The Value of Concrete Countertops: Personalization Rises Visual Allure as well as Real Estate Investment for Homeowners

1. From top-dollar houses in the San Francisco Bay Location to stretching mountain houses in the Colorado Mountain ranges, discriminating homeowners are demanding personalized designs and also surfaces in their kitchens. Particularly, they are aiming to share their originality as well as distinctive layout preferences with the fast growing style product of choice-- concrete. As a matter of fact, concrete countertops have actually become rather of a standing sign for cooking areas, matching granite as well as various other premium counter top surface options. Customer News Magazine (August 2004) ranked concrete greatest for its "modification" as well as "exclusivity" among premium cooking area counter tops. As a customized item, the amount of time as well as workmanship needed to produce concrete kitchen counters puts them as one of the most labor-intensive as well as most costly among leading countertop products. However, concrete kitchen counters are becoming more accessible for those on a modest spending plan. The most up to date do-it-yourself (DIY) fad to mesmerize homeowners and builders is building your very own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has actually obtained appeal greatly as a result of Cheng's best-selling publication Concrete Countertops: Layout, Types, and Finishes for the New Cooking Area and also Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little financial financial investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the creative gains of collaborating with concrete abound. THE SHOWSTOPPER Progressively, property owners are relocating away from the monotonous, manufactured appearance of traditional kitchen counter surfaces as well as picking concrete for its natural, ageless appeal. And also, the options for customizing concrete countertops are unlimited: one can tint, polish, stamp as well as discolor concrete or imbed individual things like rocks, seashells and fossils into the counter top's surface, including view and character. Useful features such as drain boards, soap meals, and also trivets can also be incorporated to match the property owners' own needs as well as lifestyle. Concrete is gradually ending up being demystified as typically chilly and also commercial. In contrary, this olden material is warm and surprisingly responsive; individuals can not aid however touch their smooth, polished surface areas. Property representative Joy Rasmussen, that has lately marketed her mountain home-- a temporary investment property in Steamboat Springs, CO-- recounts her visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open homes, site visitors gravitated to the concrete countertops-- many people around here have never ever seen them". Happiness's 2,265 sq. ft. mountain residence was customized develop by her other half, Ken Otterman, together with KJ Otterman, president of Classic Special Customized Houses. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the residence's kitchen as well as three restrooms by utilizing Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand- colored concrete countertops were brightened smooth, after that coupled with all-natural slate of varying shades- - like charcoal, corrosion and gold tones-- that creates the backsplashes in the cooking area and also bathrooms. As a design accent, tiny rectangular slate tiles were included in the edge of the restroom sinks, which provided an unique information to the personalized vanities. When Joy and also Ken decided to market their residence, their financial investment in concrete kitchen counters verified its worth. "We had the ability to detail your house $20,000 over market value, and had not a problem selling it," remarks Happiness, while discussing the long list of upgrades throughout their home, consisting of knotty pine solid doors, all-natural slate wall accents as well as wood floors. "The concrete countertops were easily the most one-of-a-kind and also remarkable of all the finishes. I believe they were a huge component in adding value to the home. Around below, all you see in homes are granite countertops-- and also I actually think buyers are obtaining quite numb with granite."

2. " Concrete kitchen counters are a distinct offering to property buyers who see the very same coatings utilized in residence after house they visit," explains Delight, providing her monitoring as a skilled real estate agent. "Having concrete countertops nearly offers you boasting legal rights-- you have something various from your neighbors." BREAKING THE MOLD AND MILDEW Another benefit of concrete is its adaptability in either modern-day or standard setups, specifically when paired with other materials like different metals, wood or stone. "Concrete adds many [possibilities] to stone, and the combination with slate, which is extremely prominent right here, gives the mountain houses a general cozy, all- natural touch," claims Delight. Delight as well as Ken have actually given that built a much larger residence (4,000 sq. ft.) that uses extensive views of the Boat Ski Resort as well as is meant to function as a lasting financial investment for the pair. They have actually also expanded their list of personalized coatings, consisting of hand-troweled walls, classy oil-rubbed bronze equipment, knotty ache doors that arch on top, closets in a natural, knotty alder, and also their favorite-- concrete kitchen area counter tops. Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialty crew put charcoal-colored counter tops making use of the pre- cast approach in the unfinished cellar of the new home. Prior to putting the concrete, they sprinkled a selection of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and also Blue-green. After the surface was ground and gently polished, the completed result was an outstanding mix of colors, "Without a doubt, the Mother-of-Pearl was one of the most extraordinary," says countertops to match grey cabinets Delight. The L-shaped concrete counter top has a harsh, rustic rock look, matching its sturdy nation environments. An integral drainpipe board as well as trivets offers function as well as included passion to the concrete kitchen counter. Natural slate backsplashes, distinctive wall surface accents, and a butcher block kitchen counter at the kitchen area island all reverberate with the typical warmth as well as earthiness of the concrete countertops. Pleasure and Ken's particular backgrounds in realty as well as personalized homebuilding, and as financial investment property buyers, have actually aided them understand that concrete counter tops can include significant aesthetic as well as financial worth to a home. Concrete's personalization and "show-stopping" charm resembles no other countertop surface area. Cheng is a proponent of emotional appearances as well as developing residences that catch these emotions, as in the case of Joy and also Ken Otterman. Cheng ends: "Individuals truly want differentiation, something personal, something custom-- and concrete can do that for them."