Latex paint is made of plastic, and stainless steel is as processed as any other man-made product. Ceramic tile doesn't come out of the ground painted and fired. I have vinyl siding, composite decking, and Azek trim on my house. Love it! Previously had cedar and you couldn't pay me to go back -- I will never have to scrape or paint again. I liked the feel of my old house's resilient vinyl floors better than the $1/sf ceramic tile that improved it for resale (and broke numerous jars and tumblers). I'd have it in my bathrooms here if everyone hadn't looked aghast at the very idea of it, and on cold winter mornings I wish I'd stood my ground. Not because my choice is better or worse, but it would have been based on MY desires instead of someone elses. I think it's sad when people feel pressured to do otherwise, and it's offensive when people say, "Eeeewwww plaaassstic" about my Corian counters. I don't say "Ew, morgue" about stainless or "Ew, operating room" about all-white kitchens.

Hi All! I have learned sooooo much on this site. Thank you Mr. Corlett. I have had Corian countertops since 1998 with a granite composite under mount sink. Love the Corian, not the sink so much because it seems yellowed since installed. But I do a lot of canning so the sink has put up with a lot of beet juice and boiling hot water with minimal distress, no cracks. Just clean with Soft Scrub and bleach sometimes. We are now building a house. I am again using Corian for the countertops. I am considering either a Corian integrated sink 850 or an LG-HiMacs integrated sink 3118. I do not like the sink drain in the center of the sink as in the 3118 but that sink is an inch and a half longer than the Corian so better for skillet handles to fit in sink. Do you have an opinion as to the staining or cracking or other issue of either product I might consider before making my final decision? Thank you. Cynthia

Thought some more about this overnight. My dad was a dentist. Also built his own dental office. Corian everywhere. I have health issues, including a couple of surgeries. When you go to the doctor, or the hospital, Corian everywhere. Until I read this thread, I never really thought about why. I worked in a hospital 40 years ago, if I recall correctly, stainless steel was the thing then. It's all about keeping things clean. We have hard water, as do most people in the USA. Did not realize that hard water affects stone. I have never cut directly on a countertop, it will ruin your knives. I have never put a hot pot on a countertop and have no desire to do so. We do put hot pots in the sink, pour boiling water in the sink, so I am going to need a steel or enamel sink. Want a farmhouse sink anyway. This has been a very thought provoking discussion. Learned a lot.

Love this thread, thanks for bringing it back. My kitchen was done 8 years ago and I SOOO wish that Semihandmade had been around then (from DIY2's link). They would have saved me a lot of money and frustration with contractors. Anyway, my cabs are white and awhile ago, I saw a brilliant dark royal blue kitchen in a magazine. I thought maybe I'll do that some day, but don't think that's very realistic of me. However, it is time to repaint the walls, so I appreciate this discussion of color. They've been a cheerful cantaloupe and am thinking about a pale creamy yellow. The more dramatic option of the deep blue is also attractive. What to do...