I didn't want to pay for granite countertop, so I went with granite tile. Big mistake. If I had to do it over again, I'd pay for the solid slab.
The appliance brands weren't too important to me as long as they were decent. I found my sink and flat surface oven on Craigslist. At least both of those cost-savings alternateives worked out well!
For the two kitchens I got to build from scratch, I chose tile countertops and I would do so again. I could put pots right off the stove on it without damaging it. I could cut on it. I never had to be careful. But I would always use a dark grout -- then it never looks dirty (important to a poor housekeeper like me). I know it isn't a fashionable choice. I just find it practical.
They are often using granit alternatives, like quartz now because there is a price break on it. The upside to stone countertops is that they can't be damaged by heat, rarely stain and can be ground and repolished to remove any scratches. Quartz is very hard it rates a 7 on the Mohz scale of hardness, the hardest being diamonds at a 10. Definitely stone countertops versus formica are a really great choice.
I can't recommend a brand but I really love the glass stovetops. They double as extra work space when you are not cooking, a little scraping and polishing with a special cream keeps them looking great, they heat quicker than metal elements, and you never have to clean a drip pan! Stainless steel is all the rage now even homes that are for working class people. So your refrigerator should be stainless steel and I absolutely love the ice and water dispenser in the door. I have a filter built in my refrigerator system and the water is always cold and clean. It makes drinking water tasty and you never have stale ice cubes!
I would also invest in tile flooring. Spanish tiles are great, they are baked in the kiln at a different temperture so they are extra hard making them great in the kitchen if you drop pots and pans. They are easy to clean with water and mop and the marbled choices help to hide dirt if you are not a frequent sweeper. I would recommend sealing the grout to prevent staining and chinking.
Mischelle - I love your idea of quartz. We do have a glass stovetop but I do NOT like it. I don't think it is that easy to care for because they do scratch and they do stain. I think I'd go with gas next time, even though it may not be as easy to clean. I also think glass is easier to control when it comes to temperature and cooking. We don't need a new fridge and I do love having the ice and water dispenser in the door. We thought that was a silly luxury but the fridge was on sale for less than one without the dispenser so we thought, "Why not?" and we LOVE it. The water tastes great! I don't know about tile floors. They can be hard on the feet and glasses shatter on them. They do look lovely, though!
Deciding about counter tops has a lot to do with how expensive your home is. Are you wanting to sell it? Or do you intend to stay put? Ceramic tile is very nice and can be a stand alone product. Tile will easily set off any kitchen. I would recomend porcelin (sp?) tile though.
Tile is graded by its intended use. Wall tile, for example, is not as hard as counter. If you select tile, be sure it's counter rated. I don't know if there are any higher end tile shops near you but if there are, you need to visit them. There are tiles out there that, visually, knock the socks off of marble. Tile is designed by whatever country it comes from. Mexican, for example, is never perfectly square. Far from it. The US is the only country which seems to require straight lines. Italian is another one to look at. High end tile shops and Home Depot are not in the same sentence.
Granite and Marble are two exceptional nice surfaces. They are also both very expensive. They are also both very trendy. Right now, they are in the limelight. If you have a million dollar house, you don't use tile. You use marble or granite. And NOT squares. Slabs only. Another choice is what is refered to as 'solid surface' countertops. It's an acrilic product. It goes under several names but it's trade name is Corion (again sp?) Solid surface countertops are very easy to maintain because scratches can easily be repaired. They ran the gamet several years ago but I think now, you see them more in commercial applications. Doctors offices, nursing homes, etc. Just don't set the hot pans on them.
I have tile in my own home. I installed it myself, which was a major savings. I was able to afford a nicer tile because of it. Small tile saws are available at Home Depot for reasonable cost. Buy one, do your job, then sell it. Or, do your friends house and make a few dollars.(like you have time for that)
Whatever you decide, do your homework. It's your kitchen. If you intend to stay in the house, select the product which floats your boat. Don't let anybody talk you into using a product you are not completely happy with. I've outlined several choices, all of which are very nice.
Formica (another trade name) is track house. I thought I should mention it because it is a countertop product. Actually it's correct name is plastic laminate. Formica, Wilsonart, etc are brand names. It is serviceable, can look very nice, but the fact of the matter is, it's the low end product. I am certainly not insulting anybody who has it, BUT, it is low end.
I hope this helps. Also, Jane, your e-mail finally popped up. It does that sometimes. Thx
Forgot something. Glass top stoves are another thing. I also have one. It was a two for one product. The first one I bought and the last one I ever will. A really nice set up is a gas cooktop and electric oven. You can buy them that way or, what I prefer, is two separate units. More of the built in variety. Another option is a Jen-Air. I love to grill, especially in the winter when everybody else has already put the barbe away for the year.
Tile floors are very nice also. My experence is, when you drop a glass or dish, I fully expect it to break. No matter what type of floor I have. The key to a tile floor is sealing the grout correctly. My father (general contractor) did a job where the lady selected a slate colored tile floor. SO VERY COOL!! He did that job years ago but I think the lady still WHPs every time she looks at it. It was his best kitchen remodel ever. The cabinet guys outdid themselves on that one. Everybody did a wonderful job. It could have easily been in Sunset Magazine in the 'before and after' section if they only had permits!
My bathrooms have tile floors. Italian in one and Spanish in the other. I know the whiners say tile floors are cold. Why do they think WalMart and all those stores sell so many throw rugs? When you get tired of the rug, toss it and buy another. You get an entirely new look for a few bucks. The tile remains solidly in place. I went with the larger tiles, probably because they were on sale.
We are reworking our downstairs, including the kitchen. My husband laid tile, a beautiful pattern in the foyer and we'll use the same tile in kitchen. I always recommend a glazed tile in the kitchen or any wet area. Slate and other non-glazed tile can be sealed, but it must be resealed frequently because they are porous products. Slate's gorgeous, though. Grout also needs to be resealed, but sealing the grout properly can make a world of difference in the long term beauty of a tile floor. I lived in rental house before this and they did such a poor job of sealing, the floor looked horrible all the time.
They have rubber foam mats that can provide comfort in those areas of the kitchen you stand in front of much (sink, stove, etc.) that can reduce the discomfort of tile.
If we decide to stay her more than another couple of years, we'll probably put in granite or other stone countertop. It's something we like. Ikea now does countertops and other kitchen upgrades and many of their products are very reasonable. If we decide to move, I might just tile my countertops. I have read that there is a method for tiling OVER formica which can make it easier and more economical. Both are nice options; go with what you like best and can best afford.
Check with consumer report on appliances. Many high end appliances worth thousands $$ don't rate higher than their hundreds $$ equivalences. Buy what works best for you and provides the features you want (and only those you want), that harmonize with your kitchen. BUT, I recommend against buying cheap and planning to upgrade later. Most high-function appliances are still affordable and paying $150 dollar difference to get the right product is cheaper than replacing it 2 years later, with 2 years of heartache in between.
Our counter tops were custom made by a local place, the (energy saver) appliances are GE, and I highly recommend a ceramic cooktop.
We went with Corian rather than granite. I am too rough in the kitchen for anything like ceramic, granite or marble. So went with cheaper but it still looks nice.
I have an electric one right now, but I must say I like the gas kind better. I grew up with a gas and it cooks things quicker, and it is easier to tell when it is on. Now with my electric stove I have forgotten to turn it off a few times.
I used to sell appliances and can tell you that if you stick with Whirlpool (or upgrade to Kitchenaid) or GE, you'll be happy (just don't go with a GE refrigerator - they tend to have problems for some reason). Stainless steal can look great, but can be a pain in the butt to keep from streaking and fingerprint removal. When I sold appliances, we had a cleaning crew that cleaned each and every appliance every day, so the stainless steal ones always looked perfect, but when I went into places like Best Buy, the I appliances looked terrible.
My fiance and I run a flooring and rehab business (both commercial and residential). We've dealt with a lot of rehabbers and homeowners and it just depends on the market and what's in style. I can tell you that regular old fashioned countertops are out. Tile can be a good idea and yes, granite is highly popular, but expensive. If you should go with granite, I would urge you to hire a professional granite installer (even if you go with granite tiles) and be sure to use a contract, ask about a guarantee and insist on seeing their work. Granite is delicate to put in and when installed wrong, can crack.
You can install tile yourself and you can purchase or rent the equipment. If you plan to purchase, I recommend http://Installertools.com - if you plan to rent, you can rent a nice wet saw and other installation tools at Home Depot. Just bear in mind that the week long rental of such equipment costs about the same as actually purchasing the same saw from Installer Tools.
Slate is popular for back splashes and tiled floors, especially with the stainless steal look. Concrete countertops are also something that's becoming more and more popular.
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Comments: 13
The appliance brands weren't too important to me as long as they were decent. I found my sink and flat surface oven on Craigslist. At least both of those cost-savings alternateives worked out well!
I can't recommend a brand but I really love the glass stovetops. They double as extra work space when you are not cooking, a little scraping and polishing with a special cream keeps them looking great, they heat quicker than metal elements, and you never have to clean a drip pan! Stainless steel is all the rage now even homes that are for working class people. So your refrigerator should be stainless steel and I absolutely love the ice and water dispenser in the door. I have a filter built in my refrigerator system and the water is always cold and clean. It makes drinking water tasty and you never have stale ice cubes!
I would also invest in tile flooring. Spanish tiles are great, they are baked in the kiln at a different temperture so they are extra hard making them great in the kitchen if you drop pots and pans. They are easy to clean with water and mop and the marbled choices help to hide dirt if you are not a frequent sweeper. I would recommend sealing the grout to prevent staining and chinking.
We don't need a new fridge and I do love having the ice and water dispenser in the door. We thought that was a silly luxury but the fridge was on sale for less than one without the dispenser so we thought, "Why not?" and we LOVE it. The water tastes great!
I don't know about tile floors. They can be hard on the feet and glasses shatter on them. They do look lovely, though!
Tile is graded by its intended use. Wall tile, for example, is not as hard as counter. If you select tile, be sure it's counter rated. I don't know if there are any higher end tile shops near you but if there are, you need to visit them. There are tiles out there that, visually, knock the socks off of marble. Tile is designed by whatever country it comes from. Mexican, for example, is never perfectly square. Far from it. The US is the only country which seems to require straight lines. Italian is another one to look at. High end tile shops and Home Depot are not in the same sentence.
Granite and Marble are two exceptional nice surfaces. They are also both very expensive. They are also both very trendy. Right now, they are in the limelight. If you have a million dollar house, you don't use tile. You use marble or granite. And NOT squares. Slabs only.
Another choice is what is refered to as 'solid surface' countertops. It's an acrilic product. It goes under several names but it's trade name is Corion (again sp?) Solid surface countertops are very easy to maintain because scratches can easily be repaired. They ran the gamet several years ago but I think now, you see them more in commercial applications. Doctors offices, nursing homes, etc. Just don't set the hot pans on them.
I have tile in my own home. I installed it myself, which was a major savings. I was able to afford a nicer tile because of it. Small tile saws are available at Home Depot for reasonable cost. Buy one, do your job, then sell it. Or, do your friends house and make a few dollars.(like you have time for that)
Whatever you decide, do your homework. It's your kitchen. If you intend to stay in the house, select the product which floats your boat. Don't let anybody talk you into using a product you are not completely happy with. I've outlined several choices, all of which are very nice.
Formica (another trade name) is track house. I thought I should mention it because it is a countertop product. Actually it's correct name is plastic laminate. Formica, Wilsonart, etc are brand names. It is serviceable, can look very nice, but the fact of the matter is, it's the low end product. I am certainly not insulting anybody who has it, BUT, it is low end.
I hope this helps. Also, Jane, your e-mail finally popped up. It does that sometimes. Thx
Tile floors are very nice also. My experence is, when you drop a glass or dish, I fully expect it to break. No matter what type of floor I have. The key to a tile floor is sealing the grout correctly. My father (general contractor) did a job where the lady selected a slate colored tile floor. SO VERY COOL!! He did that job years ago but I think the lady still WHPs every time she looks at it. It was his best kitchen remodel ever. The cabinet guys outdid themselves on that one. Everybody did a wonderful job. It could have easily been in Sunset Magazine in the 'before and after' section if they only had permits!
My bathrooms have tile floors. Italian in one and Spanish in the other. I know the whiners say tile floors are cold. Why do they think WalMart and all those stores sell so many throw rugs? When you get tired of the rug, toss it and buy another. You get an entirely new look for a few bucks. The tile remains solidly in place. I went with the larger tiles, probably because they were on sale.
They have rubber foam mats that can provide comfort in those areas of the kitchen you stand in front of much (sink, stove, etc.) that can reduce the discomfort of tile.
If we decide to stay her more than another couple of years, we'll probably put in granite or other stone countertop. It's something we like. Ikea now does countertops and other kitchen upgrades and many of their products are very reasonable. If we decide to move, I might just tile my countertops. I have read that there is a method for tiling OVER formica which can make it easier and more economical. Both are nice options; go with what you like best and can best afford.
Check with consumer report on appliances. Many high end appliances worth thousands $$ don't rate higher than their hundreds $$ equivalences. Buy what works best for you and provides the features you want (and only those you want), that harmonize with your kitchen. BUT, I recommend against buying cheap and planning to upgrade later. Most high-function appliances are still affordable and paying $150 dollar difference to get the right product is cheaper than replacing it 2 years later, with 2 years of heartache in between.
We went with Corian rather than granite. I am too rough in the kitchen for anything like ceramic, granite or marble. So went with cheaper but it still looks nice.
My fiance and I run a flooring and rehab business (both commercial and residential). We've dealt with a lot of rehabbers and homeowners and it just depends on the market and what's in style. I can tell you that regular old fashioned countertops are out. Tile can be a good idea and yes, granite is highly popular, but expensive. If you should go with granite, I would urge you to hire a professional granite installer (even if you go with granite tiles) and be sure to use a contract, ask about a guarantee and insist on seeing their work. Granite is delicate to put in and when installed wrong, can crack.
You can install tile yourself and you can purchase or rent the equipment. If you plan to purchase, I recommend http://Installertools.com - if you plan to rent, you can rent a nice wet saw and other installation tools at Home Depot. Just bear in mind that the week long rental of such equipment costs about the same as actually purchasing the same saw from Installer Tools.
Slate is popular for back splashes and tiled floors, especially with the stainless steal look. Concrete countertops are also something that's becoming more and more popular.
Hope this helps.