The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Modification Rises Visual Allure and also Realty Investment for Homeowners

1. From top-dollar houses in the San Francisco Bay Location to sprawling hill houses in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating homeowners are demanding custom layouts and also coatings in their kitchen areas. In particular, they are wanting to express their originality and also distinct style preferences with the quick growing style product of option-- concrete. Actually, concrete counter tops have come to be rather of a standing symbol for kitchen areas, equaling granite and various other high-end kitchen counter surface area options. Consumer Information Publication (August 2004) ranked concrete highest for its "personalization" and "exclusivity" among high-end cooking area counter tops. As a customized item, the amount of time as well as craftsmanship required to generate concrete counter tops puts them as one of the most labor-intensive as well as priciest amongst leading countertop products. Nonetheless, concrete counter tops are becoming much more easily accessible for those on a small budget. The current diy (DIY) pattern to captivate homeowners and home builders is building your very own concrete kitchen counter. This phenomenon has actually acquired popularity largely due to Cheng's very popular book Concrete Countertops: Design, Types, and Ends Up for the New Kitchen and also Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete kitchen counters, yet the innovative gains of collaborating with concrete are plentiful. THE SHOWSTOPPER Significantly, homeowners are moving away from the tedious, manufactured appearance of typical kitchen counter surfaces and also selecting concrete for its natural, timeless charm. And also, the choices for customizing concrete countertops are countless: one can tint, polish, stamp as well as tarnish concrete or imbed personal objects like rocks, seashells as well as fossils into the kitchen counter's surface area, including view and also character. Practical functions such as drain boards, soap recipes, and also trivets can likewise be integrated to fit the home owners' very own demands and way of living. Concrete is slowly ending up being debunked as classically cool as well as industrial. In contrary, this age-old material is warm and also surprisingly responsive; people can not aid yet touch their smooth, refined surfaces. Property representative Happiness Rasmussen, who has recently offered her hill home-- a short-term financial investment residential property in Steamboat Springs, CO-- recounts her site visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open homes, visitors moved to the concrete countertops-- many individuals around here have actually never seen them". Delight's 2,265 sq. ft. hill home was personalized build by her spouse, Ken Otterman, together with KJ Otterman, head of state of Classic Special Personalized Homes. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the residence's kitchen as well as three bathrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their overview. The sand-colored concrete counter tops were polished smooth, then paired with natural slate of differing shades-- like charcoal, corrosion and gold tones-- that develops the backsplashes in the kitchen as well as baths. As a style accent, tiny rectangular

2. slate floor tiles were included in the rim of the washroom sinks, which supplied an one-of-a-kind detail to the personalized vanities. When Happiness and also Ken made a decision to offer their house, their investment in concrete kitchen counters confirmed its value. "We were able to provide your house $20,000 over market price, and also had no worry offering it," comments Joy, while going over the lengthy checklist of upgrades throughout their house, including knotty want solid doors, natural slate wall surface accents and wood floors. "The concrete countertops were conveniently the most unique and also impressive of all the coatings. I believe they were a big component in including value to the house. Around below, all you see in residences are granite countertops-- as well as I really think buyers are obtaining rather numb with granite." " Concrete countertops are a special offering to homebuyers who see the very same finishes utilized in house after home they check out," explains Happiness, offering her monitoring as a skilled real estate agent. "Having concrete kitchen counters nearly provides you boasting civil liberties-- you have something various from your neighbors." DAMAGING THE MOLD AND MILDEW Another benefit of concrete is its adaptability in either contemporary or conventional settings, specifically when combined with other products like different metals, wood or rock. "Concrete includes many [possibilities] to stone, and the combination with slate, which is widely countertops sink preferred here, gives the hill homes a general warm, all-natural touch," claims Delight. Delight as well as Ken have actually because built a much larger house (4,000 sq. ft.) that offers expansive views of the Steamboat Ski Hotel and is implied to function as a long-lasting investment for the pair. They've likewise broadened their list of custom coatings, including hand-troweled wall surfaces, classy oil-rubbed bronze equipment, knotty pine doors that curve on top, closets in an all-natural, knotty alder, and their favored-- concrete cooking area counter tops. Unlike in their previous home, KJ as well as his specialty team poured charcoal-colored kitchen counters utilizing the pre-cast approach in the unfinished cellar of the brand-new