The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Personalization Rises Aesthetic Appeal as well as Realty Investment for Homeowners

1. From top-dollar houses in the San Francisco Bay Area to sprawling hill residences in the Colorado Mountain ranges, discriminating home owners are demanding customized designs and coatings in their kitchen areas. In particular, they are aiming to share their uniqueness and also distinct design preferences with the rapid expanding design product of choice-- concrete. Actually, concrete counter tops have actually ended up being somewhat of a condition symbol for kitchen areas, matching granite and various other high-end kitchen counter surface area alternatives. Consumer Information Magazine (August 2004) rated concrete highest possible for its "modification" as well as "exclusivity" among high- end cooking area counter tops. As a custom-made product, the quantity of time as well as workmanship called for to generate concrete counter tops puts them as the most labor-intensive as well as priciest amongst leading kitchen counter products. However, concrete kitchen counters are ending up being extra available for those on a small budget plan. The current do-it-yourself (DIY) pattern to captivate home owners as well as builders is building your very own concrete counter top. This phenomenon has actually gained appeal greatly as a result of Cheng's best-selling book Concrete Countertops: Design, Forms, as well as Ends Up for the New Kitchen Area as well as Bathroom (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little financial financial investment in making concrete kitchen counters, yet the imaginative gains of working with concrete abound. THE SHOWSTOPPER Significantly, homeowners are moving far from the monotonous, manufactured look of standard kitchen counter surfaces and choosing concrete for its natural, ageless charm. Plus, the alternatives for personalizing concrete countertops are limitless: one can tint, polish, stamp and also stain concrete or imbed personal things like rocks, seashells and also fossils into the countertop's surface area, adding sentiment and character. Practical functions such as drainpipe boards, soap dishes, and also trivets can likewise be integrated to suit the homeowners' very own needs and also lifestyle. Concrete is gradually coming to be demystified as typically chilly and industrial. In contrary, this olden material is cozy as well as remarkably tactile; people can not help yet touch their smooth, refined surface areas. Property representative Delight Rasmussen, who has recently sold her mountain home-- a short-term financial investment home in Steamboat Springs, Carbon Monoxide-- states her site visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open residences, visitors moved to the concrete countertops-- many individuals around here have actually never ever seen them". Joy's 2,265 sq. ft. hill home was customized develop by her hubby, Ken Otterman, together with KJ Otterman, president of Standard Special Customized Homes. They developed pour-in-place concrete counters for the residence's kitchen area and three restrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete counter tops were brightened smooth, after that paired with all-natural slate of varying colors-- like charcoal, corrosion and gold tones-- that forms the backsplashes in the cooking area and also bathrooms. As a layout accent, small rectangle-shaped slate floor tiles were included in the edge of the washroom sinks, which gave a special information to the custom vanities. When Happiness as well as Ken decided to sell their residence, their financial investment in concrete kitchen counters verified its value. "We had the ability to note your home $20,000 over market price, and also had not a problem selling it," remarks Happiness, while talking about the long list of upgrades throughout their home, consisting of knotty ache strong doors, all-natural slate wall accents as well as hardwood floors. "The concrete counter tops were conveniently one of the most special and also outstanding of all the finishes. I believe they were a significant component in adding value to the house. Around below, all you see in houses are granite kitchen counters-- and also I actually think buyers are obtaining quite numb with granite."

2. " Concrete countertops are a distinct offering to buyers who see the very same finishes made use of in house after house they go to," explains Pleasure, providing her observation as an experienced realtor. "Having concrete countertops almost offers you boasting civil liberties-- you have something various from your neighbors." DAMAGING THE MOLD AND MILDEW An additional benefit of concrete is its flexibility in either modern-day or standard settings, specifically when coupled with other products like different steels, timber or stone. "Concrete includes a lot of [opportunities] to rock, and also the combination with slate, which is widely prominent here, gives the hill residences an overall cozy, natural touch," says Delight. Delight and Ken have since developed a much bigger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that uses expansive views of the Boat Ski Resort as well as is meant to serve as a long-term financial investment for the pair. They have actually likewise expanded their list of customized finishes, including hand-troweled wall surfaces, classy oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty want doors that arch on top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and their favored-- concrete cooking area counter tops. Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialty team poured charcoal-colored kitchen counters using the pre- cast approach in the unfinished basement of countertops hastings ne the brand-new house. Prior to pouring the concrete, they sprayed a range of semi-precious rocks in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of- Pearl and also Blue-green. After the surface area was ground and lightly brightened, the completed outcome was an excellent mix of shades, "By far, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most amazing," claims Happiness. The L-shaped concrete kitchen counter has a rough, rustic rock appearance, complementing its tough country environments. An integral drainpipe board and also trivets provides feature and included rate of interest to the concrete kitchen counter. All-natural slate backsplashes, distinct wall surface accents, and a butcher block countertop at the kitchen area island all resonate with the traditional heat as well as earthiness of the concrete countertops. Happiness and Ken's particular backgrounds in property as well as custom homebuilding, and as financial investment homebuyers, have actually helped them understand that concrete countertops can add tremendous aesthetic as well as financial value to a residence. Concrete's personalization as well as "show-stopping" allure is like no other counter top surface area. Cheng is a supporter of psychological appearances as well as constructing residences that capture these emotions, as in the case of Happiness as well as Ken Otterman. Cheng wraps up: "Individuals truly desire distinction, something individual, something personalized-- and also concrete can do that for them."