Eighty five percent of our clients are asking for granite or quartz countertops. Both materials will help raise the value of your home, especially if you have an award wining kitchen designer guiding your contractors in the right direction. Below we share two designs that use these countertop materials. We also have our younger homeowners looking for more eco friendly kitchen designs. Paperstone is one of those 100% sustainable materials that is causing a buzz today. Let’s find out a little more below, shall we?

Kitchen with Granite Countertops At the Jersey Shore

By far, granite is the most popular choice clients suggest for their new kitchens. We understand that the internet is filled with suggestions on what material are best for countertops and it can get very overwhelming. I believe granite comes to mind because it is associated with upscale kitchens. There is more information online about granite for countertops because merchants want to sell more granite. The profit margins are higher for granite, so they are pushing this material via advertising, blog posts and positioning in retail stores. We at Tobias Design love granite because it is a very hard, durable material that comes in a wide array of colors and textures. We do also suggest alternatives for a number of reasons. Truth be told though…the cost of granite countertop installation compared to installing newer materials causes sticker shock for some clients when compared to quartz, quartzite, soapstone and other more sustainable materials. 

Granite is a porous material and will require sealants to prevent the absorption of wine, oils and other liquids that may otherwise stain this natural stone.  So one of the first questions I ask is are you willing to maintain your countertop with annual protective treatments? If remembering to do household chores like these is difficult, we often recommend nonporous materials. We were tasked with redoing this kitchen located bayfront along the Jersey Shore a few years back. Darker grey stone countertops always look good against white kitchen cabinets and there was plenty of stainless-steel appliances to reflect the luster of granite.

White Kitchen with Quartz Countertops

A few months back we compared quartz vs quartzite in this blog post. What we have here is white cabinetry along the perimeter and more white ceramic tile for the wall covering. To offset all that white we used a gentle shade of grey quartz that continues the clean look, compliments the two textures. Continuing this white kitchen theme, we chose a different piece of quartz for the kitchen island. This family of 3 requested a kitchen island design with stools that they can enjoy a nice meal together and entertain friends. We used cherry for the cabinetry with a rich wood stain called Asphalt. The kitchen island cabinet combined with the floating kitchen shelves helps with definition. The gentleman in this home wanted a touch of masculinity and we were able to accomplish this with the darker wood and leather backed stools.

Quartz is definitely considered a high end building material costing anywhere from $40 - $175/sq ft installed. About the same price for granite. Quartz requires very little maintenance and kitchen countertop installation professionals will agree that it is a dream to work with. 

Eco Friendly Kitchen Designer Uses Paperstone

Ever hear of Paperstone for countertops? Right…most people have not. It is made of 100% post consumer paper that is recycled and blended with non petroleum resins. It screams GREEN but comes in Gunmetal Grey, Cabernet, Chocholate and Sienna Café Brown. It is often compared to Soapstone or Slate when speaking to countertop professionals in the know. The big question is, How durable is Paperstone? This informational guide will help you decide if Paperstone is a good choice for you. 

I have seen it installed at various trade events but have yet to use it myself…but I hope to soon.

If you are ready for a new kitchen design that includes granite, quartz or ready to try out Paperstone in your kitchen, give us a call today at 609.466.1445. We look forward to sharing ideas and concepts for your new kitchen when you are ready.