Whether you’re renovating your existing kitchen or constructing a new one, it is inevitable that you’ll need new countertops. There is a lot to consider when attempting to select the appropriate material and colour, from practical aspects to design. That’s why it’s important to compile a list of questions to ask yourself while selecting kitchen countertops to help you discover the best match for your requirements and preferences. Read on to discover some of the best questions to ask. 

Photo by Curtis Adams: https://www.pexels.com/photo/empty-kitchen-with-white-cupboards-and-black-worktops-7168097/

What Is Your Budget?

The cost of materials varies greatly. A decent kitchen countertop, however, will endure forever if properly maintained. We suggest choosing your ideal countertops first and then looking for a version that falls within your budget. For example, you might like the appearance of marble but find it out of your price range. Quartz worktops have the same appearance but are less costly.

But depending on how different your dream countertops are from the cheaper option, it may be worth it to spend a little more on something you’ll have for a long time. When it comes to cost, you should not only think about whether or not you can pay for it, but also whether or not the price is fair for the materials used. In other words, putting high-end quartz on builder-grade cabinets and sheet vinyl flooring makes it clear that the two are not the same quality. It’s also a bad idea to put laminate counters on expensive cabinets.

How Will You Use Your Countertops?

When it comes to choosing the best countertops for your kitchen, the first thing that comes to mind is usually how they will look. However, if you don’t choose a material that can survive the everyday usage of the area, your money will be wasted. So, consider how you and your family utilise your kitchen. Do you spend a lot of time in the kitchen? Do your countertops look like they’ve been used and abused because you have kids or have parties? How long do you plan to live where you are right now?

Getting more than one kind of material is one way to make your kitchen useful for different things. If you cut a lot of things while cooking, a butcher’s block could be a good choice for a built-in cutting board on your counter. If you bake a lot, you could also use a marble countertop to work with dough.

How Much Maintenance Are You Willing To Do?

Regarding this question, be truthful and realistic. Before you fall in love with the appearance of a specific material, learn about the maintenance requirements. Here are some things to bear in mind:

• Porous materials such as wood, marble, limestone, and granite must be oiled and sealed once a year.
• Other materials, such as quartz, need just a simple wash off. 
• A butcher block is long-lasting, but it must be sealed on a regular basis to prevent deterioration.

Do you want a kitchen countertop that’s easy to maintain or one that will take a little more work? It’s crucial to know this before you get started on choosing. 

Know Your Preferred Style

It’s helpful to have a mental picture of your ideal kitchen in mind while shopping for new countertops. If you know what you like and don’t like in a kitchen countertop, it will be much easier to make a final decision. Ask yourself what you want your new kitchen to look like before you go shopping for countertops.

The style of your home can be reflected in the countertops you choose for the kitchen. Countertops are a prominent feature of any kitchen, and those who favour a contemporary design may find themselves considering some less conventional options. The kitchen countertop material you select will be affected by the style you’re going for.

Make sure to think about the room’s colour scheme when choosing a countertop colour. Even though it can look great to match the countertops to the paint, keep in mind that your preference in colours may change and you might want to paint the room again. Strongly coloured countertops that match the furniture, accessories, or wallpaper can quickly look out of date. Think about getting a countertop with patterns or spots of your favourite colour to keep your options open.

Consider The Layout

Since the kitchen is the heart of the home, it should bring the whole house together. So, you should think about the style and layout of your home and try to make the style flow from one room to the next.

It’s important to make sure that all of the parts of your open-concept home work well together so that the space feels like one big room. If your home has an open floor plan, the style you pick for your kitchen should match the rest of your home. Using similar colours and finishes will go a long way toward making your home look nice.

Even if your house isn’t open plan, it’s still helpful to have a connection with the rest of the house to the kitchen. When choosing your kitchen countertops, try to stick to a simple colour scheme so as to not overpower the rest of your design ideas. 

Think About The Accessories

While countertops in a single, uniform colour can have a sleek, contemporary look, that colour alone can make a space feel uninviting if there are no other patterns present. If you have a stylized tile backsplash, wallpaper, or even patterned upholstery and fabric accents that you adore, a solid colour countertop can help to bring harmony to the space. Countertops with a natural pattern or multiple colours can give the room balance if the rest of the decor is kept minimal.

Final Thoughts

You can perform tasks like chopping, baking, organising (and even storing) on your kitchen countertops. In exchange, you should take care of them and upgrade them when necessary. After all, selecting the proper material for your kitchen countertop ensures that it will last you for a number of years before needing to be replaced. It may also increase the value of your home if you ever decide to sell it.