COUNTER Culture

The hottest neu countertop trends include fresh ond clean color schemes, eco-friendly options, durable materials and the addition of texture - both visual and tactile.

With smaller-scale remodels growing in popularity, consumers are looking for affordable yet visible ways to update their kitchens. And changing out the countertops offers an upgrade that combines powerful aesthetic appeal with strong functional benefits. Manufacturers have responded to this demand with choices that mix visual appeal, ease of maintenance, green sensibilities and value.Neutrals are in demand now more than ever. Of the neutrals, Herreth believes gray is on top. "It is so versatile; a cool gray can resemble concrete in a modern application and a warm gray can generate warmth in a traditional setting," she says."Gray has become the new beige," Kath adds.With the two factories, LG will become the only company producing both acrylic solid surface and quartz surfacing materials in North America, company officials said.For some consumers, it's all about keeping up to date with the latest fashions, and for others it's about having something classic and timeless. "Right now, we definitely see a strong continuing trend for whites, grays and blacks," says Ed Rogers. "These color trends go hand-in-hand with the desire to have clean lines in the kitchen and bath."Lisa Herreth, product designer at Hanwha Surfaces, in Atlanta, GA, believes that countertops are going to become even more exciting in terms of texture and color. "We're going to see them stand out as a design element rather than blend in," she says. "Exotic patterns are going to be making a debut."Not that a granite countertop doesn't need any care, it does. But with just a minimal amount of proper care, any granite countertop will maintain the sparkle and shine that it had when you chose the slab from the supplier.McGeehan also noted the trend toward material mixing at KBIS. "We saw high-design installations that were not just the traditional Corian and Zodiaq, but wood integrated into a kitchen island along with Corian countertops," she says. "We believe that consumers have many good options for surfacing, and mixing it up allows them to personalize their space."The program, known as "Exploring New Dimensions," was crafted to support retail partners' growth by providing marketing and merchandising tools that include sample displays, showroom countertops and cooperative advertising, company officials said.LEAN AND GREENMandell reports that Samsung Staron has seen a recent surge in white and black countertops, often paired with the opposite color in cabinets to provide a striking color contrast. "Because of the increased popularity in quartz, surfaces that offer natural, earthy colors are also in demand," he says.Textures aside, consumers are looking for products that will not only improve the look of their home, but also provide good value. "Stone is generally the most preferred look, but quartz is regarded as the best value because it has the stone look that everyone likes, but does not require any maintenance," says Summer Kath, director of brand for Cambria USA, in Eden Prairie, MN.Simple, clean and bright, kitchens employing white counters offer a crisp look ideal for food preparation, McGeehan agrees. "A white kitchen can go many routes - modern, beach-inspired, farmhouse - it's a blank canvas for clearly translating a homeowner's vision."Granite needs to be sealed annually. Although it's a highly polished stone, it is still porous, and those pours need to be kept sealed. Sealing the granite helps it resist stains and keep its shine. Sealers can be applied by anyone, since no special skill is required. You can always call a local granite shop to do this work if you prefer, but either way, mark you calendar and get it done each year.Some manufacturers, such as Samsung Staron, offer Quartz products that are comprised of 93% mined natural quartz crystals and 7% fillers and polymers. The result is an engineered surface that looks natural, but is consistent in look across slabs, according to Dale Mandell, director of sales - Surfacing Products for Samsung Staron, in La Mirada, CA. "This is important when you're trying to match an island to an outlying countertop area," Mandell notes. "And the surface of quartz has also been proven to be harder than granite."While aesthetics and value matter, homeowners are also looking for surfaces that keep the environment in mind. Herreth explains: "I think in the future, people will move away from countertops made exclusively from finite sources."Granite is also extremely stain resistant and durable. It stands up to acids and other harsh elements commonly found in any 'cooks' kitchen. This means less upkeep and care are additional benefits to the kitchen owner."The hottest trends in countertops at the moment are fashion-driven textures and colors," says Ed Rogers, director of business development for CaesarStone USA, in Van Nuys, CA. CaesarStone recently launched a line called Motivo, which comes in both Lace and Crocodile patterns. "This is definitely on trend for fall/winter," he says. "These patterns are right off the runway."Mainstream countertop buyers continue to look for neutral colors that fit best with their existing cabinets, flooring and wall colors, according to James Rogers. For solid surface, he feels patterns with larger particulates or more variation in colors and patterns are growing in demand, but still with colors that are more neutral. "The same can be said for quartz, although the looks in demand are those that match closely to popular granite stones in the warmer browns, tans and beiges," he reports.WHITE HOT"Now consumers can have the look and feel of natural materials with the benefits of manmade advancements like no need to seal, repairability and manufacturer warranties," he says.Registered dealers ordering LG Hausys countertops through the program can also earn points towards reward merchandise and incentives, the company added."Our CaesarStone international R&D team, with its pulse on the latest in trends, determined that 'white is the new black,' and is the hot new color choice," says Arik Tendler, president of CaesarStone.One of the biggest problems you can face with all countertop materials is grit or sand. Any object you place on your countertop might have some grit stuck to the bottom. A cooler from the garage, or even a glass of ice-tea from the patio table could contain abrasive grit underneath - grit that can dig in and scratch even your granite quartz given the worst circumstances.Granite is so easy to clean, and annual sealing is a breeze. But there are some things to be considered when caring for your kitchen granite countertops.And granite countertops are impervious to kitchen heat. Imagine taking a boiling-over pot of water from the stove to settle, and you place it on the Formica counter top - Oops, you could have discoloration or even a burn mark. Even if you're more careful than that, other household members might not be.Consumers are also looking for surfaces that are more functional, manufacturers agree. "As consumers increasingly dine in, they are selecting surfaces that [simplify] food preparation and are integrating knife slots, a secondary prep sink and waste holes to increase the function of the surface," says Denise Grothouse, owner of The Grothouse Lumber Company in Germansville, PA.Even the pickiest of consumers can find a granite countertop pattern, color and texture that will compliment their kitchen decor, making for a kitchen they will love for ever, until the day they move on.True there are some manufacturers of products that claim to repair scratches or blemishes from granite, but consider this - A slab of stone with a scratch means that some of the material has been removed. How can any miracle product put stone back? They can't. They can hide it if it's not too bad, but your only real defense is to be diligent and prevent scratches before they happen.

While aesthetics and value matter, homeowners are also looking for surfaces that keep the environment in mind. Herreth explains: "I think in the future, people will move away from countertops made exclusively from finite sources."

Author: Show, Steven