I vote for waterfall edge.

Which one is most pleasing to your eye? It is more about what look you enjoy than how thick it will look. Since you like a thick look, the one that does make it look thick will be the one you like best....

I hate bullnoses so I'm prejudiced, but personally I think that an eased edge (which is really a squared edge that's softened just a tiny bit) looks the best. It's a countertop that fits in any age home, from 1880 to 2010 without being obviously dated.

There is a kitchen here...I think it's "mom26000boys" (ok maybe momtosixboys) something like that who's done a marble counter with a thickened look (I don't think it's actually that thick of marble) and I believe her edge is eased...but maybe do a search for a marble countertop in minnesota in the finished kitchen blog.....you might find it.

Have you heard of using a mitered edge - where the thickness is "added" to the edge but not the whole counter? I briefly considered it, but never really looked into it. I would not do this unless you found a fabricator experienced. It requires a corner seam. Check out this blog post which explains it pretty well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mitered edge to similulate thick granite

I have a mitered edge on my quartzite bianca/luce di luna. They lined up the veining perfectly and if I told you there was a seam at the edge you wouldn't believe me. I have had my counters for 3 months and I still can't find the seam.

Another vote for mitered edge -- one of our friends just did this and it makes her counters look 6 cm even though they're only 3 cm! Very cool look (but indeed, get a fabricator who is experienced with this edge -- it's tricky).

I would love to do a mitered edge, but thought it was really expensive, and we're also >100 sqft. Can anyone share how much the mitered edge added to your price per sq foot? Thanks!

aedevm , about your first post: squared edge and eased edge are the same thing, the same concept, expressed by two different people with different levels of expertise. Basically the same thing, not worth analyzing. The salesperson's idea of 1/2 bullnose is similar because it is not finicky and fine detailed. Something brutish and not curlicued. Coarse not fine. Large not small.

It costs less to miter 2cm and the visual effect is the same result. You don't need to purchase 3cm.

--

I got 2cm and made it look thinner. I had them remove the lower 1 cm by reverse bevel (and polish), and on the top half I had them do a 3/4 bullnose. This thin counter still looks big and beautiful. With the receding slant on the underside of the counter, our fingers can reach the drawer fronts more easily. The pulls are hidden under the big counter overlap (the pulls are on the top edge of the drawer fronts). All our drawers were installed at a higher level than they would have been, if we had built a thicker counter. More space. And everything is higher and thus easier to reach.

Perhaps at some point in the not so distant future the artificially thicker counters will look like someone had a mental model in their mind that they couldn't get rid of no matter how much it interfered with ergonomics and function, and it will be perceived as something not to repeat in new kitchens.

HTH

Mine was $15 or $20 per linear square foot.

Someone says a mitered edge interferes with ergonomics. I'm trying to think but I'm not sure how exactly it does that. The counter is raised a 1/2 inch or whatever with a plywood base so everything ends up at the same spot.

Also not sure how a thicker counter will begin to look like a bad idea in the future. A thicker counter is just something you find in contemporary design. If you like contemporary design you may like it if not you wouldn't like it now or in a few years.

There are some ways to make the counter look thicker.
I think you have some great ideas already but I thought
I might add some visuals so you can see how it is done
and think about ways to create that thick edge look.

Good luck,
~boxerpups

get rock solid granite

waterfall

The total amount of space under discussion here is very small; it fits in the palm of your hand.

The thicker you make your counter, the lower must be your first drawer and all other drawers under it. The opposite is also true: the less space your counter takes, the more space you have (for the highest drawer to be either larger or placed higher). I explained it once above, but I guess I missed the mark when I concluded with words that got cited as ununderstandable.

The thicker you make your counter, the more money you will have spent.

Please feel free to do whatever you wish to do. My explanation about this small space gain should not be a deciding factor making you change your mind about anything. I do believe that counters will not get ever thicker and thicker. There is no gain to go thicker and thicker, bigger and bigger, more and more impressive (except the gain of having something feel massive).

Mitering to make a countertop look thick is a good technique and it has its uses. Use with moderation. The more you increase the height of the "apron" front mitered onto the counter, the more you lose in terms of the best ergonomic space: the top drawer. The total amount of space under discussion here is very small; it fits in the palm of your hand.

Good point David,
If cost is an issue granite, marble in any thickness
may not be the best option.

Hi Aedevm

My ideas were to help create a thick counter without
having to pay for the extra stone. It might end up
being more money than you wish to spend.

By using plywood you can put the plywood on top of the
cabinets to build a solid base. The thin counter top
would go on top of the layer or layers of plywood.
Again you would need shoe molding under the edge of
the counter. Is this cheaper? Maybe? Maybe not but it
is an alternative. A suggestion, idea or new way of
thinking. All these ideas help others with how they wish
to create their space.

Maybe it helped you.
Good luck with your new counters.
~boxerpups

boxerpups, thank you for sharing those pictures! What is the edge detail on the white (marble?) in the first picture?

Also, what do you mean by "Again you would need shoe molding under the edge of the counter."? Do you have any pictures?

Personally, I love a mitered edge as well as that first picture from boxerpups. Both look simple yet substantial.

tinker 2006- is your granite 3cm and the edge was laminated to make 6 cm?
looks fab! :)