Living on the Edge

When it comes to unique countertop applications, the secret seems to be, quite simply, “dare to be different.”

These are the sentiments of Mark Rosenhaus, CKD, for New York, NY-based Rosenhaus Design Group, who offers: “The more different the application, the more interesting it is for people.”

Indeed, with the individualized tastes of luxury homeowners come a slew of available style options as manufacturers and fabricators try to keep up with the ever-evolving tastes of consumers.

In fact, there seems to be an “anything goes” attitude in regard to countertops, that is, as long as they reflect the client’s personality.

“There are many different materials and colors [available] so that you can easily satisfy the functional [needs]. The hard part is to get it the way they want it because most people can’t articulate their emotions,” Rosenhaus adds.

While trends vary widely, today’s counters seem to be leaning toward cleaner edges for a Euro-inspired look, an eclectic mixture of materials and colors and even some recycled content, proving that it’s possible to be eco-friendly and user friendly at the same time.

Nancy Moon, owner of Beckony Kitchens & Baths in Colorado Springs, CO, notes: “What we’re finding is [clients wanting] different countertops for different areas. So we’re doing a lot of wood tops, including teak, for instance.”

However, innovation does not only come from style, adds Patricia Gaylor, interior designer for Little Falls, NJ-based Patricia Gaylor Interiors.

Gaylor, who specializes in green design and kitchen and bath renovation, offers: “The main concerns are in regard to heat- and stain-resistance. People are very concerned about those issues.”

Moon notes: “Ultimately, the clients who want to spend the money want something that is ‘them’ and reflects their individuality.”

Old Calcutta

For Dawn Wattles, AKBD, design consultant at Indianapolis, IN-based Cabinetry Ideas, a recent countertop project took full advantage of her client’s love of marble.

“We chose Calcutta Gold Select for the countertop by the sink and Blue Pearl granite on the island, with marble again on the perimeter. While we haven’t seen much marble, it’s definitely coming back,” she says. “This project was driven by the fact that the client just loved the old Roman period and the marble reminded him of that feeling.”

She continues: “I steered him away from using marble near the cooktop area and got him back to granite on that area. We were worried about the heat-resistant properties, but also the durability. We also wanted to conceal the cooktop more and were including a beautiful white marble. If we were to drop a black cooktop in there then it would show up like a sore thumb.”

She concludes: “He would have been happy to do marble on the entire thing because he loved that marble, but it wouldn’t have functioned properly if used that way. It was a lot easier to make it blend, and it created a more unique look.”

Form and Function

When it comes to countertop form and function, there is definitely a sense of chicken-versus-the-egg syndrome, designers note.

Moon offers: “Overall what we’re seeing is a variety of countertop choices based on functional and aesthetic needs. So for instance, we will install a wood top for warmth, like a black walnut distressed countertop, because people want something that is warmer near where they sit. However, if you put a wood top next to a sink, you’re going to have to fix it later.

“So, once you get past the way it looks, then you get to the way it performs,” she says. “Some people want to know right up front how they have to care for a material, or if they have to seal it. Kitchens are fine tuned to the individual – function reigning.”

To that end, she recalls a project she did for a professional chef.