therefore, you should look for surfaces that fit your budget but still have some of the features we discussed earlier. Granite and quartz are usually safe bets here since they’re so wallet-friendly and offer a lot of value.
If you decide to go more expensive with marble, keep in mind that it has higher maintenance costs as well. Although it is beautiful, you’ll need to be more diligent in the care of this surface. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance surface that still has some beauty, quartz may fit better.
In the end, when deciding on what surfaces to put into your kitchen remodeling project, consider these topics and questions. There are tons of options available to you, but being aware of these will make your decision much easier! Good luck and happy remodeling!
How Do They Complement the Rest of the Kitchen?
The whole kitchen needs to work. For any questions, give us a call today to learn more about services in Dayton, NJ. We’ll assess your kitchen remodeling needs and give you a quote that’s realistic for your new countertop installations.