Countertop Trends to Keep an Eye Out for in 2020
For years, kitchen countertop trends remained largely unchanged, with granite as the king of the kitchen. In recent months, trends have shifted. New materials and new applications for those materials have surfaced in interior design catalogs and on home decor websites. If you’re a homeowner redesigning your kitchen in 2020, knowing the latest trends can help you transform an old, dated kitchen into the stunning centerpiece of your home.
Dress It Up with Quartz
Quartz is taking the lead as the preferred material for kitchen countertops. Why quartz?
- It’s hard as rock – harder in fact. Quartz is harder than granite, so it’s less susceptible to chipping and cracking.
- It doesn’t stain. Whereas granite and marble is porous, quartz is not, so it can’t absorb liquids in the way natural stone does.
- It comes in all the colors and patterns. Quartz can be made to imitate any other type of stone, including marble and granite.
- Its coloring is more consistent and predictable. Quartz is a man-made stone, so it doesn’t have the natural un-predictable variations you find in natural stone.
Homeowners everywhere are making the switch to quartz. It varies in cost and quality, just like other types of countertop materials, so talk to your countertop dealer to find the right kind of quartz for your kitchen remodel.
Make a Splash with a Countertop Waterfall
This is a new concept making an appearance in high-end kitchens. Waterfall countertops usually take the form of an island, with a vertical wall of matching countertop material on either side of the counter, forming an elegant box of stone. Countertop waterfalls can be costly, but they’re also striking in appearance. Work with your countertop supplier to design your own countertop waterfall. Choose the material carefully, as it will become one of the dominating features in your kitchen.
Get Matchy-Matchy With Countertop and Backsplash
Are you in love with your countertop material? Want to see more of it? If so, you probably relate to homeowners who have recently started installing countertops with backsplash made from matching material. This matchy-matchy design creates continuity in the kitchen, and there’s another advantage as well: solid stone backsplashes are easy to clean.
Whereas tile backsplashes tend to stain in the grout and crevices between tiles, granite slabs have no such crevices. As one large, smooth surface, stone slab backsplashes are exceptionally easy to clean and easy to maintain. Slab backsplashes also require less sealing than the matching countertop because they’re not as often exposed to acidic liquids that could etch the surface. Buy your stone counters and backsplash from a reputable dealer to ensure quality.