Kitchen Countertop

Lovers of retro chic will be familiar with the Arborite kitchen sets of the 1950s featuring abstract patterns in palettes of grey, pale green, or beige. Only a year

ago did I have this stunning revelation: the material for those sets was meant to imitate granite! Arborite set the trend for

a breathtaking selection of materials and shades found in today's kitchens.

Looking for a kitchen countertop; here's a partial list of options

to choose from: concrete, granite, plastic laminate, stainless

steel, tile, wood, soapstone, limestone, and glass. Each has

its merits and benefit from special care once part of the

landscape in your home.

Laminates, such as brand names Arborite and Formica,

are the most popular choice offering facsimiles of most

kitchen countertop alternatives at a reasonable price. Baby blue,

crimson, white, black, and yes, concrete, plus every shade and

variation in every colour can be had, often with imaginative

names like Colorado Sand to indicate the look and feel.

Majestic granite recently assumed a leading place in kitchen

countertops. As a product of nature, it is impermeable, the

colours are lovely in deep tones of green and blue that at first

glance almost appear black. In the sunlight it has a depth of

hue often highlighted by glimmering veins. Black remains

enormously popular, with yellow and sand tones now

coming to the fore, often dotted with deep and dramatic

shots of orange.

The butcher block kitchen countertop will never be replaced as a

popular option and it's still the spot where wondrous meals

are prepared. Cuts and colours adapt according to the chef,

but establishing an environment where a gourmet meal can

be planned and executed is key.

Concrete, the new kid on the kitchen countertop block, appeals to those who really want something different. It cracks and

attracts cooking residues such as grease, giving the surface a

patina that can be considered a design feature, but may not

appeal to every homeowner.

Soapstone is softer than granite and offers its own special

colour magnetism in varying shades of grey/green. Stainless

steel is a sleek and sexy option, but it will scratch and show

the results of use. Tile has strength but the grout tends to

change colour, which may account for the fact that today, it

is more popular as a backsplash than a kitchen countertop.

There are man-made options resembling stone and marble

that are very appealing and boast special properties.

These can be repaired should a burn occur and a sink and kitchen

countertop can meld into one continuous piece. Water won't

pose a particular problem (laminates can be tricky where

water contacts the joints) while hot pots can go right on the

counter. Amazing!

Kitchen countertops are as varied as thumbprints. There

is one for every taste and every pocketbook

New and absolutely stunning is glass, painted in

mouth-watering hues, often found in bath and powder

rooms. However, glass is inherently fragile, a fact that should

be brought into the decision making process.

So what's the bottom line? Kitchen countertops are as varied as

thumbprints. There is one for every taste and every

pocketbook. When my own kitchen was being renovated, I

used a wooden door for six months and while it looked

downright shabby, I managed to cook some excellent meals

during that time. The only real need in kitchen countertops is more,

more, more!