If I'm honest, this is the post I've been waiting to get to! I'm stuck with indecision on the countertops. But first, let's talk faucets, sink, and hardware! I mentioned in a previous post that I chose to use black lower inset cabinets. To keep these looking more traditional, it's important to choose soft, warm accessories. The sink was easy for me. I knew I wanted to try a farmhouse sink and I've used this one in several houses. I actually got lucky and found it for a great price on Amazon Prime Day! (I saved a lot of my kitchen items to order that day in case they were on sale.) The downside is I won't be able to return anything when we get to installation because the 30 day return window would be over, but the savings were worth it. I would typically time things to arrive closer to installation for this reason.
To add a warm, classic feel I decided on using a brushed gold finish for the faucet and hardware. A couple of notes about using brushed gold: It's really difficult to match golds. Each company uses their own "gold". Some have a lot of yellow, some have a lot of orange, and some are more subdued in color. I personally like those that lean towards an "orange" gold for lack of better description. However, for faucets, a fingerprint/water spot resistant finish was important to me. Gold finishes seem to show spots pretty easily. I also needed something that didn't take months to get, which limited my options, but also controlled the cost. Then I saw cabinet pulls I really liked and decided to just match those. It was super difficult to find a matching finish. The Delta Champagne Bronze came close. It's probably not my favorite finish because it doesn't have much of a "pop" as it's a little subdued, but it met all the requirements and was reasonably priced, so I went with it! I like that it is simple and functional. Below are my choices:
So now I have a kitchen that will look similar to this (ignore the crazy thing my CAD is doing with the lights):
The two remaining decisions are the countertop material and backsplash. I'll need to pick a countertop before I can pick a backsplash. Since work on the kitchen begins next week, I REALLY need to decide on something so we aren't delayed getting back into the kitchen. This is the point where I would typically start nudging the homeowner to make a decision! However, this homeowner doesn't have a clue what she wants. It's often said that the designer is the worst client in a remodel. This is one reason why: On a typical job, I'd assess the needs and narrow things down for a client to a couple of options based on their budget and they make the decision. However, I do this professionally so I know what's out there. My top choice is above my price point and there isn't really a clear winner among the rest.
I know the "fit" for us would be the beautiful Cristallo quartzite. (Pics of it are below.)
However, it is WAY over what I'm comfortable spending. So that is out
unless a miracle happens and a slab yard is willing to lose money on me! Quartzite is just a more practical material for a kitchen, so I've been looking at other quartzites. However, most are too cold or just not the right look for the kitchen. The one that would work is Taj Mahal. It happens to be very popular so for the typical homeowner, it'd be a good choice. But since I've seen a lot of kitchens, I'm just tired of it. I look at it and think. It'd work. But that's it. I don't love it for me... Below are some other quartzites that could work:
I've quickly looked at granite. It is also practical but the trend is tending towards a flowy look, not "speckled". Since we move pretty frequently, I have to keep resale in mind. I didn't see anything that would work.
Next is quartz. Quartz as opposed to quartzite is a manmade product using the quartz mineral. They use resin to make it. Quartz is great practically speaking because it isn't prone to chipping, staining, scratching, or etching and is the least expensive on my list. However, because of the resin, it can't withstand heat, so using a trivet, etc. is very important. I could do that, but it's not a guarantee my husband and teenager with her friends will remember. (We are used to granite and tile.) I also have put a lot of quartz in homes so again, it'd work. Here are the ones I was interested in: (You may need to zoom in to the 3rd to see details. Also, keep in mind they were taken under different lighting.)
Next on my list is marble. Sigh... It's so beautiful and I could love it, but it etches, scratches, and stains. It is, however, pretty heat resistant. I came across a Danby marble I liked at a slab yard. Danby marble is denser than most marble so it's a tad more durable. I liked this particular marble because it looked nice and was clearanced out. It was even less expensive than the manmade stuff! I was almost convinced. I would get it honed so the etching wasn't noticeable, seal it like crazy, and accept the "patina" the scratches would make. Done! I should also add that since marble is a natural stone, it can be rebuffed every so often so it looks like new again! (Maybe every 2 years, depending on your tolerance for the imperfections.) So I called the slab yard and asked why it was in the clearance section. The bundle had pitting and cracks from transport. Sigh... I think it's out unless I get a fabricator to go out with me and pick through them and we are able to work around the problem areas. But that's a long shot and could be a waste of time. Here are some marbles. The first is the Imperial Danby I liked.
So now if I'm considering marble, I might as well consider dolomite. Dolomite is a slightly harder marble. It's harder than marble and softer than granite or quartzite. That means it's a little more durable than marble. Sometimes it's mislabled quartzite or soft quartzite, so beware if you're looking at quartzite. It will not have the properties of quartzite. You just need to know you'll have more maintenance like you will with marble vs. a quartzite. Unfortunately, I haven't found any I love yet. Here are a couple I saw that could work: (I like the second but maybe not enough to tolerate the maintenance..)
So that's my thoughts on the countertop. Any thoughts, ideas, or opinions? I covet your input!
For quick reference, in case you need it for your project, I've made a chart with the qualities of each stone:
STONE | PROS | CONS | OTHER ATTRIBUTE |
QUARTZITE | Hardest stone; very durable; doesn't etch, scratch, or stain; tolerates heat | Difficult to fabricate; expensive | |
QUARTZ | Less expensive; lots of variety; consistency between slabs; on trend; doesn't etch, scratch, or stain; low maintenance | Manmade, can look "fake"/pixelated, cannot tolerate heat | |
GRANITE | Very durable; doesn't etch, scratch, or stain; tolerates heat | Not on trend. | More speckled than flowy |
MARBLE | Beautiful veining with depth; classic; tolerates heat | Soft; etches; stains; scratches; needs regular maintenance | |
DOLOMITE | Beatiful depth; can be used in classic or modern applications; tolerates heat; a little harder and more durable than marble | Soft; etches; stains; scratches; needs regular maintenance | |
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