»Countertops

Today's range of materials for kitchen countertops includes everything from natural stone such as granite or marble imported from Italy to hardworking plastic laminates and everything in between. Manufactured or engineered stone comes in colours that nature would envy and has an added durability factor. Laminates can either echo stone or make a statement with colours like trendy lettuce green. Some homeowners prefer stainless steel or butcher blocks for their homes, while others lean towards tile.

Granite is the most highly sought after kitchen countertop material today, offering a hard, natural beauty that is extremely durable. Two million years on the side of a mountain gives it a lot of staying power. The workings of a kitchen notwithstanding, granite can take a beating.

Toronto condo and granite kitchen countertop owner Darlene Ursulak has had experience with plastic laminate tops, too. "I find you have to be a bit more careful with plastic laminate," she says. "A hot pot may burn it. The thing I like best about my countertop now is that it sparkles!"

And what are the hot colours in kitchens today? Earth tones have the edge and have recently started to creep ahead of the dark and near-black shades. "The taupes, creams, and browns are probably our most popular colours right now," says Lorie Marsham of Ciot Marble and Granite Inc. Umberto Soares of Cameo Kitchens agrees. "The majority of our customers purchase granite countertops," he says. "There is a wide selection of colours and tones, but the earth tones are very popular at the moment."

If earth tones aren't to your liking, how about a mouthwatering shot of colour like Apple Martini, a new selection in a material called engineered stone, which offers a more consistent look and stunning options. Engineered stone combines crushed stone, such as quartz, mixed with various polymers and plastics in a synthetic material that claims to be extremely stain resistant. "The engineered stone materials look a lot like granite," Ross Kennedy of Kenwood Kitchens in Pickering notes. "And we have had excellent results in terms of durability."

However, Kennedy also points out among his displays a kitchen countertop in a shade called Butter Rum, which is warm and appealing and draws appreciative comments. However, it's not granite or engineered stone. It's plastic laminate. "Plastic laminate is still the most affordable countertop material," he says. "The manufacturers are coming out with new colours and textures all the time, and they stack up very well from an aesthetic point of view. In particular, materials that are made to look like slate or stone can be hard to tell from the real thing."

"I could put a granite and a granite look-alike in my showroom and you would not be able to tell what is the real stone and what is not," Angelo Visconti of Scarborough Countertops states. "The key is that the price can be 10 times less. That's a big difference. As long as people are reasonably careful with water and with avoiding scratches, they will be happy. Right now we are seeing a lot of warm honey-type colours. That's what's popular."

A glossary of materials

Granite, Marble, Soapstone, Limestone, Slate
These are the natural stones. Granite is the hardest, marble is porous, and soapstone, limestone, and slate are softer still. The sheer natural beauty of stone is unbeatable, while a material such as soapstone has advocates who love its softer, warmer feel.

Butcher Block
A thick wooden material, often made from maple. Its fans like to use it as a cutting board, but some feel it requires particularly zealous cleaning to combat the threat of germs, especially after coming into contact with raw poultry.

Concrete
Can a material this heavy simply be a flash in the pan? Concrete appeared on the scene several years ago, but its propensity to crack and stain caused it to sink in popularity.

Glass
Some stunning kitchen countertops made of glass have been manufactured, but the fragile nature of the substance is a deterrent. Also, unless an opaque finish is used, the drains are visible.

Tile
Tile is very popular as a backsplash, but because grout stains easily, very few consumers opt for tile countertops today.

Plastic Laminate
Laminates come in an astounding array of colours and designs and the plastic laminate kitchen countertop is the most affordable option. It requires caution and care, however. A hot pot or water near the joints will cause problems. However, all kitchens use heat and water and all kitchen countertops are somewhat susceptible.

Solid Surfaces and Engineered Stone
Technology's answer to natural stone, these manufactured products look great and offer durability and versatility. The newer engineered stones, containing quartz and other materials, come in some stunning colours including bright reds and yellows.