Countertops today are making a bigger statement within kitchen design, nearly as much as cabinetry. While we took a look a few years ago at the pro’s and con’s of different countertop materials, we wanted to circle back to talk about the trends in countertops we’ve seen in 2019.
Man-Made or Engineered Quartz Countertops
Man-Made/Engineered Quartz countertops are king and are here to stay thanks to new technologies that allow quartz to give the look of natural stone. For years now Quartz countertop manufacturers have been introducing new colors with the look of marbles and other natural stones that have movement throughout the material.
Color Veining
This movement, or color veining, is another trend we see in both Quartz and Natural Stone countertops. Veining can be subtle or quite dramatic, so seeing a large slab of the material is crucial, especially with natural stone. Quartz manufactures can control the colors used to create veining whereas natural stone countertops can have different colors appear through the same slab. But that’s what gives the natural stone its beauty – every slab is unique.
Quartzite
Because veining is so popular, we are seeing marble and natural quartzite on the rise. Most people are familiar with the veining in marbles such as Carrara or Calcutta marble. But Quartzite is not as well known. Sandstone is naturally transformed into Quartzite by heat and pressure over time. Because of this process, quartzite is much harder than marble and most quartzite is non-porous.
Quartzite is typically available with a polished or honed/matte finish like other natural stones and quartz countertops. Honed countertops can be susceptible to staining, but this has been minimized due to the advancement in the manufacturing processes and the use of hi-tech sealers.
Wood and Butcher Block As An Accent
While quartz and natural stone are by far the most popular choice in countertops, we still see interest in other materials such as wood, or butcher block and solid surface materials like DuPont’s Corian. Wood and Butcher Block countertops are still used for island countertops, but we don’t see it being used for the entire kitchen like we used to see in the past.
Trend Watch: Solid Surface Countertops
While Solid surface countertops were king in the ’80s and into the ’90s we just don’t see much interest in this product – YET! Solid surface manufacturers are “kicking it up a notch” as the quartz manufacturers did. They are introducing new colors and patterns to compete with their quartz and natural stone competitors. Solid Surface Countertops, like Corian have always been a very practical choice for countertops, but we think we might see the tide change again.
Advancements in technology are likely to spawn innovation with solid surface countertops as it did for quartz. Or maybe technology and innovation will bring us a whole new countertop material? We can’t wait!!
YOUR MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL KITCHEN DESIGN & REMODELING RESOURCE
Considering a kitchen design or kitchen remodel project and want to see some of these features in person? Visit the Sawhill Custom Kitchens & Design showroom at International Market Square in Minneapolis, MN. We are the Twin Cities expert in kitchen & bath design, offering a concierge experience to your kitchen or bath design/build/remodel experience, tailoring our process to your needs and taking care of the details from start to finish. We can’t wait to meet you!