Updating your kitchen is truly one of the biggest joys of home ownership. Aside from the disruption that comes with the renovation it feels great to have a kitchen that looks and functions perfectly for you. Because it’s such a big project and the impact is so long lasting, it’s important that you understand how to spend your money wisely. If the question of should I replace my countertops has been creeping into your mind lately you might be getting ready for a full renovation or a facelift. There are two important questions to tackle before making any decisions:

1/  Should I Replace My Countertops? 

2/  If yes, What’s the Best Option?

Let’s start with the first question and break down the important considerations and then we’ll talk about options.

SHOULD I REPLACE MY COUNTERTOPS?

It’s not always necessary to undertake an entire kitchen renovation to get the updated look you’re after. If you like the finish, the door style and everything is working just fine you can update the entire kitchen just by replacing the countertops. Here are the important things to look for when deciding if the cabinetry needs to be replaced:

1/ THE AGE AND CONDITION OF THE CABINETRY

When we invest in custom cabinetry we’re expecting it to live a long life. You may have been given a 25-year guarantee on the cabinets but with a lot of care, your custom cabinets can last for 30 or more years. Prefabricated cabinetry that you purchase from a big box store has a more modest life of 10-15 years.

Take a close look and see, has the cabinetry taken a beating over the years? Are there dings and scratches that are prematurely aging it? 

It’s safe to say that for most people, you’ll get bored with your kitchen before the functionality breaks down but you want to make sure it looks great in the future as well. If you’re not replacing cabinets but you replace your countertop you need to know that you have another 10 good years left in the cabinets.

Start with the cabinet box and look at how it’s holding up. Is the structure, including the shelving, still holding strong? Look at the doors for aesthetic issues like major scratches or chips that will date it and don’t forget the hinges. Lastly, is the door frame still relevant? Is the finish of the door timeless or does it date stamp your kitchen?

2/ DOES MY CURRENT COUNTERTOP MATCH THE STYLE IN THE REST OF THE HOME?

If you’ve been updating the rest of your home but haven’t gotten around to the kitchen take a good look to see if the design styles are coordinated. For instance, maybe your home used to be traditional but over the years you’ve updated and everything but the kitchen is now more modern. That’s a sign that yes, it’s time to update your kitchen.
Even if your kitchen was updated within the last 10 years you may have picked a countertop that dates the space. By just adding a new countertop you can breath new life into your entire home.

WHAT ARE THE BEST COUNTERTOP OPTIONS TODAY?

1/ Quartz Dekton

Most people are familiar with quartz but not everyone has heard of Dekton. So let’s start with what it is. Dekton is a type of quartz made from quartz, glass and porcelain. The biggest factor in differentiating dekton from quartz is that while quartz is scratch-resistant, Dekton is scratch-proof. Yes, you read that correctly. You can’t scratch it even if you try.

The other attractive benefit is that it’s completely heat proof so if you want to put a hot pan on it, go right ahead. It can handle it without leaving any trace behind. That’s because there are no polymers resins to bind the materials together.

Let’s be honest though, most of your buying decisions are made based on aesthetics so the important question is what does it look like? You have over 100 colours to choose from and there are patterns like marble and concrete that will trick even the most discerning shopper. You have the choice of slab thickness 2cm or 3cm. Between all those options there is something for every kitchen or bathroom.

2/ Quartz

This is the go-to countertop material of the moment. Its rise in popularity came with the emergence of the all-white kitchen. We all started painting our cabinetry and the previous favourite, granite, just wasn’t working to create that peaceful, zen kitchen we were hoping to achieve. So along came the light and airy quartz that stole the show. 

Quartz is a man-made stone that gives us the durability and stain resistance we need in order to feel good about a white countertop. It’s low on maintenance but high on aesthetic appeal.

If you’re considering quartz, Caesarstone, Siletsone and Cambria are the predominant manufacturers and while they all have similar colours and patterns, each offers a few unique patterns so it’s worth investigating all of them. You can have a simple, white countertop or you can have a marble look-alike. Another memorable feature is that it’s available in jumbo slab sizes. If you have a large island or long counter run you can use this and the end result is fewers seams. Lastly you can choose between a slab thickness of 2cm or 3cm.

3/ White Marble

Marble is a natural stone. It comes in both light and dark options although most of us are more familiar with the beautiful white marble. It offers options with little or a lot of veining and a few traditional colours for the veining are black, grey and gold. There is a cautionary note that goes along with this and that is that It’s extremely porous so it will stain easily. 

If you decide you can’t live without marble there are a few options that stand out including Opal White, Calacutta and Statuario. Etching is less noticeable on white marbles but either way, know that it’s part of owning marble. Embrace it the way that Italians have and just enjoy the patina that comes with it. 

There are lots of options for different edge profiles so be sure to keep in mind that some are going to give you a more traditional look while others lean towards modern. Take that into account and consider the whole kitchen when making the choice.

NATURAL STONE FINISHES 

When you’re purchasing a natural stone countertop like granite or marble, you’ll be able to choose from a few finishes; polished, honed and leathered. You want to make that decision before you’re asked because it’s an important factor in the overall appearance of the stone.

Polished will give you a higher gloss look. A polished finish has been the most popular finish in past years but we are seeing more and more homeowners opting for a honed top recently. 

The honed or matte finish has little to no shine and gives a more modern feel to your countertops. It also has the added benefit of concealing scratches better than a polished finish. A honed finish will also hide staining from acid liquids better than a polished finish.

 Lastly, there's the leathered look to consider. This is less common but equally beautiful. It will give you a softer sheen with a bit of texture. 

THE BEST COUNTERTOP COLOURS FOR TODAY

If you’ve ever seen a quartz or granite showroom you’ll be familiar with the extraordinary array of colours. Some of them are the safe options we all know and some are walking on the wild side.

As tempting as it might be to install the orange quartz or the heavily veined marble, it’s always best to play it safe. The only exception to that would be if you have no intention of selling and you want this to be a space that is uniquely yours. 

So what are the best colour options? Well no surprises here. White, gray and black are the safest, and many would say the most beautiful of all the options available.

MY FAVOURITE COUNTERTOP SELECTIONS

I can’t give you all this information and leave without sharing my favourites. I see a lot of slabs during the materials selection process but these ones just stand out a bit more than the alternatives.

MY FAVOURITE WHITE is Dekton Helena

I can’t think of a better description for this stone than dreamy because it’s got an ethereal, cloud-like look. It’s a combination of gray and white and it’s inspired by onyx so you really do get the look of natural stone with this.

MY FAVOURITE GRAY is Caesarstone Cosmopolitan

This light gray quartz has fairly neutral undertones making it great for modern kitchens. It has a light gray background with fine off white veins. It provides a subtle contrast against white cabinetry but gives a fresh, updated look to wood cabinetry. And if you’re loving the deeper, more dramatic painted cabinet that’s becoming so popular this will be a beautiful, neutral backdrop.

MY FAVOURITE BLACK is Silestone Eternal Collection Charcoal Soapstone

 This one is a classic, timeless look that works for a variety of different aesthetics -modern, transitional, rustic, farmhouse, even a beach house in The Hamptons (think of the gorgeous kitchen from the movie Something's Gotta Give).

MY FAVOURITE RESCUE COUNTERTOP

If you have a lot of pink-beige finishes from the 90’s, like travertine you’ll want to meet Caesarstone Dreamy Marfil. It has a beautiful sophisticated look that pairs nicely with those older finishes. Using this can save you from a complete reno but give you an updated look.

If you’re all the way down here at the end of this post then you probably have a good idea of whether you should replace those countertops. Just in case you’re still confused, reach out and let’s set up a time to talk. I can help you make the decision right away.

Warm regards,

Adrienne