We’re making steady progress on the kitchen (we wish we could share updates every day, but this is happening in real time). Our latest decision: the new countertops.
We debated options for weeks — there are so many materials, each with its own pros and cons — and different people would choose different paths depending on priorities and budget. Here’s how we landed on the countertop we think will work best for our kitchen, family, and daily life.
First, the disappointing news: despite our high hopes and a huge stack of DIY concrete tutorials, concrete counters aren’t a good fit for this kitchen. After consulting with concrete professionals, we learned that to achieve the double 12″ overhang on two sides of the large 3 x 5′ peninsula, the slab would have to be poured extra thick. That created two major problems:
- Our cabinets aren’t built to support that kind of weight without reinforcement, which would be expensive.
- Our floors aren’t designed to carry that additional load either.
So concrete counters were off the table. We considered a concrete “slipcover” — a thin concrete coating over another material — but its disadvantages outweighed the benefits for our situation. We’re still itching to use concrete in some way (maybe a long outdoor dining table someday), but for now we moved on and started checking out other materials at local kitchen shops and big-box stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot to see what was realistic for our budget.
In our last kitchen we splurged on granite and loved it, but this remodel has more than twice the countertop area since we’re adding a large peninsula. Repeating that same granite choice would cost over $7,000 — well beyond what we wanted to spend this time.
We briefly considered butcher block. Ikea offers affordable options that can be stained darker, but with dark wood floors and a nearby office featuring dark wood counters, we felt that would create too much wood in the space. We also liked how granite had given us a slick, easy-to-clean surface before. This time, though, we wanted to explore different materials like quartz, solid-surface products such as Corian, and eco-friendly options like recycled glass.
We brought home a bunch of samples to compare in our kitchen’s light and with our other finishes. Here’s a roundup of what we tested:
- Top left: LG Viatera quartz in “Geneva” (available at Lowe’s)
- Bottom left: Caesarstone quartz in “Pebble” (from a local kitchen and bath showroom)
- Right: Silestone quartz in “River Blanco” (from the same local showroom)
- Top left: Cambria quartz in “Torquay”
- Bottom left: Cambria quartz in “Sussex”
- Top right: Allen & Roth quartz in “Alloy” (Lowe’s)
- Bottom right: Cambria quartz in “New Quay”
We also gathered several white solid-surface samples, including Glacier White by Corian and alternatives from LG Hi-Macs and Allen & Roth. Eco-friendly recycled glass options caught our eye, but they were outside our budget. We did manage to save costs and be eco-conscious by keeping much of our cabinetry and installing cork flooring in areas where it makes sense.
We loved the look of the Silestone “River Blanco,” but the quote for that material was over $5,000 just for the counters, which exceeded our budget. In the end we found a material that looks great and keeps costs in check: Glacier White Corian.
We fell in love with Glacier White Corian for several reasons:
- Cost: It’s significantly less expensive than many quartz and granite options we priced — about $38 per square foot at Lowe’s versus $80–$100 per square foot for other choices. We also have a project discount and an additional cardholder discount, which help the budget.
- Proven durability: John’s sister has used Glacier White Corian for more than five years with no issues; she’s still happy with it.
- Compatibility with our sink choice: We plan to keep our deep stainless-steel sink rather than an integrated Corian sink, a combination that has worked well for people we know.
- Low maintenance: Corian is nonporous, so stains don’t penetrate the surface, and it resists mold, mildew, and bacterial growth.
- Practical care: We already use trivets and cutting boards to protect surfaces from heat and scratches, so routine care will be familiar.
- Weight: Corian is lighter than granite, quartz, and concrete, so our cabinets and floor joists can handle it without reinforcement.
- Seamless installation: Properly installed, Corian can be joined with virtually invisible seams, which is appealing compared with seams that bothered us in our current granite counters.
- Light reflection: The white surface helps brighten our relatively dark, windowless kitchen by reflecting light.
Some might worry that white counters and white cabinets are too plain, but many of our favorite inspiration spaces use this clean white-on-white approach. With our chosen gray-green penny tile backsplash and colorful items on open shelves, the white counters and cabinets will provide a timeless, bright backdrop.
We’re also considering a subtle color on the cabinets — perhaps a soft taupe-gray — to add a gentle contrast. We’ll share updates as we make those decisions. What about you? Have you chosen Corian, concrete, quartz, granite, or butcher block for your kitchen? We’d love to hear what worked for your family and lifestyle.
Psst—We announced this week’s giveaway winner. Check our latest post to see if it’s you.