Surface Value

Consumers play it safe and practical when choosing kitchen countertops

If you had to sum up current kitchen countertop trends in a few phrases, you might use the following: durability, generational preferences, clean and simple and ice cream sundaes. When taken together, they reflect prevailing consumer attitudes about kitchen remodels (and perhaps home improvement projects in general): Sure, they're renovating for themselves but hey, let's not get too crazy.

Practical Matters

 This sentiment may explain why many of the trends may seem familiar and why performance remains a key concern in purchasing decisions, even as aesthetics have assumed more of a leadership role. The recession has changed people's attitudes about experimentation. Quartz countertops are going as strong as ever but less demand for materials like concrete and stainless steel are being noticed. Some designers are still using concrete countertops often enough but will agree that engineered stone is king, its popularity no doubt buoyed by its ease of maintenance and durability.

But all is not engineered stone. White marbles, such as Carrara and Calcutta Gold, continue to have their admirers, and thanks to a flood of lower-cost varieties from overseas, granite has not completely gone away. A softer, warmer alternative, solid surfacing has also regained its footing especially among those with a taste for the sleek contemporary and even monolithic. It's a better-performing material  in that you can do more with it, such as lack of seams and the ability to create coved back splashes.

Safety In Colors

 As to color, the selections are vast and many, yet consumer preferences still tend toward conservative. A lot of clients want to go for the bold colors, but in the end they never really do. Most play it safe with earth tones, such as creams and caramels, otherwise known as "ice cream sundae colors". There is also an interest in grays, browns, black and of course, white. Not surprisingly, a recent best seller for Cosentino North America, the company that makes Silestone, resembles white marble.

In fact, findings show that homeowners and designers are sealing options that offer the aesthetic of, say, a marble or granite, a trend borne out by the latest quartz offerings from Cosentino and Cambria. Nature-inspired, the designs are rich in veining and dramatic in movement- a look favored by the older Boomer set whose kitchens are more traditional. The younger, contemporary-inclined are apt to choose calmer options with smaller particulate or if they live in cosmopolitan areas, solids, which are emerging in Europe.

Mixing And Edging

 Where self-expression lets loose in the mixing of materials and colors- although that too can depend on geography- and the varying of countertop thicknesses, which can range from
1/2" to 1 1/2"  to 3 in. Most industry experts agree simple edges and mitered corners are in, but sine still field requests for ornate, classic treatments. Also being specified are chiseled edges on engineered and natural stone, as well as wood tops with a "naked or bark edge" that appear as if just sliced from a tree. Trends also noticed are that in Europe and, to a lesser degree, on these shores, contemporary kitchens are moving toward ultra-thin countertops with virtually no edge.

Developments to watch for? Maybe. Much depends on factors beyond the realm of kitchens and baths- politics, economics, culture- and their impact on consumers' mood. There will always be curiosity and demand for the next big thing, but if the present is any indication, form and function still go hand in hand