Choosing the Ideal Countertop Stone
It's all about balancing aesthetics with practicality...
Selecting the right stone for your home is an important decision, one that balances style and functionality. With so many options available, it’s essential to consider how each stone aligns with your lifestyle and daily routines. We’re here to guide you through the process, helping you choose a stone that not only looks beautiful but also meets your needs in terms of care, maintenance, kitchen usage, and color preferences.
Choosing the ideal stone for your home is all about balancing aesthetics with practicality. Whether you’re drawn to the low-maintenance ease of granite or quartz, the natural beauty of quartzite, or the timeless elegance of marble, each material has its own appeal. At Architectural Surfaces, we’re here to guide you in finding the stone that best suits your lifestyle. By considering how you use your space, your desired level of maintenance, and the overall design aesthetic, we can help you choose a stone that will be the center point for all the memories you’ll make in your kitchen.
Care and Maintenance
When it comes to ease of care and maintenance, different stones have varying requirements.
Quartz is a fantastic choice for those seeking a low-maintenance surface. Known for its minimal upkeep, engineered stone is ideal for busy households or anyone who prefers a hassle-free countertop. Adding to quartz’s appeal is its high heat resistance and non-porous nature, which ensures it stays well-preserved, even with the demands of daily cooking.
Another great option for homeowners interested in a low-maintenance surface is quartzite or granite. Though both require initial sealing after installation, they are highly durable natural stone options for kitchens with high activity. Granite and quartzite are not acid sensitive, are very dense and durable, as well as very heat resistant (some more than others). Honed or satin granite, if sealed properly, has no significant difference in maintenance or performance from polished finishes.
Can You Handle a Spill?
When selecting the ideal stone for your kitchen, it’s essential to consider how comfortable you are with your space evolving, especially when it comes to handling spills.
Marble
If your goal is to create a stunning, fashion-forward centerpiece for your home, marble might be the right choice. Marble brings a timeless elegance, but it also reflects how you live in and use your space. While marble’s porous surface is prone to staining and etching from spills, it develops a patina over time, giving it a lived-in, organic charm. This natural wear becomes part of its character. If you’re comfortable with the idea of your kitchen evolving and telling the story of your daily life, marble can be a beautiful choice. It’s perfect for those who prioritize aesthetic appeal over maintaining a pristine, untouched look. Marble is a highly desired surface that requires more attention than other engineered or natural stone surfaces. Since marble is porous, it requires frequent resealing to prevent staining. Keep in mind, however, that over time, acidic etching is common. White marbles like Calacatta, Carrara, and Danby tend to be harder and denser, making them more resistant and slower to etch compared to other varieties. Etching leaves a dull mark on the surface, which means honed marble tends to conceal wear better than polished finishes over time.
Granite, Quartzite & Quartz
On the other hand, if you can’t stand a spill and you prefer a clean, low-maintenance space where spills leave no lasting impact, then granite, quartzite, or quartz are better suited to your lifestyle. These materials are highly resistant to staining, etching, and daily wear, ensuring your countertops look as flawless as the day they were installed. If maintaining the original, polished finish is your priority and you want your kitchen to stand up to heavy use without showing signs of wear, these surfaces are ideal for combining beauty with long-lasting durability.
Style & Aesthetic
When considering the color of your stone, it’s important to think about how it will fare in high-traffic areas. Natural stones such as marbles and quartzites offer a unique, organic look that can add great dimension to your space, but may require more upkeep. On the other hand, quartz surfaces and granite provide a more uniform, consistently patterned aesthetic.
Lighter colors are a lovely choice, especially in spaces where you hope to create an open feel. While they may require more caution and care, lighter stones can brighten a room and make smaller spaces feel larger.
NATURAL STONE
COUNTERTOPS
The countertop in your kitchen or bath can truly set the tone for the entire room. Of all the countertop materials you can purchase, natural stone is considered the gold standard for looks and durability. Because each rock pulled from the earth has its own color, veining, and speckles, your natural stone counter can be as distinctive as an original work of art.
If you are considering a kitchen or bathroom remodel, it’s important to think about a key element of that job: new countertops. Natural stone countertops may, in fact, be the best choice for you. Natural stone is as ancient as the earth itself, adding beauty and elegance to a kitchen or bathroom remodel. Natural stone has graced such ancient monuments as the Egyptian pyramids, a variety of Roman and Greek architectural beauties, and even majestic statues from the Indian and Chinese civilizations.
The Great Pyramids are thought to be the first natural stone monuments, built from massive granite blocks and limestone. Later, the Greeks built the Parthenon with its giant pillars made from marble. In India, fine sculptures and stone carvings made from natural stone adorned temples—think of the Taj Mahal, which was constructed entirely of marble. As improved methods of quarrying came into existence, Michelangelo created marble sculptures.
At some point, natural stone fell somewhat out of favor in favor of more functional architecture. The last decade or so has seen a return to using eco-friendly materials like natural stone, particularly for kitchen and bathroom countertops. While natural stone was once only seen in high-end homes, today many homeowners choose some form of natural stone countertops because of their aesthetic appeal, durability, and competitive pricing.
You can now find natural stone countertops in a much larger variety of colors and patterns, bringing warmth and vibrancy into the décor. The Cincinnati design team of Countertops and Cabinetry by Design can help you choose the best natural stone countertop for your décor. There are many different types of natural stone, including the following:
Marble
Marble is a popular natural stone known for its beauty, but it’s porous and requires regular maintenance. It’s prone to stains from wine, juice, and oils, which are hard to remove. Sealing is necessary and should be done every six months in high-traffic areas. Marble also scratches easily and can be etched by acids like lemon juice. While it’s heat-resistant, it’s still best to use a trivet for hot pots. Marble’s classic beauty makes it a great choice if you’re okay with the maintenance.
Soapstone
Soapstone darkens over time and is non-porous, so it doesn’t stain like marble. You can treat it with mineral oil if you want it to darken. It’s resistant to acids and heat. However, soapstone is softer than other stones, making it more prone to scratches, though these can often be buffed out. It comes in shades of gray, green, and black, but has fewer color options than man-made materials. If your countertop is longer than seven feet, it will likely have seams since soapstone is typically quarried in smaller slabs.
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone that’s typically deposited by mineral hot springs, giving it a fibrous appearance. Travertine exists in white, tan, cream, and rust colors, and homeowners often choose travertine because it resembles marble. Those with light-colored wood cabinets might want to consider a cream-toned travertine countertop. When travertine countertops are properly sealed at the time of installation, maintenance is simple.
Limestone
Limestone countertops add a touch of elegance to the appearance of your kitchen or bath, with a delicate, almost ancient look. Limestone tends to cost less than granite or marble, coming in a variety of textures and soft colors. Limestone is a “sensitive” stone, meaning it must be treated carefully. Like marble, limestone can be damaged by acids, and due to its porosity, it may scratch and stain more easily.
Jerusalem Stone
Jerusalem Stone is the most popular building material in Israel, with the city of Jerusalem being built and rebuilt with this substance. Current laws in Jerusalem require that all structures be covered in Jerusalem stone, creating a unique look. There are a variety of finishes for Jerusalem stone, including brushed/antiqued, polished/honed, sandblasted, and tumbled.
Onyx
Onyx is a fine-grained type of quartz with color banding. Because onyx is translucent, the substance can be truly spectacular when backlit and comes in a wide array of colors.
Quartzite
Quartzite is a strong material, resistant to heat and stain-resistant. Quartzite is formed from quartz and sandstone under significant pressure and heat. The process used to manufacture quartzite makes it even harder than quartz.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF NATURAL STONE COUNTERTOPS?
Natural stone countertops can truly transform a kitchen or bathroom and are aesthetically pleasing to many. Natural stone countertops will usually last a lifetime with proper care. Since no two slabs of soapstone, marble, or granite are exactly alike, your natural stone countertops will be one-of-a-kind. Natural stone countertops also never seem to go out of style and always add value to a home.
WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF NATURAL STONE COUNTERTOPS?
Most natural stone countertops are at least somewhat porous, meaning a sealant is necessary. If chips and scratches do occur, due to natural stone’s relative softness, a professional can often repair these blemishes. Natural stones tend to be very heavy; therefore, some floors or cabinets might need at least some level of structural reinforcement prior to installing a natural stone countertop.
What Should I Consider Before Choosing My Natural Stone Countertops?
Budget
You may expect your natural stone countertops to range in price from $40-$150 per square foot, installed. Compare this to granite countertops, which range from $50-$250 per square foot, and solid surface countertops beginning at $35 per square foot.
Dimensions
Dimensions
The “average” size of a natural granite slab used for countertops is about nine feet six inches long by five feet, and six inches wide, and about 1.25 inches thick.In some cases, the thickness of the granite will vary slightly from one area to another. This requires your installer to “shore up” parts of the slab so the entire slab is properly supported.
*Our installers ensure a perfectly level installation every time.
Other natural stone is quarried in smaller slabs than granite; therefore, seams are likely in a natural stone countertop, although these seams might not always be readily apparent.
How Can We Help You?
The design team at Countertops and Cabinetry by Design uses a different approach than that of our counterparts for installation, so that it can be as simple for you as possible. Our unique business model allows for faster turnaround time and a higher degree of customization.
Our square footage model allows us to offer clients a more customized solution, using the leftover materials for other jobs, thereby offering our clients lower prices and more options. We want to ensure our clients have control over their remodel and have all their questions answered, so you can have the best result you’re looking for. If you are in the greater Cincinnati area, the Mason, or the West Chester area, contact Countertops and Cabinetry by Design for all your remodeling needs today.
