Kitchen Counters you love (not polished granite)?

We need to choose kitchen countertops for townhouse we are renovating. Budget is modest but we also want something durable/relatively easy to maintain. Aesthetically, we don’t really like speckled/shiny/super-veiny look (hence no polished granite), and we prefer a matte (honed) finish.  We like Pietra de Cordoza but are worried it might stain. Soapstone is another surface we’re considering. Caesarstone may be beyond our budget. Honed granite looks very pretty and I know granite is durable but online reviews I found for honed (not polished) granite were very negative. We are using Carrera marble in rental unit (since it’s relatively affordable/durable) but don’t love it for owners kitchen.  Hope someone out there has something they love that the can recommend (or warnings for things to definitely avoid!). Thanks!

realestate

in Environmental and Green Design 13 years and 11 months ago

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austinscott143 | 11 years and 10 months ago

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As for me, I would go for granite. It’s durability is incomparable. As a matter of fact, granite is one of the hardest natural stones on the planet Earth. It’s maintenance is easy because no harsh chemicals are required to maintain granite’s beauty. A simple solution of one part white vinegar and two parts water could do the job. An annual sealing will definitely make your [Granite Countertops](http://www.myinstalledcountertops.com) looking good as new.

tanner | 13 years and 11 months ago

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totally, totally love my stainless steel in our old-meets-new kitchen.  i don’t love it in an all modern kitchen, but we have it up against some exposed brick, and with some natural wood in the kitchen, too.  the best.  made by American Circle steel in williamsburg for hella cheap.

JorgeF | 13 years and 11 months ago

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www.**silestone**usa.com/

anotherposter | 13 years and 11 months ago

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We recently got counters for a small space.  Fwiw, I found a granite that I *love* that doesn’t really look like most granite.  Our contractor suggested I go to Acme Marble (somewhere around 17th St near 3rd Ave).  They have tons of remnants that were much cheaper than ordering a whole slab, some pretty large.  The guys there were pretty knowledgeable of all the options (durability, resistance to stains, etc.) and were really patient with me looking through the remnants to find the right one.  Might be worth a try for good advice and cheaper options. They did the installation and it looks good.

brownstoner | 13 years and 11 months ago

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We bought some old white marble that had been salvaged out of the bathrooms at an old Broadway theater and turned those into countertops. It worked great. It’s stained a little bit, but only in a character-enhancing way…

housepoor | 13 years and 11 months ago

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Carrera, according to every counter-top person I’ve ever spoken to, will stain easily. Salespeople literally told me that if you cook, don’t get carrera for a kitchen. While I love the look, in a rental, where you have such little control, you might want to think twice. I’ve always liked soapstone for durability (10,000 high school chemistry labs can’t be wrong) and appearance. When I’ve priced soapstone, it wasn’t any cheaper than Casearstone or honed granite.