Options for countertops are kind of like flooring – there are a lot of them.
This post from The Spruce gives a thorough rundown of 35 different kitchen countertop options along with their pros and cons. The post also includes a price range on most of the choices listed. However, we found some of this information to be on the low end compared to our experience in looking at marble, quartzite, quartz, and granite.
There are also a variety of ways to finish natural stone.
I immediately gravitated towards the look of marble. Drew was all practical (imagine that!) and worried about marble being less durable compared to other natural and engineered stone options.
After checking with some friends that have marble in their kitchens (one left me a passionate voice text about how much she loves her marble!) and doing some research on sealing, we decided to go with Bianco Rhino marble in a honed finish.
Andrew discovered it on a trip to Carroll’s Contemporary Design.
“Mom, you need to get them to turn this around so you can see it.” He said.
And he was right. He saw it was going to be the perfect look just seeing the end of the backside of a slab! Take a teenager with you the next time you go to pick out countertops.
Carroll’s has done two fabrications and installs for us over the years and will do this job as well. Ask for Ashleigh. She was great to work with.
The slabs we chose were from Triton. Ask for Stephanie. She was great to work with as well.
To anyone who is new to the world of picking out materials, Triton is the wholesaler of the stone that supplies the fabricators and installers with the stone. You get pricing through the fabricator, not Triton. They work with 50+ fabricators in North Alabama and are the best place to go to pick out the specific slabs you want and/or to get an idea of all the different options available. Most fabricators only have a limited supply of stone- especially in slab form- on site. Another wholesaler in North Alabama is OHM.
The slabs we selected were in the middle of the price range of three different marble options we got quotes on. The lowest was about 50% less than our choice and another was about 75% more. The three different slabs are below. Can you identify which were the high, low, and mid priced options?
Overall, when you are choosing countertops you have to balance price with the look and the durability. Look at a variety of options to begin, take someone with you to look (my teenager with a good eye for things in my case), and ask for recommendations from friends to can help you hone down your preferences and pick the best option for your kitchen.
