If you’re feeling fed up with your kitchen or are identifying the kitchen-design flaws you need to fix before selling your home, there’s one crucial place to look: your countertops. Going with the wrong material is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when choosing kitchen decor. You can end up with something that doesn’t hold up well, something that just doesn’t match the rest of the room, or something so of-the-moment, it’s no longer in style come next year. In order to avoid this mistake and instead create your dream kitchen — that’s so timeless you won’t have to worry about another reno for a very long time — heed the advice of an expert.
Imitation marble is the ultimate no-no for countertops, acclaimed designer and star of HGTV’s “Fixer to Fabulous” Jenny Marrs told House Digest. There are three reasons for this. For one thing, this imitation marble is just too busy. It’s not neutral enough to tie into an overall design motif for the room, and it’s hard to match with other elements such as cabinets and appliances. Secondly, it’s always easy to tell it’s a cheaper knock-off of real marble. You can still make kitchen-design updates on a budget, but for aesthetically-pleasing results, skip the fake marble altogether. That brings us to Marrs’ other explanation, which is that this look was only on trend for a second. If you have imitation marble, it’s one of the biggest signs your kitchen needs an update.
What countertop materials are a better choice than imitation marble?
Imitation marble is also known as cultured marble. To get the look of real marble, producers use resins, dyes, and crushed rocks. But it’s virtually impossible to achieve the organic patterns of this naturally-occurring metamorphic rock found in places including Italy, Greece, Spain, Turkey, China, India, and the United States. That means cultured marble ends up being easily detected as fake.
Having to use all those crushed rocks and dyes also tends to result in more colors and patterns than true marble actually has, and it creates a countertop material that makes your entire kitchen look outdated. In order to avoid having to keep updating your kitchen — a costly endeavor — it’s best to go with classic, versatile materials that never go out of style, and that will still match even if you decide to make smaller, easier design updates down the road. Neutrals are key, according to Marrs. They look modern no matter the year or what the current fleeting design fad is.
Wood or butcher block feels homey yet sophisticated at once; it’s neutral, versatile, and durable. Plus, according to Erin Napier, using butcher block countertops is a trend that’s on its way back. Stainless steel or concrete are different kinds of neutrals in that they’re decidedly sleek and contemporary, yet minimalist enough to complement any design scheme year after year. If you do want a stone finish, quartz is much more understated than imitation marble. It’s super hard-wearing and low-maintenance, and transcends trends. Choose a neutral countertop and make smaller updates over the years with touches such as plants and linens.
Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and House Digest.
