Concrete is getting to be a big new thing..I love it my self...honestly have been pondering on doing that to our home... also I fell in love with the butcher block counters with the white cabinets at Ikea... and the butcher block countertops are very cost effective and super simple to install...just wonder about their durability and up keep...I say go with what you love, resale will be fine as long as it looks nice... If your concern is the selling factor do this...If you were walking thru your house, looking to buy a home, look at your kitchen and think to your self if those countertops were...________...I would buy this house today! And go with that!!Thats just a thought!! I like the concrete...it's the new up and coming thing!!

I think you need to do what you like. As a potential buyer - I wouldn't like concrete and wonder how the hel* I was going to get something that heavy carted out of there. But as you can see, others might. No way to predict so you have to go by price for resale and what you like. Personally I like formica. I like to think that even if I got rich I'd have formica though I might at least investigate things like soapstone or something. Not granite, not marble.
The metal certainly looks sharp in the pictures. But its got to be coated in some sort of paint right? I;m sure they say its triple baked and nuked on and will never scratch stain or bubble. But I'd wonder and want to talk to some people that have had if for a few years and actually cut tomatoes on it and had to hard scrub up something left on for a few days:)

Those pics of the metal countertop are really gorgeous and I could really see that in your kitchen. I'll bet they are even nicer up close.

When we were trying to pick a countertop we considered concrete. I heard about so many people that have cracks in their counters that it scared me off. Also, I have a fairly contemporary home, and it seemed too contemporary even for me.

Friends of ours were so excited about their new house with concrete countertops. Then they moved in and broke glasses, concrete chipped. And a couple of months later their families came for a Thanksgiving/Homewarming weekend and left tons of stains on the countertops because they didn't baby it like my friends did. Theirs hasn't cracked that I know of.

I thought their countertops were so cool, until all of this happened. I love the look of those metal ones and I wonder exactly what it is. Hope you can post more info about them.

Skylar

Well now I'm really getting discouraged with the concrete :(

I just want something different, but not way out there. Would love something DIY (other than tile) because of the cost and because we enjoy these kind of things.
We've looked into doing a laminant that we could order and install ourselves. I think that was somewhere around $700?

The metal really does look and feel great. We saw it at a homeshow last yr, then went to a couple homes that had it. At the time the business was owned by a Quaker family. I posted a couple wks ago about all the industrial sewing machines we have, and are hoping to get rid of soon. At a time, we thought maybe we could do a trade with them, because I knew just from talking with them that they made all their all clothes. Course, I haven't a clue if they do it all by hand, or machine. We also have a storage unti full of fabric. BUT...they sold the business to someone else.
I also wish I could find someone who had this for a few yrs. Maybe I can ask them for a number of a customer to see if they're happy with the product.

Anyways..thanks!

I think if you're only going to be in this house for a few more years, I'd resist doing something as unique as metal countertops. Most average homebuyers are not savy enough to appreciate a metal countertop, and if there are a number of houses for sale in your neighborhood, they may opt to go with something that is more traditional vs. having to swap out your countertops. Personally, I can't picture having metal countertops - it seems they would scratch, feel cold and in general not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling!

I know granite is cold too, but definitely more mainstream than concrete or metal. I'd go with common granite which isn't too expensive (same as Corian) or maybe the solid surface engineered stone.

I think countertops can really sell a home. I think a nice brown granite countertop, or a dark green like Uba Tuba would look great in your house.

First of all - your home is so lovely. Second - your kitchen does not say Christmas to me. Your countertops pull that pretty green out of your window valance. If you you are going to sell - I'm not so sure I would be worrying about the countertops. They are not ugly to me, and at 2 years old, they must be in wonderful condition. On my computer that is a lovely sage green laminate, not a cheesy or gross green. I think I would look for a piece of art for over the table, along with some table linens with that same soft, pretty green. Just my thoughts. Truly, I think you could put that countertop money into something else on your list (we all have lists to spend money on don't we? - LOL).

I like concrete...in fact we have stained concrete floors on our lower level, but if you really think you are selling in a few years I would not do concrete. For the price you can do granite or solid surface. Not the top end colors of either, but the more common colors. Or even granite tile (you can get very large tiles that are the full depth of your counter). This would be DIY and budget friendly. If not that, then I would do a nice laminate, with the bevel edge if budget allows.

I saw concrete countertops at a home show and thought they were great; however I have to agree about them needing a bit more care with use. That kind of talked me out of it. Also, we would not be able to dio(do it ourselves) so they were pretty pricey.

Yea, the counters aren't in bad shape at all. Except there's some water damage around that wood trim. Which is also the part I hate the most. That trim!
And with wanting to paint the cabs white, I can't leave that and I don't like the look of that part painted, either. You know how you walk in the room, and something just stands out and as eye sore, making you not like the entire room. That's what these counters do for me. I really wouldn't mind the kitchen at all, if it weren't for those. Heck..I'd probably not even paint the cabs, (a whole other fear there). But, the green with the red paint kills me. If we don't get them done in the next six months, we're painting the kitchen again. Just to get rid of the red and green.
It's funny, one of the reasons we bought this house a yr ago over some of the others, was because of the counters. I was so sick of seeing the same granite everywhere, this was a nice change.
I think if I could go to a granite yard, pick out a beautiful slab I'd consider doing granite. But, I'm really just tired of seeing it in every single house I go to. High end homes, to middle of the road ones like mine. I have no choice but to do something cheaper, from a box store. And I just can't see doing the thin, little granite slabs all the builders and flippers do around here.

Check out some of the laminates like Formica Honed Basalt with the bevel or square edge. I almost got that instead of Corian Flint, but DH wanted to go with the corian (I think he was tired of DIY). You could DIY the laminate if you wanted. Its quite a bit cheaper that way too. I used the corian color viewer to play around with different colors and patterns, since it lets you paint the cabinets and walls and add a counter. Its not your exact kitchen but it helps to visualize.

I know what you mean about the wood edge...I had the same and hated it. I painted my cabinets (DIY)and painted that edge and spent the next couple years maintaining the edge. Here is a before and after. Next up is to retrofit pull outs in the base cabinets.

Brand new house...blah kitchen.

After paint (year 1), new counters (year 3) and new appliances (this year).

Had to change this cabinet as new fridge was taller. We ripped the fridsge cabinet out and built this surround.

Not the best pic (from cell phone...need to retake)

Inspiration pic from corian color viewer

Oh here is a pic I saved from gardenweb of Basalt Slate. Its really pretty in person. Kinda soapstoney.

I think your cabinets are beautiful. What type of wood are they? I think just replacing the countertop would give your kitchen a whole new look. If it were me, I would do a new laminate in a patterned black (Wilsonart HD aybe) with no backsplash, then add a ceramic tile backsplash instead of painting the cabinets. Your home is lovely.

I have Zodiaq quartz countertops and honestly, I don't know if I would make the same decision again. They are very hard and durable, but their hardness also makes the kitchen loud -- dishes clink and the whole kitchen echoes and feels cold. Also, with the setup of your countertops, you can't really see all of the counters from the other areas of the room so maybe you could do one type of material on the bar area and a different material on the work surface. Just a thought...

Here is a link that might be useful: Wilsonart HD

Patches, that's exactly the look I'm wanting. Darker counter, white cabs. Your kitchen is beautiful. And your old one really does remind me of what we have. Kind of your basic builder kitchen.
Do I need certain software from corian? or just go to their site? I'd love to be able to see what it looks like with white cabs, etc.

Cindy, the cabs are stock oak..blech. My big goal here is to paint them out white, either do a back splash in a nuetral tile (nothing fancy) or even beadboard painted to match the cabs. New counter, add beadboard to the sides of the cabs, and the bar as well. Put in a banquette and pulling the beadboard over onto it as well. Even if we don't do a beadboard backslash, I still want to use it on the counter thingy, cause I just think it'd help show less dirt with four boys and two dogs :)

Patches, what did you do on the other side of your bar? Did you leave it, or add trim like in the inspiration pic?

Thanks so much for the compliments! Its taken awhile and some hard work to get here, but its all coming together.
I added beadboard that is painted white and there are three framed areas with 1X4(?) wood trim also painted white on the backside of the bar. I am out of town...but will try to get a pic next week. The fridge cabinet has white beadboard on the sides too.. We changed the bar from two levels to one. Its nice to have the big open space, of course the dishes aren't hidden any longer :-) Still trying to decide if I want to add beadboard on the sides of all the cabinets...not sure if it would be too much or not.

Here is the link to the color viewer on corian. Just click on the room designer which is on the lower right side. It will launch an application that lets you choose the room, counter, walls etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: click on room designer on the lower right