I'm not sure why you think you can't use granite in a contemporary kitchen - many people do - and there are plenty of granites without veins and with fairly regular patterns - and as long as you don't pick an exotic granite, it can cost in the same ballpark as Corian.

Well, you probably won't sell to a gardenwebber :) but most of my neighbors still think of Corian as very deluxe. I have to agree with weissman, though--around here it's one of the more expensive surfaces, a lot more than most granites.

For what it's worth: my brother is a successful architect at an award-winning, very cutting edge architecture firm in Europe, and when I was trying to decide what counter to buy, he voted STRONGLY for solid surface! I didn't want it, since I DID want veiny stone and chose marble.... but there you go. An endorsement from someone whose design opinion people pay huge money for!

I like the look of white Corian, especially in a contemporary setting. I actually liked having the stuff in my gutted kitchen, too. Durable, easy to clean, gentle on glassware, integrated sink, horrifically ugly speckled pink...

That stuff ain't cheap, though!

I have white Corian and LOVE it. When we moved and I was about to do my second gut rehab kitchen, I insisted on three things up front 1.) a custom cabinet maker whose work I knew, 2) cork floors and 3) white Corian. I ended up with the cabinet maker, the Corian and SIP hardwood floors. Two out of three isn't bad. The advantages of white Corian decoratively are: it is the ultimate neutral, allowing you to do what you want with your cabinets, backsplash, floors etc. Note how many anguished threads are on this site requesting help matching granite. No seam angst either. There are now a dozen or so whites, so it can go whichever way, warm or cool, you want. The white surface reflects light which brightens the whole space. It works with contemporary and traditional styles. Functionally, the advantages are: there is zero upkeep, it takes just about anything you could throw at it, and the worst you have to do is get out the Soft Scrub with bleach. Period. Plastic, no. Plastic looks plastic, feels plastic. Corian doesn't. It has a subtle, silky honed surface. I have dove white cabinets and trim, Glacier white perimeter Corian, a dark green Vermont slate (for another thread, I love that too) island top, white crackle subway tile backsplash, dark stained floor, a pale green ceiling and greyed white walls. People have asked if they can bring their KDs to look at it.

There are some new very pretty acrylic surfaces from all of the acrylic manufacturers. I strongly considered it for the reasons fori lists above.
You can have the rounded transition all around the island and on any edge with the laminate, see the link below, but it will cost you more than regular laminate. For me, the price would have gone from $995 to $1700 for that fancy edge.
WilsonArt does make undermount sinks which look nice on their website. The cool thing about laminate, like the acrylic, is that there are options for modern kitchens that you can't find with other surfaces. Have you considered quartz? It's about the same as the acrylic in price, but I found LG HiMacs to be a bit less than Corian, especially in the white.

I don't think that it will hurt you at all. Around these parts everyone is crazy for granite, but as writersblock said, there are many people who still value Corian in homes. And since you are having such a modern kitchen I say relax, it will be fine. But, if you are looking for a reason to opt out, then consider quartz or laminate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Amore edge by HK

you should get around ten years out of it and in most cases cost is the same as granite if not more

I chose a white solid surface. Mine is called Staron, by Samsung. I love it, and have chosen this in other kitchens as well. It allowed me to use antique heart pine for my island top, and heavy veined marble for my baking area. It is just so neutral you can do whatever you want with the rest of the furnishings. If granite came in PURE white, that would have been okay. Pure white marble is cost prohibitive. It is your kitchen; get what pleases you.

Nope. I don't think you're doomed at all. I think Corian has a bad wrap right now. I actually was pleasantly surprised to see some of their new colors at IKEA and I was impressed. I don't know too much about the maintenance for Corian, though. Some people swear by it for kitchen countertops and even showers.

My Corian was installed in 1983 and was still in mint condition. Don't believe it's only good for a few years. It's even DIY refinishable if you mangle it somehow.

(Don't get speckled pink though.)

Our friends have a gray and white Corian counter from the late-80's--a huge kitchen, bi-level island, baking center--and over the years I don't know anyone who has entertained more people than they have. The Corian is still in perfect condition.
My sister chose Hi-Macs and really loves it. She got the sink that's integrated into the counter, and she couldn't be happier. When she knew I was going with a white granite in our soon-to-be-remodeled kitchen, she said: Okay! But if you break all your glasses, don't come crying to me!

I have thought about her comment late at night when I have awakened from a dream about shattering my favorite wine glasses or coffee cups.....

You'll make the right decision! Besides, you're never going to meet most of the Kitchen Forum folks. You're not accountable to any of us--go with what feels right.

I have awakened from a dream about shattering my favorite wine glasses or coffee cups.....

Thank you. I've already had an antique, heavy cut crystal sugar dish shatter into a million pieces on my ceramic tile.
It was part of a set that meant alot to me....
I also inherited alot of beautiful crystal drinking glasses, wine glasses and all that. I really want to use them, but I'm so paranoid it's impossible.
Karena, yes, the LG HiMacs has some super new designs/colors. I have samples of that and the quartz and some granite sitting on my counter and I just cannot decide.

Phew! I guess if I can find couple of folks on this forum to say "Go Corian", then I'm probably safe. Thank you all for wonderful input. And I really like anybody offering real life account on how corian withstood the test of time. I know 90% of folks here are leaning toward traditional style and natural stone, so I appreciate it.

I like solid surface exactly because of solid colors, I don't want to emulate anything. Everything in my house is in solid colors, no pattern anywhere in sight.
I thought hard about quartz, but I'm yet to find comparable quote. So far, I've got:
- laminate: 1000 (but not everything I want can be done to look cool)
- stainless steel - 2800 (but shiny finish, and my dh think it is going to look to cold with glossy white cabinets)
- solid surface - basic glacier white - 3000
- basic tempered glass - 3000 (but no "side gable")
- quartz - cheapest one - 5000
- concrete - 6000
- solid surface - high end stuff, white with "glass-y" pieces - 6000
- recycled glass - 10.000 (yes, you read that right, ten K)

I would love to take quartz, as white corian sometimes looks dull if not done in glossy finish, but the price is prohibitive. Actually, the best thing I like is glossy white laminate I saw in Ikea, but is 1) being discontinued 2) made in two limited sizes for Ikea island set up. If I could find that and made undermount SS sink seal that doesn't look like eye sore, I would take it in heart beat.
{{!gwi}}From Kitchen

How come I can't get this look in canadian laminate?

Our former house had white Corian in the kitchen & it performed very well. Stains came out easily using Bon Ami or SoftScrub. You don't want to cut on it or place hot pans on it, but otherwise it's very tough. It still looked great after 18 years.

We installed white Corian in several bathrooms in our new (contemporary) home.

Could you explain what you mean by "proper gable at the end of the island?" I'm confused on that description.

I've had a mix of granite and subtle pattern ivory Corian for over four years and I'm still very happy with the Corian - no complaints or regrets. If it looks right with the rest of what you're doing I think that's a critical factor. Sometimes people feel a lot of pressure to do what everyone else is doing but I think it's nice to do something different - if you're doing your kitchen for you and not for resale.

The "gable" is the end-piece, as seen in OP's original pics. It allows the countertop to "wrap" over the sides all the way to the floor. So, on an island or at the end of a run of cabinets, you would have a vertical slab of the counter material rather than a cabinet cover panel.

My bathrooms have white corion from 1978. We had the cabinets resurfaced. The cabinet company looked at the countertop and said, "no need to do anything with those countertops." They still look perfect.

Corian is a great countertop surface - very easy to maintain. I have it in my bathrooms, shower walls and floor, and am getting it in my kitchen. Yes, it is man made (so what?), but it certainly is not what you would consider a "plastic" countertop. It is a nice, smooth solid surface. As mentioned above, don't cut on it or put hot pots on it. But if you do, it can be buffed out good as new.

Another white corian person here! It's on every "wet" surface in our master bath.

I'll admit it took some getting used to. It is (or used to be) marketed as a product that wouldn't stain...and it doesn't stain permanently. But some things take more than a quick swipe with a wet cloth to get clean. If left for more than a couple minutes a few things will take a little BKF to get out. I've learned to wipe coffee spills off the vanity quickly -- same with red wine drips on the tub deck.

Marija, looking at your illustration I think the white corian is going to work beautifully.

Marija-

I don't understand why you can't find a fabricator to make the pieces you need in glossy white laminate like the IKEA ones you like! In our last home, we DIY-ed the laminate counters and it was pretty darn easy. If we could do it with limited experience, surely there's a pro fabricator who can do it! You just need to purchase the actual sheets of laminate and laminate it to whatever substrate you choose.... don't limit yourself to prefab counters from a home store. Then you can do your cool end gables and anything you want..... Am I missing something?

I would use white quartz. There are several to choose from in either pure solid white or white with inclusions or a touch of very subtle gray like Caesarstones organic white which I will probably use. It's a more modern upscale look, easier to care for as it doesn't scratch like Corian, and I think looks much better. Also better if you ever want to sell. Not that much price difference if you shop around.

I've watched too many shows on HGTV where prospective buyers have been disappointed that Corian was installed in kitchens and said they were going to have rip it out and put in quartz or granite. It's just perceived as a lower end kitchen surface, whether it is or not.

Don't feel doomed, this forum is full of TKO'ers and thus severely skewed towards natural surfaces compared to the typical homeowner. The corian counters in the house I just sold were over 10 years old and still looked as good as new and were a selling feature to the buyers. I liked the stuff so much I put it around the perimeter of my new kitchen. I really didn't want granite where dh and kids would be slamming glasses and porcelain plates on it, I love the way corian "feels" underhand when you touch it and love that I can spill lemon juice, wine, bleach, 409, or pretty much anything except nail polish remover on it without pitting or staining. HOWEVER I would not recommend a glossy finish, scratches will show up much sooner.

I'm in the vast minority here on the forum, but I really DISlike granite (having had it in my last kitchen) and don't think it works in every context. For your modern, Bauhaus-y aesthetic, a pure white would be perfect! American also forget how Europeans (and possibly Canadians?) tend to prefer solid glossy surfaces in their food prep spaces. I don't think you're locking yourself out of resale at all.

One person to give a shout out to would be giacomo_it, an Italian kitchen designer on this forum, who does high-end modern kitchens in the New York area. He might have some great sources for a pure white countertop surface.

My mom has had cream-colored HiMacs in her kitchen since 1983 and it's still going strong. She loves the low maintenance, solid bright clean look, and wouldn't have anything else!

Here is a link that might be useful: Giacomo's latest with white quartz counters

>'ve watched too many shows on HGTV where prospective buyers have been disappointed that Corian was installed in kitchens

Yes, but there are many millions of people who don't watch HGTV, more and more all the time. :)

Yes, but there are many millions of people who don't watch HGTV, more and more all the time. :)

And count me as one of them.

stacyneil I was wondering the same thing which is why I asked to be sure what the gable was. I think you could do that with laminate too. If laminate can be coved, and bent to make a bullnose edge, then this should be possible.

Wilson Art has three beautiful whites and the "standard" finish is matte in two of the three. I've linked to the one that is not high gloss, but is the "mirage" high def finish which is beautiful - I had this sample and loved it. WA does do a high gloss finish that captured me, but it wasn't in white. I really did like it. Compared to Pionites high gloss, there was no comparison - WA kicked butt!

Here is a link that might be useful: Luna Frost

Get what you like/can reasonably afford. Unfortunately, EVERYTHING dates. Today's must have granite will look dated in 10 years and will be a "must replace" (for people with enough extra $ to do so) in 15 to 20 years. Even if you go "classic," today's interpretation of 1920's (or whatever) is going to be different in 10 or 15 years. Ok, classic holds a little longer, but it will still date.

I chose Swanstone instead of Corian - same matte finish, slightly better heat resistance - and couldn't be happier with it. Quartz is beautiful stuff but you can see the seams. With solid surface all seams are invisible. You'd be surprised what a difference that makes visually, in certain layouts.

Like others are saying, EVERYTHING gets dated. We did our kitchen remodel originally in 1989/90 and the updated countertops/sink were put in 2003. The laminate cabs, which I love for the incredible ease of cleaning, were hot in 1990 and ice-cold by 2003. But why should I care? The redesigned layout is fabulous (I have 30' of counterspace instead of 5'), I've got an incredible hillside view out the big picture windows, and tons of semi-custom storage.

The counters can take pots/pans under 375 degrees, and are perfect for bakers, something I didn't realize until I had them installed. The pastry stays cool, and clean-up is so easy, it's almost a pleasure.

I have seen several granites I thought were very beautiful. But I don't like the coldness of the surface, nothing matches the cabs which are still in perfect condition, and a high-gloss finish wouldn't work with all these windows (the glare, even off a simple chrome faucet and coated windows, is blinding in summertime).

I fully expect the next buyer to remodel this kitchen. But I doubt they'll change the layout, because it's the most efficient and functional use of space - and no one in their right minds would give up that totally private, 180-degree view! So the only thing that's important right now is what I like/can afford. As long as the kitchen is a functional modern design (we changed a bunch of little rooms into a beautiful open plan with vaulted ceilings) and well-maintained, the materials I've chosen shouldn't really hurt resale.

I like Corian, in fact I chose a solid cream color (vanilla) for the perimeter and maui for my island last summer. I had a poor fabricator though, and after 2 tries with the vanilla, they couldn't get an invisible seam so I refused it! It was truly their fault and not a corian problem. So my consolation prize was quartz, which I now love, but I kept the island corian and I do really like it! I would pick corian again no question, and I don't think the solid neutral color will look dated. some of the speckles may go out of favor, but a solid is a basic.

We have Corian in the kitchen and bathrooms of our vacation home, put in by the builder. I love the integrated sinks in the bathroom. It wouldn't be my first choice for a kitchen, only because I prefer natural stone, but I don't think it looks cheap or plasticky. And in Maui, at least, it seems to still be a popular choice ... I see it in expensive homes. If you're worried about the resale issue, is there any way you could consult a realtor in your area?

I'm not familiar with your layout, but if your cooking area is on its own wall, you could do just that section in stainless steel. You can get it in a brushed, not so shiny finish. It's so wonderful to be able to put hot pans on it straight from the stove and oven. There's no denying it's contemporary vibe, but it need not look cold at all, especially with the right backsplash.

All that being said, I'd also think about paying the extra $2000 for quartz and seeing if you can cut back elsewhere. It comes in so many gorgeous, modern colors, is super durable and heat resistant.

Good luck with your choice!

>

Are you selling now or relatively soon? If you're not selling for at least 5-10 years, don't worry NOW about a resale LATER. Who knows, by then all of us may be ripping our granite out and putting in Corian again.

That said, we're taking out our cream colored, lightly specked Corian with this remodel and yep, you guessed it, going with granite. The corian was a good workhorse though. We've had no trouble with it. It's always cleaned up nicely, didn't stain, etc. I just prefer the granite look (now).

We have white corian in our teenage daughters' bathroom, installed 5 years ago, and it still looks perfect despite mishaps with nail polish, cosmetics, hair products (including temporary coloring) etc.

I'm going to say something heretical to users of this chat room: In a few years, granite will be like the avocado kitchen appliances of the 1960s. Dated, and people will cringe at the sight of it.

I've seen modern kitchens like yours with granite, and I think the granite looks strange in those kitchens. Nothing against granite, it's just the whole "look."

Your quote for quartz seems too high. How much is that per square foot? It should be around $75. Stainless steel is usually around 100, so I'm confused!

If you can get stainless for way cheap, I would at least consider it. How much is the brushed finish? It's just so great to deal with in terms of just throwing pots around and such.

But the best look would be one of the white quartz surfaces. There are so many I just can't believe you can't get a cheaper quote! And all of them make several whites. I would recommend exploring that a bit more before committing to corian. Nothing wrong with corian, and in white I think it's cool. But it's not as easy to work with in the kitchen as quartz (scratches a lot more easily, stains more easily) so it's worth scouting around before deciding.

I love laminate in a modern kitchen, too, especially the white colors. They also aren't as care-free as quartz, though.

I have a white-ish caesarstone and it looks gorgeous and modern-- and it has a natural feel because of the bits of quartz.

Thank you all! This has been truly valuable resource, the best on the web. When guy from Vetrazzo asked me where I heard of them (not available directly in Canada yet), I proudly touted how much I trust this forum. And rightly so! All the advice with the side serving of couple of chuckles, too.

Couple of things I'll do before committing to corian:
- find that elusive high-end laminate shop; they seem to be hiding in cabinet makers showrooms(?), and no KD in their right mind will give me access to them - they earn lots of money on whole package.
- explore DIY for laminate - but I think this is least likely to happen in 2 kids - 2 careers family.
- get some more quotes for quartz: I just got pleasant surprise from somebody from Kijiji - 3300 for white quartz for whole thing (appx. 50 sq.ft. - $66 cad per sq.ft.) worth exploring. Other reputable place gave me 4000 - 6500 range, depending on a color (who new that they have so many whites?), so I'll try to bargain (is that allowed?)
- think about stainless steel - maybe they can do brushed for little more? I'm still nervous about all the scratches I see in showrooms, even in brushed, it is glaring. I do expect we are going to continue to drag plates across (island is boundary between kitchen and dining room), so scratches are inevitable. I've tested with corian, my corelle plates don't bother him, but SS?

I noticed that corian with bullnose looks more plastic-y then plain square edge, so I'll keep that in mind. Also looking at glossy white corian, it really looks high-end, almost quartz-y, so I'll inquire if countertop can be refinished later (just prior to sale) to that look. We do plan to move out (middle school not the best one around) in about 3-4 years, so yes, I'll have to think about resale value now. But I guess if I find somebody in Toronto that likes uber contemporary, they could be fine with corian too.

One more idea that I've got from browsing italian on line catalogs (never ending story) is combination of steel and corian (or maybe quartz). Why not combine best of both worlds - having steel next to cooktop and quartz for rest. Now I just have to find somebody brave enough to commit to doing it.
{{!gwi}}From Kitchen

I was just going to suggest just that! Some stainless, especially where you are going to want to fling hot pots of stuff, and some quartz or white corian. I agree the square edge looks more modern. Why not just do the glossy white corian now? I sometimes wish I had a bit of stainless countertop because I just love it. The scratches don't bother me, though. Or I say that-- I never had an actual stainless countertop. I will say quartz just plain doesn't scratch, at least mind doesn't.

I do think bargaining is allowed-- in this economy it can't hurt! And I would look at all the quartz types-- caesarstone may be more expensive because it's coming from Isreal? Maybe the dupont one (I just forgot its name) would be cheaper?

I think the steel and corian would be an amazing look!

Only a fabricator can tell you for sure, but I'm fairly positive the corian can be buffed out to any shine you want on site just before you move. I believe the shine is a result of the density of the sanding pad they use.

As far as the steel and corian -- there is a sink out there (and I can NOT think of the name of it) that is solid surface with an inset in the bottom of stainless. My understanding is that corian sinks won't take high heat and the drain area is suseptible to cracking. The steel works around that. Plus, it looks cool!

BTW, I do have to tell you that one of my fave parts of your kitchen is the underlit cabs on the front side of your peninsula. Gorgeous!

Can't wait to see your kitchen in real life.

Our friends have Corian and I really like it -- we spend a lot of time at their house in their kitchen (because ours is under construction!) and it is a great surface, easy to clean, easy to work on. The main reason that we aren't going with it is cost -- DH can DIY concrete countertops for cheaper than anything we can buy.

Add me to the people who don't care for granite (though I love the look of slate and soapstone!)

I have white corian on my island and countertops for 25 years and its the only thing about that kitchen I still love. The Island has a 14 inch overhang all around it (which is amazing for parties where everyone can pull up a stool without their legs crammed into the cabinets) and I think I was able to do that with no special support because the corian was lighter than the other options at the time.