Countertops can be hard, in more ways than one

Ah yes, the wild and crazy world of countertops. There are soooo many options and all have their pros and cons. The kitchen originally had 12 x 12 Chinese granite tiles – they were boring and the coloring was a little odd but at least they were neutral. Unfortunately, the grout was starting to crumble and it was very hard to clean – and I HATE to clean grout – so I knew they would have to be replaced eventually. In the fall of ’08, we decided to replace the countertops with granite slabs – granite because of it’s ability to withstand stains and heat and it’s low maintenance.

Little did I know how hard it would be to remove all of the existing granite tiles. Each tile had to be smashed and pried up, then adhesive and grout had to be chiseled off, many screws removed and then the cement board chiseled off, adhesive and screws removed from the plywood and then finally the plywood. Whew - a HUGE pain in the backside. The granite tiles were also on the backsplash and when they were removed, all the drywall came with it.

After we started that whole process, we found out we couldn't have the granite installed when we wanted so we decided to wait until the Spring - and lived for 6 months with plywood counters and no drywall - what a lovely decorating statement.

After doing a lot of research and pouring through magazine and book photos, I decided on a dark granite countertop with a uniform pattern. I then traveled several hours to view different stone slabs but nothing "spoke to me" - so back to square one. Then I saw a beautiful Jerusalem Stone (limestone) in a kitchen design book and I was hooked. I immediately called the countertop fabricator but he said it would be a huge mistake as a kitchen countertop. So I went to get a stone sample and after pouring vinegar, oil, salsa, orange juice and other items on it, I decided he might be right - it left stains and etched the surface. I still thought that over time I would appreciate the patina but I was also concerned about resale value. Something I always try to keep in mind. Others might not find the patina charming. I called a real estate agent and asked him what people were looking for in a kitchen in this area. He told me low maintenance, nothing trending or unusual (like concrete or soapstone - which I love) and definitely light, open and airy spaces. So my search turned to finding a granite that looked like limestone or marble. However, not surprisingly, I discovered that was basically impossible: Granite looks like granite.

So the end result for the kitchen countertop (drum roll please):

• instead of a dark color with uniform pattern, I choose a polished, light color granite (colonial cream) with "movement" (a distinctive pattern within the color)
• AND a honed Durango/travertine stone (similar to limestone) for the master bath countertop.

Note: Backsplashes are still in the "design phase"

One choice down, hundreds more to go . . .

Tips:

• Collect pictures of kitchens you like.
• Research the types of countertop choices and the pros and cons.
• Narrow down your choices but keep an open mind.
• If using stone, always choose your slabs in person and take a cabinet door, floor sample and paint colors.
• For any stone, make sure it is sealed appropriately if needed. Some light colored granites may need to have extra coats of sealer (mine needed 4 coats) and some dark colored granites may not need to be sealed at all.
• If you need to replace the backsplash drywall, that would be a good time to run wiring for under cabinet lighting