Having a well-designed kitchen countertop can really broaden what you can do in the kitchen, as well as make your day-to-day life easier. The kitchen countertop market is expected to reach $80.4 Billion by 2032, which just goes to show how important this asset is becoming.
There are many benefits to owning a countertop. Increased home value, more workspace in the kitchen, and extra storage space are some of the most apparent. Let’s dive in and look at why a countertop in kitchen remodel is so important and which countertop is the best option for your kitchen remodel.
The Benefits of Having a Kitchen Countertop
If you’re looking to install a countertop, then you must first understand how it can benefit your day-to-day life. In the section below, we’ll discuss the most common benefits that you’ll experience after installing or renovating your kitchen countertop. Depending on the design you’re going for, some of these benefits might turn out more prominent than others.
Increases Your Kitchen’s Utility
The first and biggest benefit of having a kitchen countertop is that it increases your kitchen’s utility by a substantial margin, as it integrates all the important aspects of a kitchen into one coherent package. But besides being extremely functional, high-quality countertops can also be aesthetically pleasing.
Rather than having a separate cooking station, a separate area for storage, and a separate area for cleaning, a good kitchen countertop integrates all three into one, thus significantly reducing the time it takes to perform the most common tasks.
Increases the Value of Your Property
This benefit is only relevant if you’re planning on renting out or selling your property. That being said, it’s definitely worth a mention. A functional and aesthetic kitchen countertop is a beauty to behold and an asset that makes going about your day all that easier.
As a result of those qualities, it naturally makes your kitchen more valuable, and this is a value that only increases as time goes on. Even if you’re going with a minor kitchen remodel, according to national data, you’ll still get an average return on investment of 85.7%.
Completes the Aesthetic of Your Kitchen
Having a properly integrated kitchen countertop can really bring your home’s aesthetic together in a way that you wouldn’t expect. If you’re going for a rustic look for your home, then having a modern-looking kitchen like the one above would be an eyesore.
This is why it’s so important to look at the whole when designing your home rather than the particulars. At the end of the day, kitchen trends come and go, but a unified aesthetic remains charming for decades on end.
Common Countertop Materials
Kitchen countertops can be crafted from various materials based on the consumer’s needs. Residential homeowners usually go for more aesthetically pleasing materials like granite or marble, while commercial kitchens almost exclusively use stainless steel. Now, let’s take a look at the most common materials for kitchen countertops, along with their pros and cons.
Granite Countertops
Granite is one of the most common kitchen countertop materials, especially for residential homes. The reason homeowners choose granite is because of its relatively affordable price compared to some other countertop materials like marble or wood.
It’s also incredibly durable and remarkably heat resistant, plus it’s quite easy to clean. However, because it’s essentially a rock, granite countertops are also notoriously cold. They’re also porous, meaning they’ll sometimes absorb liquids that are impossible to get out. Granite countertops also tend to crack if struck by a heavy object.
Marble Countertops
Marble is another common element that’s used in kitchen countertop construction. It’s elegant, durable, and heat resistant, qualities that practically guarantee its longevity in the long run.
That being said, it’s not perfect. Marble is among the most expensive countertop materials out there, especially if you’re buying high-grade marble. And just like granite – it too, is porous. It’s also notoriously high maintenance, at least if you want to keep it in tip-top shape at all times.
Laminate Countertops
Laminate technology has come a long way in the last few decades. Laminate used to have a reputation for being the worst material for countertops, but that’s just not the case anymore.
Laminate countertops are affordable, heavily customizable, low-maintenance, and stain-resistant. However, they’re ludicrously easy to damage, be it by heat or by sharp objects. They also don’t increase the value of your property by much, which is something to consider if you’re planning on selling your property.
Stainless Steel Countertops
Stainless steel countertops are more common in commercial kitchens rather than residential homes as they’re more practical in that kind of setting. You often find stainless steel countertops in commercial kitchens because they’re affordable, easy to replace, and decently durable.
They are, however, incredibly noisy, and can disturb your piece in a home environment. They’re also prone to scratches and dents, which is a big nuisance. However, the worst thing about stainless steel kitchen countertops is that they’re remarkably dull and uninspiring.
Glass Countertops
Countertops can also be created from glass. As a material, it’s relatively durable when made right. It’s also eco-friendly, as glass is a highly recyclable material. It has its drawbacks, though.
The most significant one is the fact that it’s impossible to repair if a crack occurs or if it chips. It’s also remarkably expensive, which is why you rarely see it in most kitchens.
Things to Consider When Conceptualizing Your Kitchen Countertop
Having a well-thought-out plan is crucial if you want to end up with the kitchen of your dreams. To avoid any mishaps later on down the line, here are the most important things that you should consider when designing your kitchen countertop.
Countertop Dimensions
The size of your countertop will ultimately determine what you can do on your countertop and what you cannot. Things like length and depth will determine how much working space you have, what appliances you can integrate, and how much storage space you’ll have.
Height is another important and often overlooked aspect. It’s essential because height determines the accessibility of your countertop. If you’re someone of short stature, then having a high countertop is impractical and vice-versa.
Countertop Arrangement
Functionality is the first and foremost characteristic that every kitchen countertop should have. Think about what functions you want your countertop to serve. Lengthy countertops are great if you want a lot of storage underneath, while compact countertops are great for cooking stations.
Whatever you decide, make sure to design the kitchen countertop to soothe your needs. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, ample workspace is necessary. However, if you rarely visit the kitchen, having enough room for the basic appliances is more than enough to get the job done.
Outlet Placement
Outlet placement can be a somewhat limiting factor when designing a kitchen countertop and one that you absolutely must consider. The number of outlets you have will most likely determine the amount of appliances you can safely use.
It can also determine the placement of said appliances, though not necessarily, as you can use extension cables for some minor appliances. Major appliances like the stove should almost exclusively be placed right in front of their corresponding outlets.
Backsplash
As mentioned above, a good countertop should complete the aesthetic you’re going for rather than be an eyesore. When designing your countertop, consider what will be visible behind it.
Colorless tiles are an almost universal backsplash that goes well with any countertop material. However, if your backsplash follows a specific design principle or is colored in a peculiar color, then you’ll find it pretty hard to match it with some material types.
How Much Maintenance You’re Willing to Do
Different materials require varying amounts of maintenance to keep in a pristine shape. A low-maintenance material like laminate is a great choice if you want a countertop that’s easy to take care of and doesn’t require that much attention.
High-maintenance materials like granite require more care and regular treatments to maintain a pristine shape, but because of this, they also look better and can raise the price of your property.
Your Budget
Kitchen countertops can get quite expensive, especially if you plan on building them out of a pricier material such as marble or reclaimed wood. Such materials can easily cost upwards of $100 per square foot, and that’s not even counting the installation price.
Other, more affordable materials, such as laminate, can cost anywhere between $15 and $40 per square foot. However, as we’ve already mentioned, laminate doesn’t have much longevity to it. What might initially seem like a low investment cost might turn out to have a high maintenance cost later on down the line.
Choosing the Right Kitchen Countertop
Now that you know how kitchen countertops can benefit you and your family and are looking to remodel or install a new one, consider contacting SemBro Design & Supply – a family-run interior design company with 10 years of experience behind us.
During this period of 10 years, we’ve garnered over 250+ 5-star reviews and remodeled over 500 kitchens. If you’re in the Cleveland area and need a masterwork kitchen countertop installed, give us a call, and let’s transform your kitchen into an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable space!
