Selecting the Countertop of Your Dreams

Is the selection of the countertop you want proving difficult? No matter your purpose, laying out your dream home or updating to something more stylish, you can find quite a selection available, each with an individual style, feel, and advantage.

Stone countertops will give you the chance to make your kitchen into a beautiful area. If you are looking for a stylish feature, a quartz slab may be what you want. Since quartz is fabricated, it can be fashioned into many various hues and textures and may incorporate pieces of glass or bits of mirror to make a surface that is singularly attractive.

An additional advantage of quartz is that it is very enduring. The fact that the surface is nonabsorbent will keep it from staining due to spills. The hardness and strength of quartz rivals that of topaz and sapphires and thus is exceptionally resistant to heat and to scratching.

Alternatively, soapstone will provide a more natural appearance while granite gives you the choice of many very pretty colors. For those who prefer a wooden countertop, they offer an economical yet attractive substitute. These countertops, by virtue of their pleasant colors and pleasing texture, will dress up your kitchen with a friendly, antique feel. Whether a novice or a professional, the decorator will find satisfaction in trying various options in staining, caramelizing, and distressing the wooden counter top. While stone will maintain its look over time, wood will evolve its look and feel, making new designs and soft colors as it ages.

If you are diligent in your inquiry, you'll whittle away the project to a satisfactory solution. No matter the countertop you eventually select, you can be sure that your choice will endure for a long time.

Terry Roberts is webmaster of Home and Gardening Today. For more information on countertops, visit the section entitled "Choose Your Countertop: Kitchen, Bath or Lab Countertops".