countertop

Picking your Kitchen Countertops

| Vanteriordesign

Renovating? Building your new home?
In any case, nothing is harder then picking your Kitchen Countertops.
That’s at least my opinion. We just received the Countertops this weekend and I can tell you, it wasn’t a very quick decision. There are many aspects that need to be considered before placing the final order for your most Kitchen Countertops. Besides, the pressure is high considering that the kitchen is one of the most important places in a home, to be the centre of every event by friends and family, over the past hundreds of years.

Well, have you thought your Countertop Options through and how will you decide?

The most important steps you may want to consider are the following:

  1. Material
    There are lots of different materials that can be used for your kitchen countertop. Depending on your needs and lifestyle, either or are the best fit for you.
    Let me introduce you to the most common ones:
    QUARTZ: one of my favourite option for Kitchen Countertops, as it’s though and durable, which is great for busy families with kids. t’s man-made and nowadays are finishes available that look like natural stone.
    GRANITE: Durable and affordable. My absolute favourite is the “Dark Water” Granite from Margranite. (Which you can see in the featured picture).
    MARBLE: Absolutely gorgeous, but stains and scratches easily. Never forget to seal the countertops and clean very thoughtful.
    CONCRETE: Modern and durable, stunning but also simple. (We have decided for Concrete Flooring. Getting it all smooth and buffed was an act itself! I’ll tell you another time!).
  2. Design
    It’s quite overwhelming choosing the right finish. It starts by visiting  a countertop shop or manufacturer the first time. The choices are endless, it seams.
    It’s great to have your own designer in this case. Not only to help picking the right finish going well with your wall paint, cabinet finishes, flooring, but also to receive a great price/discount for your new countertops.
    If you decide to choose your countertops by yourself, I’d recommend to visit 3 countertop places and getting 3 quotes at least.
    You can compare then pricing and besides, not every countertop place offers the same brands. Make sure you compare and decide wisely.
    Tipp: Choose a couple samples of the most interesting finishes and take them home. Its ver important to see the countertop finishes at your own place, as the lighting may be completely different.
  3. Hands On
    I always encourage clients to choose, see and feel their slabs. After they made a decision for the finish, a sample can look a little or much different to the actual slab that would be installed. Talk to your supplier and find out if you can see the slabs in person before they start cutting your countertop. Besides, they usually need a day of a heads up to pull the slab into position to be presented to you. Give them a call in advance.

    IMG_6460
    Book an appointment to look at your slab.
  4. Installation
    The final installation shall be booked with 100% professionals. Make sure that the installation crew visit your site before cutting the countertops. usually it’s in the price included and you’ll be ensured that they will take accurate measurements.

Don’t worry, be happy.

In any case, the most important part is that you are happy with your Kitchen Design in the end. It’s nothing that usually changes yearly and the money shall be well spent.
Take it serious, but also don’t let it overwhelm you and trust your guts. In the end, you can count in them or if it’s just too much, consider consulting a designer. We are here for you. And believe me, the pressure is gone once you see the countertops in place. Amazing.

Kitchen_01
Squamish Sneak Preview of the Main Kitchen

The featured picture is a sneak preview of the Main Kitchen of our Squamish Project in B.C. Canada showcasing the “Dark Water” Granite with a waterfall! We just received the Countertops last Saturday and I am blessed how they have turned out.
Stunning! Lovely! Amazing! YES, I am happy.

Any questions or add ons? Please comment below.
Happy Monday!

Sina

Countertops – Quartz or Marble?

| Vanteriordesign

Hi Everyone,

Today is all about Countertops and I was wondering, if you guys have ever been in the situation before that you had to pick a countertop for yourself or giving advice to a friend? Or maybe you are currently looking into buying new countertops for your kitchen or bathroom?

It’s a “Taff” decision and made right as countertops are usually not the least expensive investment when renovating your space or building.

I have to advice from the beginning: Please do not purchase any cheap Quartz countertop – weather Marble, nor Quartz. Inexpensive Quartz will break easily or leave stains and in the end it won’t make you happy and you have actually more work on you end that you need to sacrifice headaches and your valuable time.

There are a couple Quartz Countertops that I can suggest, but first let me explain to you shortly what the difference is between Quartz and Marble and why I would pick Quartz over Marble for Kitchen and Bathrooms.

What is the difference between Quartz and Marble?

Marble is classic and a natural metamorphosed limestone or dolomite rock.
A lot of countries around the world desire Marble and it’s natural beauty.

Quartz is a man-made, engineers product of natural stone fused with polymer resin.
It’s beautiful and here it comes – durable. The durability makes Quartz powerful.

Why choosing Quartz over Marble?

As you can already guess, it’s because of it’s durability, but also because of it’s opportunity to look exactly like Marble. A few more aspects below:

  1. First of all Marble is very high maintenance. This said, one issue is water, which is usually unavoidable when placing Marble in Kitchen and Bathrooms. It can leave marks.
  2. Be careful as well with acidic materials to be left on the countertop, as it can stain as well.
  3. Marble also requires regular sealing, which occurs to long-term costs.

What’s my favourite Quartz Countertop?

My favourite brands are the following:

Cambria and Caesarstone are offering a wide range of colours. Both having lots of Marble looking options, which are my personal favourites throughout the whole collections. The main difference is that Caesarstone is from Europe and Cambria from the USA.

Where can I see Quartz Countertops?

In Vancouver, B.C. I suggest to visit Floform or Colonial Countertops, although only Floform has Cambria. Every Countertops supplier shall have a showroom and samples to hand out. Please don’t hesitate to ask for samples as it’s important to look at finishes in your own home. I used to tell my clients that it is important to see it in different lighting, especially in your own space where the countertop will be installed.

Worst scenario – Stains

While working for a Countertop Company, I learned a lot about the maintenance and care of the countertops. But what I learned for sure is, if there is a need for advice for a countertop stain or anything similar, please do not use any advice online or try products on it that you have currently handy. Please contact your countertop supplier immediately. They will be able to direct you and let you know what needs to be done.

Thank you

for taking the time reading my article and I hope this article was helpful.

By the way, I am currently in process to pick the countertops for a residence in Squamish  in Crumpit Woods – Stay tuned and follow my instagram to find out more.

Anyways, I wish you lots fun picking and choosing your Countertops and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Have a great day!
Sina

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