kitchen

You’re facing the same conundrum that so many marble-loving home owners have wrestled with: you love marble, but is it really worth the care and maintenance to keep it looking beautiful year after year?

Outdoor kitchens afford homeowners extended livable space. Experts agree that advanced planning helps families make the most of their investment.

When you head to the showroom to choose your natural stone, use these five questions to ensure you choose your best option.

Read how upgrades featuring natural stone can increase real estate value.

Compare countertop materials. Consider price, durability, and maintenance.

When choosing a countertop surface for your kitchen, there are a lot of factors to consider. If granite has made it to the top of your list, read through the article below to determine if its advantages and disadvantages make it a good choice for your family.

Marble has been a popular trend in kitchen countertops for the past several years. If you compare performance characteristics in a kitchen environment, granite is the better choice.

Granite and quartzite have very similar performance statistics. Quartzite is generally harder and denser and the pattern is more like marble which is appealing to many homeowners.

Slate slabs are generally small compared to marble and granite so more seams will be necessary to complete a kitchen project. In fact, many slate quarries are limited to tile production because of the sizes of usable material that exist.

Nothing beats the warmth and traditional charm of butcher block countertops. Many homeowners are choosing to use a combination of wood and granite, or another hard surface, in their kitchens.

Quartz countertops are a big trend in today’s market. Brands such as Caesarstone, Silestone and Zodiaq are readily available in a large variety of colors.

Common solid surface brands include Corian and Hi-Macs. They are made of acrylic and come in many colors.

Laminate countertops have been very popular for years because they are affordable and readily available. You may know them better by the common brand name, Formica.

Though not common in residential kitchens, you’ve likely seen stainless steel countertops in commercial settings. They are easy to clean and heat resistant.

“Recycled” is a popular term for homeowners concerned with sustainability. These countertop surfaces are made with glass chips from a variety of materials

Using contrasting colors and two different types of stone in the same kitchen is an attractive trend that is growing in popularity.

Greens go with just about everything: with black, stainless steel, and maple or cherry cabinets.