The kitchen is the heart of your home; where meals are enjoyed, school bags get tossed, good and bad news is shared, and the place where guests tend to congregate when you entertain, despite having the dining room table set. The workhorse of every kitchen are its countertops.  Countertops must be both functional and durable, while completing the design and style of the kitchen.

If you are ready for an update or a complete remodel, here are five popular countertops you should consider based on durability, function, and style. Prices will vary based on availability and fabrication.

Quartz

Currently a very popular choice in kitchen countertops. Homeowners tend to choose quartz surfacing because of its many advantages. Quartz doesn’t need to be sealed, and its seams blend very well. It is easy to clean and is heat, scratch, and stain resistant.  Because of its manufacturing process, quartz is durable and has a seemingly endless choice of colors and patterns.

Granite

Granite surfaces are slabs of stone cut from the earth, making each piece unique. It is more porous than quartz and does require a bit more maintenance. You can order granite countertops with a polished, shiny finish; a honed, matte finish; or a specialty finish such as flamed or leather. Because of the many choices in colors and finishes, design flexibility is a significant advantage in choosing granite.

Marble

As a counter surface, marble offers a beautiful, timeless look. It has been a preferred stone in architecture throughout the ages. However, as a fair warning, marble is softer and more porous than granite. It is susceptible to stains and scratches so upkeep can be challenging, depending on your lifestyle.  Even so, some of the most beautiful countertop installations are in marble.

Quartzite

If you love marble but don’t want the upkeep, you should also consider quartzite because it is a natural stone with similar beauty. Quartzite is a solid, crystalline mass of mineral stone cut from the earth in slabs.  It’s harder than most knife blades and is more resistant to etching than marble. The generally lighter, more subtle tones of quartzite give it design versatility.

Wood
A durable surface for hard-working kitchens, wood countertops are more sanitary than you may think. Wood offers warmth both visually and tangibly, in contrast to cold stone surfaces.  Today it’s possible to design kitchen countertops to be a wood species such as cherry, maple, hickory, walnut, teak, sapele or mahogany. If you use a wood countertop as a cutting or chopping surface, be willing to accept cuts and scratches in the surface and simply apply a food- safe oil to the wood.

A kitchen update or remodel may seem overwhelming.  However, working with the right design and build firm can eliminate the stress of a kitchen project. At Carole Lee Interiors we guide you with advice on budgeting and time management during each step to keep your project on track.  We combine extensive interior design knowledge with a team of expert craftsmen to ensure your project is executed without sacrificing form or function.

Give us a call today.

Remodeling any room in the house can be a complex process, even functional rooms like laundry rooms take a lot of thought and planning to get from inspiration to result. Here are some specific considerations for laundry rooms. Working with an interior designer who also provides complete general contracting services may be the best way to manage your project.

Know Why You’re Remodeling

When first setting out to renovate your laundry room, it is important to understand the driving motivation behind the project. Is the renovation happening to update the look, or to accommodate a functional aspect of this frequent use room? Keeping this core impetus to renovate in mind leads to a project that suits your wants and needs.

Make Sure the Room Fits Your Life

Whatever the reason for the redesign, the workflow for a functional room like the laundry room is a design element not to be missed. Consider if the room big enough and located in a part of the house that makes sense for your living needs. Renovating the laundry room might include bumping out a wall or moving it to somewhere easier to access.

There are a few considerations unique to how a laundry room fits into varied lifestyles. The physical space of any appliances, as well as sinks, folding boards, and cabinets represent the fixed elements for spacing. Laundry basket space, drying racks, clothes lines or poles, ironing or steaming equipment, and maintaining chemical safety vary more household to household.

Make Sure the Room Fits Your Look

The laundry room may not be the most or least glamorous room in the house, but it is a room that sees frequent use. As with any remodeling job, the end result should be something you’re happy to look at on a regular basis. From lighting options to color profile, there are many ways to make a laundry room uniquely yours.

Though a functional room, the laundry room will still be visited daily by many. Making any regularly used spaces comfortable is an important part of any redesign project. Matching walls, cabinets, and even appliances can be a daunting task well worth the time. Flooring options and potential noise reduction features also increase the quality of use of a laundry room.

Lighting

Often an interior or basement room, frequently without any natural lighting of any sort, laundry rooms benefit greatly from a well thought out lighting plan. The classic dangling bare bulb fits the functional requirement, while integrated strip lights and time-out options make a visit to the laundry room more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

As a functional space, choosing the right bulb is an important step. Full spectrum white light from LEDs or daylight bulbs help identify stains and reveal the true color of cloth, while softer yellow lights might reveal what something will look like inside.

Cabinets

Choosing the right cabinets for a laundry room is a matter of both form and function. Choosing to have doors on any given cabinet changes both the look and ease of access. Waist-high cabinets can be used as a folding table and staging area, while floor to ceiling cabinets offer more storage without the folding table.

Flooring

Choosing the right flooring for a space can be a daunting task and choosing the right flooring in a room with as specific a purpose as the laundry room is no exception. Some flooring is great for cleaning up lint but does not stand up to the weight of some appliances, other flooring is comfortable and cozy, but a pain to clean. Add in the complexity of coordinating the flooring with the aesthetic theme of the room, and the value of an expert becomes apparent.

Call or email Carole Lee today to schedule a consultation for all of your interior design, general contracting, and project management needs!