Making Appliance Decisions for My Kitchen

The countertops you choose can really define your new kitchen space. The countertops will take up a lot of square footage and visual space in your kitchen, so you want to make sure you choose stunning-looking countertops that fit with the overall style you want to cultivate in your kitchen. Stone is a solid countertop choice because it is solid and heavy.

1. Soapstone Counters

Soapstone is a soft stone that is usually gray or black in appearance. Throughout the gray or black base are white- or gray-colored veins that run through the stone. The way the lines run through the stone gave the stone its name.

Soapstone is a great choice to go with if you already know that you want gray- or black-colored countertops. These countertops can be used to create either a very modern or very rustic feel, depending on the other design choices you make in your kitchen.

2. Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertops are great if you want stone countertops without the normal maintenance requirements. Quartz countertops are actually made out of engineered stone in a factory, which allows the countertops to have some qualities that most other stone countertops do not have. Quartz countertops are not porous, which is great. Due to the nonporous nature, quartz countertops are easy to clean and not very easy to stain.

Keep in mind with quartz countertops is that you can't sit hot things directly on your countertops. If you place a hot pan on your quartz countertop, the countertop is going to be stained.

3. Marble Countertops

Marble is a classic countertop material. It is also a very expensive countertop material. Marble is well-known because of its beautiful appearance. Marble has a certain level of shine and polish to it.

However, it takes a lot of work to take care of marble countertop. Marble is very porous, which means you need to be very careful with your countertops. If you spill anything on your counters, you need to wipe it up immediately. You should also never directly cut anything with citrus in it on your countertops, as citric acid will damage the countertops. You always want to use cutting boards with a marble countertop.

4. Granite Countertops

Granite has become one of the most popular kitchen countertop materials. Granite is actually made out of a variety of different stone materials, such as feldspar, quartz, and mica. Granite is really strong and hard to chip or damage, which is one of the reasons that it is such a popular countertop material.

Granite countertops only come in natural colors, but there are numerous patterns and color differences, allowing for a customized look.

Stone countertops offer a natural and classic look for your kitchen. Be sure to check out a variety of stone materials to find the right looking material for your kitchen.