Cabinetry And Kitchen Design Tips

Home Depot among others offer a great selection of counter tops that you can view online or at their in store show rooms. Make a counter top project estimation worksheet so you have a pretty good idea of what you want and need before you go shopping.  Some ideas for your kitchen counter tops follows.

Corian

Dupont Corian is perhaps the most popular kitchen counter top available.  It is made from a durable nonporous  acrylic polymer, and resists stains, sunlight, scratches and heat.  It comes in a dazzling palette of colors, and does not promote the growth of bacteria and mildew making it an easy to care for and sanitary surface.  Some of the pros include:

PROS

• Nonporous and stain resitant
• Very durable product
• Seams if any are not noticeable
• Available in many colors, patterns and finishes
• Color is solid throughout
• Cuts and scratches can be removed with an abrasive pad

CONS

• Knives and hot pans can damage the surface – Cutting boards are recommended
• High gloss surfaces can show scratches – Matte finish is recommended.

Granite Counter Tops

Stonemark by Inovative Stone is the no stain granite counter top.  This granite kitchen counter top in unlike other granite counter tops because it requires no sealing.  It was created by nature and the process of  protecting it from staining was perfected by PermaShield.  Stone Mark granite is also resistant to heat, fading and scratching.

PROS

• Very hard and durable
• No sealing is required
• Resistant to heat, scratching and fading
• 100% natural stone
• Free 15-year warranty

CONS

• Seams may be visible.

Staron Counter tops by Samsung

Staron is a 100% acrylic solid surface.  It comes in over 70 colors and is functional, practical and easy to maintain.  It is also a nonporous surface and very hygenic.  Very durable and stain resistant and comes with a 15 year warranty.  Another innovative product to add to any kitchen at a very affordable price.  This product is only available through Home Depot currently.  Check out the Home Depot.

SileStone

Silestone is a quartz surface counter top and is truly a merge between beauty and functionality.  It is as hard as a rock and only topaz, sapphire and diamonds are harder.  It is extremely dense and nonporous and never needs sealing or polishing.  Scratch, scorch, bacteria and stain resistant, and comes in more than 50 colors and 2 finishes to suite individual taste.

PROS

• Extremely hard and durable
• Easy to clean
• Stain, bacteria, scratch and scorch resistant
• Low maintenance
• Features built in Microban protection

CONS

• Seams are visible

Laminate Counter Tops

The most popular counter top surface because of its affordability, easy to care for and is available in a wide variety of pattens and colors.  It is a wonderful choice if you want to upgrade every few years, and is made of thin layers of plastic bonded onto particle board or kraft paper, and resist stains, abrasions and moisture.  They require just a quick clean up of soap and water and a damp cloth.

PROS

• Durable
• Economical
• Stain resistant
• Available in many colors, patterns and textures

CONS

• Knives and heat can damage surface – Cutting boards are recommended.
• Cannot be repaired if scratched, burned, dented or stained.

Specialty Materials for Counter Tops

There are a host of specialty materials available for you to choose from for your kitchen counter tops.  These can range form wood surfaces, to stainless steel, stone to the absolutely gorgeous copper counter top surfaces. They are each durable and offer a variety of advantages.  In most cases , these materials are incorporated into kitchen cabinets that are custom made which adds that unique look to your kitchen cabinets

I hope you found these ideas for your kitchen counter tops helpful.  Be sure to click on any of the links for more in depth descriptions.

Getting ready to remodel?  Here’s a list of the most common mistakes you can make, and mistakes you should avoid with your new kitchen cabinets at all cost.

1.  Selecting beautiful cabinets is only half the battle.  Ensuring you have enough storage for your plates, pots and pans is the other half.  Incorporate dividers and pull out shelving that will make storing and finding them a lot easier.

2.  You think bright pink cabinets could be fun.  While personality is important to reflect your style, your kitchen cabinets isn’t exactly the place to go hog-wild.  Select fun pulls, knobs and incorporate small colorful counter top appliances to accentuate your kitchen.  Your kitchen cabinet choices should be something that both you and your family can live with for the next 15-20 years.  Don’t forget, color trends, styles and patterns change all the time.  You’re probably better off staying as neutral as possible and go wild with the hardware and accessories.

3.  A kitchen remodel is a massive undertaking.  Unless you’re a contractor or cabinet maker and installer, leave this one up to the experts.  Make sure they are licensed and bonded and seek references where possible.

4.  Design with the future in mind.  It might be ok to do lower counter tops for your kids right now, but they grow up and get tall,  and that “little bitty” cute spot you built for them becomes useless.

5.  Your kitchen lighting is very important.  Work it into your budget and have a plan in place.  It sets the mood for your kitchen and keeps it safe.  You don’t want poor light fixture placement to cast shadows on your lovely earth toned cabinets making them appear to be brown and worn.  You spent a lot of time selecting those cabinets.  They deserve to be the star of the kitchen.

6.  Be sure of your decisions before the project begins.  Changing your mind half way through will cost you big time.  If you’re tired of walking across the room to get to your pantry then move it.  Move it at the planning stage, not when the remodel is almost done.

7.  You have Extreme Home Makeover overload.  Gutting your entire kitchen may not be necessary.  Figure out what you really need in advance and plan for just those changes.  You only need to spend on what you really need.

8.  Be realistic about your appliance package.  If you’re not a gourmet cook, you don’t need the Martha Stewart version of appliances in your kitchen.  That is money not well spent, and it’ll be years before you figure out how to use all the features.  Be practical and smart about your choices.