Choosing the perfect countertop

Finding the ideal countertop is a crucial part of planning your kitchen. It’s not only the center of cooking activities, but also a part of your kitchen that has a significant visual impact on the whole area. And we haven’t even mentioned the social aspect of having a kitchen island at home. Thanks to the constant development of the countertop industry, today there’s a wide array of material, color and design solutions to choose from. Read on to find out four crucial aspects of countertops you need to keep in mind when looking for the ideal solution for your home!

Stain resistance

If you want to preserve the fresh look of your newly installed countertop, you have keep it clean. So if you spend a lot of time in your kitchen working and cooking, you should go for a material that isn’t too prone to spots and stains. Modern quartz composite, such as Corian, glass and stainless steel are known for resisting stains – a single swipe with a wet cloth does the job. But if you’re looking for countertops made of natural stones, such as granite or marble, you have to accept that these are materials porous by nature, which makes cleaning more difficult, requiring extra care when working on them.

Scratch resistance

Some people dream of working in the kitchen without the use of a cut board or a mat. If you share the dream, try engineered stones, composite material, laminate or ceramic solutions. Marble, steel and wood worktops are much more sensitive to minor surface damage; with them, using a cut board is a must.

Thermal resistance

Using a mat while working with hot cookware on your countertop is generally recommended by manufacturers, still, some materials are more resistant to heat than others. Wooden countertops are prone to heat stains, and quartz composite should be protected from high temperatures as well. When it comes to solid heat resistance, granite, marble, ceramic, glass and steel countertops are in the top league – this doesn’t mean, however, that these materials don’t deserve extra care when handling hot cookware.

Color and texture

Once you have made your choice regarding the above mentioned qualities, there’s only one thing left: finding a countertop with a color and texture matching the style of your kitchen. If you like materials with a deep and extraordinary texture, natural and artificial stones are for you. If you want something more modern and industrial, look for steel, concrete and composite. If the desired effect is a homogeneous environment with a single color, both Corian and composite materials could be your choice. And if you just want to feel home in a classic kitchen environment, you really don’t need to look further than a timeless, beautifully treated hardwood worktop.

If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to visit the 10th Kitchen Show this year! Experts from Taylor Design and Stone Concept are looking to help you find the perfect countertop for your dream kitchen.