Kitchen Countertops: Our Top 10 Materials We Consider When Designing a New Kitchen by Style, Durability, and Price

When renovating your kitchen, one of the most important decisions you will make is what material to use for your countertops. This decision involves many considerations, including cost, maintenance, lifestyle, durability, style, and finishing details. To help make this decision, we guide our clients through the design process—here’s an overview of the ones we discuss the most.

Marble

Marble is a beautiful option for a kitchen countertop. While marble is one of the more expensive options on the market, installing a marble countertop can increase the value of your home and cultivate a timeless elegant look in your kitchen. Because marble is a natural stone, it is one of the more maintenance-heavy options you could choose, needing to be resealed annually. Marble is a material that if maintained properly could last the lifetime of your home, however, you will need to be careful to avoid abrasive household cleaners in addition to heat on your surfaces. Marble is available in both honed and polished finishes depending on whether you are seeking a matte or glossy look. 

Quartz

Quartz is another great kitchen countertop material choice. Quartz countertops are engineered stone and made of ground-up particles of quartz bound together with resins. Quartz is a great option for someone seeking the look of natural stone without the need to reseal. Quartz is a more affordable option than some natural stones such as marble or granite. Quartz is very durable and stain-resistant and is a great choice for families because of this. Similar to marble the main finishing options for quartz are polished and honed. 

Soapstone

Soapstone is a metamorphic rock composed mostly of talc and is in the medium range cost-wise among countertop materials. Soapstone is similar in price to Quartz. One of the advantages of Soapstone countertops is that they do not require resealing despite being a natural stone. Soapstone is also stain and heat-resistant. Some potential drawbacks are that there may be a need for seams in your countertops due to the sizes available of slabs and it does not come in as wide a variety of aesthetic options as some other countertop materials do. 

Quartzite

Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock that is made of sandstone that was exposed to high heat and pressure. Cost often differs between slabs, however quartzite is generally similar in price to marble and often visually resembles marble. Someone might opt for Quartzite over marble due to its superior durability. Quartzite is known for its resistance to scratches, staining, and heat. Like many natural stones, quartzite countertops do need to be resealed once a year. Polished finishes are typical, but quartzite is also available in honed and leathered finishes. 

Porcelain

Porcelain countertops are highly customizable and can often mimic the look of natural stone while providing a lower price point. Porcelain countertops do not require resealing and are great for those with a busy lifestyle. Porcelain is resistant to stains and heat, but less durable when it comes to chips and cracks than some of the other options. Porcelain comes in a wide variety of options and finishes.

Granite

Granite is a popular natural stone option for kitchen countertops. Granite is similar in price range to marble, but whether it is cheaper or not depends on the specific slab, more exotic slabs can run at higher price points. Granite like some of the other natural stones requires resealing but is more stain-resistant and durable than many other natural stone options. Granite countertops have a distinct look and can be a striking design choice for your kitchen. Granite typically comes in polished, honed, and leathered finishes.

Travertine

Travertine is a natural stone option typically cheaper than other natural stones on the market, such as granite and marble. Travertine is a sedimentary rock and primarily a form of limestone. It requires more maintenance than some other options, and is slightly less durable than marble. It also requires yearly sealing and frequent cleaning to avoid stains. Travertine makes a striking design impact. Its great for those who don’t mind the added maintenance and comes in polished, honed, and brushed finishes.

Solid Surface Composite

Solid surface countertops are a cost-friendly option for your kitchen countertops. They are typically made with mineral dust and resins and some solid surface countertops are made with recycled materials. Solid surface composite countertops are nonporous, typically require little maintenance, and are easy to clean with regular household cleaners. It is a very durable and can be made to mimic other materials in appearance.

Terrazzo

Terrazzo is made up of small pieces of marble, quartz, granite, glass, or other suitable chips embedded in cement or resin. Recycled glass terrazzo countertops have been increasing in popularity, and if you are looking for an eco-friendly countertop material, recycled glass terrazzo would be an attractive option. Terrazzo is a low to moderate-cost option for your kitchen countertops. These countertops do require resealing every 1-2 years. Terrazzo as a surface is durable and resistant to chips, scratches, and stains. Terrazzo is very customizable depending on what aggregate you choose and if you choose glass terrazzo the chips can be made to match the colors of the rest of your kitchen.

Great kitchens are built on thoughtful decisions (not just beautiful materials). We guide each kitchen renovation with a considered, design-led approach, shaping spaces that feel effortless, elegant, and tailored to how you live.