Countertops are one of the things I get asked about most frequently, so today we’re doing a countertop show and tell as well as explaining the differences between each material.

Kitchen & Pantry Countertops

In the kitchen we splurged and did Mont Blanc Quartzite and I love it! We were originally going to do Calacatta Gold Quartz but decided we loved the look of natural stone more. I searched for slabs for weeks I found Taj Mahal Quartzite and took a sample home and it read really green in our space. Back to square one. I checked our local slab yards weekly as new slabs come in frequently. One day while I was at Bedrosians I saw our Mont Blanc Quartzite and I knew they were the ones. Charcoal, white & a few almost gold colored veining on a light grey background. They were just what I was looking as I wanted to mix warm tones (our wood floors, brass wall lights & cabinet hardware) with cool tones (kitchen counters, pantry counters, black pendants). They help balance our space so well.

As far as maintenance we’ve had none so far. The fabricator suggested resealing them every 1-2 years so we’re gonna play it safe and seal with this once a year. We haven’t been gentle on them what so ever. Often times they don’t get wiped down after dinner until the next morning. There has been no scratches, etching or stains. We’ve been really happy with them.

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how big our island is and if we have a seam. Our island is 13’4” x 4’4” and we used two sister slabs to create a bookend seam in the center. This creates a mirrored look which helps disguise where one slab ends and the other begins because the veining is so similar on consecutive slabs. It’s not a perfect match because it is natural stone, but it hides the seam well.

In the pantry I wanted a soapstone look without the soapstone price so we found this really beautiful quartz called Petra Grey. It’s dark with lighter veining like soapstone. I love that it’s low maintenance and on the more affordable side as far as countertops go.

Laundry

Since we used up the majority of our countertop budget in the kitchen we decided to go with a budget friendly quartz called Teltos Montclair we found at Bedrosians. It has a white background with some grey veining throughout. I knew I wanted a mostly white counter in here because our cabinets are a Sherwin Williams Roycroft Mist Grey. Really happy with how they turned out. Stay tuned because I’m giving this space a big makeover in the next few weeks! I can’t wait to get started.

Built Ins

For the built-ins around our fireplace we opted for white oak shelves and countertop. While not a traditional countertop material I wanted the shelving and counter to match. We did not stain them, but instead sealed them with a water based sealer to prevent darkening and yellowing. So far they’ve held up great! I have been careful not to put anything hot on them and to use a coaster.

Primary Bath

In the primary bath we found these gorgeous vanities from Signature Hardware. They came with the marble tops and sink which worked out perfect because we chose a marble hex tile for the floor. As far as finishes go, this is definitely my favorite room in the house. I love how the warm wood and brass pop agains the cool marble and white walls.

Girl’s Bathroom

The girls’ bathroom vanities we found here (and are currently $400 off!) They came with the sink and these really pretty bright white quartz counters and backsplash that have a subtle grey veining throughout. The detail on the front and legs of these vanities still blows me away for the price point. We did switch out the hardware to these to elevate the look even more.

Boy’s Bathroom

Finally in the boys’ bathroom, you guessed it, we did the same as in the primary bath & girls’ bath and bought vanities that included the sink, countertop and backsplash. We chose these gorgeous freestanding vanities. The counters are blue limestone and I love them! They’ve been really low maintenance and held up great, even with my messy boys.

How We ‘Saved’ on Counters

So at this point you’re probably noticed we used a lot of freestanding vanities in our bathrooms. There were a couple of reasons.

1) They look more like furniture, which I love!
2) They cost less than custom vanities and included the sink and countertops, which in turned saved us money on plumbing and countertop budgets too.

Since we didn’t have to buy the counters in any of the bathrooms that freed up money in our countertop budget so we could upgrade our kitchen counters.

Kinds of Countertops and the Pros & Cons of Each

Countertops are one of the most important finishes in your home. They can bring dimension, texture, contrast, or compliment other finishes. With all the options that are available today it can be hard to know which surface is right for you and your family. I’ve created this list to help narrow down your choices in hopes you’ll find the perfect surface(s) for your space(s).

That wraps up this week’s Building 101 topic! You can find more more posts here.