Poll-Counter tops:Color-Cluttered or Not?

[SusanL]

I was looking at my kitchen counter tops, considering changing them. They are a soft brown/gray, which really isn't that bad. Our first house had bright yellow, my DH's choice before he met me. Next house was mauve, ok, pinkish. It was a beautiful house except for the counter tops, we relocated, so they were ours. This house was not our choice either but now I'd like corian or granite replacements. Any suggestions??
I have been trying to keep them uncluttered but am losing the battle. Does it make others crazy or just anal me?

[TamiK]

I, too, fight the losing battle of uncluttered countertops. Who needs more than a toaster and the knife block out, anyway? Alas, DH and DD do not always see it my way. BTW, my countertops are a deep gray--almost the color of granite. I love the way they look, but it takes a lot of work to keep water spots from showing. I find that I have to clean with a spray cleaner and dry every time I wash them. They're not real granite--didn't want to finance that in a 30-year-mortgage, but I'm hoping that we can make that change in the next few years.

[BevP]

Despite my best efforts my counter tops always end up cluttered. I try to keep out only what I use often but "often" is so vague a time span.

On those granite tops a word of warning. While beautiful and durable, they are work. You'll want to consider the maintenance, sealing and such, in you're desire for them.

[lindrusso]

I too am anal about my countertops!! Unfortunately I don't have a whole lot of space, so they are a bit cluttered by necessity - can't be hauling out the Kitchen Aid or toaster oven every time you need them http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif .

I LOVE granite, but I can't offer any advice on maintenance or use. My countertops are laminate. As for color, if I had to choose now, I'd choose something speckled with dark and light colors. All dark and you see every little crumb. All light and you see every stain.

Have fun choosing your new countertops!

[Ralph]

Good topic & one I'll follow since we're considering a minor renovation of OUR kitchen (new counters, reface cabinets only).

Here's a GREAT link which should answer most all your questions about types of counters: http://www.todayshomeowner.com/buyerguide/20001007_feature9.html

I can't remember exactly which issue of Today's Homeowner it came from; you may be able to order a copy from their site (or check your local library).
FYI, it's a great magazine not just for ideas such as this, but for usually minor home repairs (or helpful hints on major repairs).

And as long as were at it, does anyone have a suggestions as to how best to find a contractor for countertops?

[hhcowgirl]

I live in an apartment at school, but my parents' house at home has BEAUTIFUL marble counter tops that have lasted a while with very little maintenance or special care. They are grey and cream colored and are just gorgeous--after I graduate and buy my first house, they will be a must-have.

[Leonard]

I recently had my kitchen remodeled. I watched HGTV ( Home Garden TV) for several months before making any decisions. I wanted what is referred to as 'Old World" look. I replaced my countertops with Corian. I also got the Corian sink. It is fabulous. Everyday cleaning is simply Windex. Weekly cleaning is regular dish detergent and a soft cloth. These are the suggestions from the manufacturer. Can't get any easier. As far as the clutter. I eliminated my kitchen table and chairs and got a butcher block work table with drawers and shelves from IKEA. That's a store here in the northeast in PA. Beautiful kitchen- no clutter on countertops. Everything fits on the shelving at the work table.Our meals are now eaten in our new dining room, which is now more casual.Originally posted by SusanL:
I was looking at my kitchen counter tops, considering changing them. They are a soft brown/gray, which really isn't that bad. Our first house had bright yellow, my DH's choice before he met me. Next house was mauve, ok, pinkish. It was a beautiful house except for the counter tops, we relocated, so they were ours. This house was not our choice either but now I'd like corian or granite replacements. Any suggestions??
I have been trying to keep them uncluttered but am losing the battle. Does it make others crazy or just anal me?[/QUOTE]

[Leslie w]

I agree with everyones suggestions, marble and corian are beautiful but can be very pricey. I have also heard marble can be tough to clean. We have a very large kitchen and I wanted corian countertops but I balked at the price. The reason being is that I like to change my decor frequently and I could't justify paying all that money for corian or marble which I feel is permanent when I can spend a fraction of the price and buy laminate and change it without guilt in 5 years. I bought speckled hunter green laminate and love it . It doesn't show the dirt like a solid color. I am going to install a sink and butcher block in my island this year. As far as kitchen clutter. I installed a corner garage under my cabinet and it hides the processor, toaster, crockpot and hand blender. We had an under the cabinet toaster oven installed too. My K.A mixer is the only appliance on the counter but it's so pretty I wouldn't want to hide it, plus its too heavy to lift out of a cabinet.

[Tiger]

I have to admit happiness is a cleared countertop!
When we had our house built Ichoose a light tan thinking it would go with anything as time went on. I'm not unhappy but it I had to do it again I would choose a speckled pattern. This shows the scraches less.
Baking soda is the best way to remove stains from your countertops!

[SHERRY]

We bought a house a year ago and I too wanted to remodel the kitchen. I love Granite and then I found out it would cost almost 13,000 to put it in, so I looked at Corian. It too was like 8500. I decided to keep my laminate. I have seen some great kitchen shows where home owners have put in concrete counters or stainless steel couters. According to the shows, these were cheaper alternatives.

As far as keeping counters clean, I have seen what they call appliance garages. Basically cabinets on your counters that open to reveal your appliances, butcher blocks, etc, and the plug ins are in the cabinet so you just slide it out and use. Or you could have outlets put inside lower cabinets and put your appliances on rolling shelves that you roll out, use the appliance and roll back in. Sounds great huh http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Mousie29]

Clutter: We don't have too much stuff, but we had to have to have the microwave on ours, unfortunately.

We just remodeled and I personally like our corian a lot even though I know granite is the big thing now. Our corian is speckled and a contrast to the cabinet color. We have an appliance garage and I love it.

[LGBurns]

In the house I grew up in, my mom had butcher block counters put in around the stove (we had tile around the kitchen sink). The plus was that you didn't need to pull out a cutting board, except for pungent things (like garlic, etc.) or meatand it looked really nice. The minus was that you couldn't put a hot pot down right on it, like you can with granite, marble or corian. But you can't do that with laminate either. The only maintenance, other than cleaning with a soapy sponge, was an occasional rubbing with mineral oil. However, when my mom built her new house she put in granite (which she actually said was cheaper than Corian? maybe she found a sale or something), so maybe she had problems with the butcher block that I don't know about.

Now that I think about it, maybe my mom put in granite tiles rather than solid granite and that's what made it cheaper. She lives in California and I live in Illinois, so I've only been in her new kitchen a few times and I'm having trouble remembering now. I do know that she raves about how much she likes her granite counters.

[This message has been edited by LGBurns (edited 01-15-2001).]

[SusanL]

Thank you everyone for your responces and the great website. I really don't know what to do, but would love to see all of your kitchens!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif
I have decided that uncluttered it shall be, I am putting away everything I don't use every day. Love Leonard and Sherry's ideas, will have to talk to my husband tonight!
I have a lot of research to do, I didn't realize replacing counter tops was sooo expensive, we also have an island to replace
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif . I will download this thread and share with my DH. Thank you all!

[Beth Y]

We just bought a new house and I had to leave behind a kitchen that I designed! Ahhh. This kitchen is big, but does not have as much cabinet space. Also the floors are slate tiles (so hard and cold) and the countertops are WHITE laminate. Can you believe it! They show every little thing. I can not wait to remodel. I want a two tiered island, so that I can hide my mess from people walking by and that people eating at the island can sit at the same level as people standing next to them talking.(We have lots of people in our kitchen at parties). Also, I had laminate countertops, but they were speakles and kinda bumpy, so they did not show spots or scratches. WHITE AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, this kitchen has an electric range which I HATE!

[BarrieCov]

I grew up in a house with bright orange, Brady-bunch style countertops. Funny, but now that I have my own home, I have white countertops - not the most practical, but I can't seem to deal with another color after that experience! :-)

[sneezles]

I have lived in four houses and all had fairly good sized kitchens. The first had tile countertops (dark brown with white caulking) and while it was great to be able to set hot pots on it it made the kitchen seem very dark. Second house had grey laminate and the island was granite-Iloved the granite and didn't find it difficult to keep clean. The third house had white corian and I really liked it the best and am having it put in the new house we are building. I know that I'm constantly wiping down the counters with it but I do it anyway! The little house we are in now has laminate that looks like butcher block and it's ok but then I get to see very little since the counters are so full of stuff!!!

[BarbaraL]

My whole life is cluttered, not just my kitchen countertops! Oh, well. I redid my kitchen a couple of years ago. I originally had WHITE laminate countertops. Beautiful but they showed everything. DH cleaned them with oven cleaner -- not recommended, I'm sure, by the manufacturer, but did remove the stains. I now have green Wilsonart laminate countertops -- they have a slight speckle pattern in them (a pattern helps hide a multitude of sins). I absolutely love Corian and its peers (I don't remember the generic name for that type of counterop), but they were three times the cost of the laminate. When I redo my bathroom (sometime in the next decade hopefully), I'm planning to get Corian then.