Is your kitchen the hub in your house? Is it the one room where everyone seems to congregate, especially when you have parties? And are your chipped and stained countertops a major source of embarrassment whenever you do have guests helping you in the kitchen? Then you'll want to pay special attention to those countertops when you're planning your new kitchen décor.
If you love to cook and most of your entertaining seems to take place in the kitchen, then you're probably concerned that your kitchen is not only functional but looks good too. You want your kitchen to be an expression of you, just like any other room in the house. But no other room in your house sees the action that your kitchen does.
Let's face it, you're probably not going to take a saucepan right off the burner and go set it on the counter in the bathroom. And you probably don't have a coffee maker on your fireplace mantle. Nor do you prepare filets on your coffee table. It's your kitchen countertops that see all the action and take all the abuse, and yours are probably looking a little worse for wear. Since your countertops are such an essential part of your kitchen, they should be one of the first things you consider when planning your new kitchen décor.
Marble countertops - Marble countertops seem to be at the top of everyone's list these days. They're much more durable than say, a laminate countertop, and available in any color or pattern you can imagine, so they're a decorator's dream. However, marble will chip and scratch and it's porous, so you have to have it sealed periodically or it will stain.
Granite countertops - More and more people are opting for granite. It's much more durable than marble and won't chip or scratch. It's less porous than marble so you won't have to worry about staining. And it's functional in any area of your kitchen. Be careful though, it's expensive.
Concrete countertops - Concrete countertops must be installed by a professional because they're actually poured on site. But concrete is the most flexible of all materials and can be shaped and sculpted into unique architectural designs for your kitchen. Keep in mind though that it's the most porous of the bunch so you'll really have to stay on top of keeping it sealed.
Slate countertops - Slate is a natural material that's both beautiful and durable. It doesn't burn, chip, scratch or stain. But even though it's less porous than the rest, you'll still have to seal it occasionally.
Wood countertops - While wood countertops are beautiful and add warmth to your kitchen like no other material can, they're very porous and because of that, wood countertops can warp easily.
When planning your kitchen décor it's fine to use more than one type of countertop material, especially if you have a high traffic kitchen. Most materials come in so many colors and styles that you'll easily be able to mix and match so your kitchen will be functional as well as beautiful. Just like the rest of your house.
Your kitchen is probably one of the busiest rooms in your house right? It's also probably looking a little bit tired and worn too? Right about now you could probably do with some neat kitchen decorating ideas to revamp that busy room. Want to find out more? Click here!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Niall_Roche
