The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Personalization Rises Visual Charm as well as Real Estate Investment for Homeowners

1. From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco Bay Area to sprawling mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, differentiating property owners are requiring personalized styles and surfaces in their kitchen areas. Particularly, they are wanting to reveal their individuality and distinctive style choices with the rapid expanding style product of option-- concrete. As a matter of fact, concrete counter tops have actually come to be rather of a status sign for cooking areas, equaling granite as well as other premium countertop surface alternatives. Consumer Reports Magazine (August 2004) rated concrete highest for its "personalization" and "exclusivity" among premium cooking area counter tops. As a custom-made item, the amount of time as well as craftsmanship called for to produce concrete countertops puts them as one of the most labor-intensive and also priciest amongst leading kitchen counter products. Nevertheless, concrete countertops are coming to be a lot more easily accessible for those on a modest budget plan. The most recent do-it-yourself (DIY) pattern to mesmerize house owners and also contractors is developing your own concrete kitchen counter. This sensation has actually gotten popularity largely due to Cheng's very popular book Concrete Countertops: Design, Forms, and Finishes for the New Kitchen as well as Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary financial investment in making concrete countertops, yet the creative gains of collaborating with concrete are plentiful. THE SHOWSTOPPER Significantly, homeowners are moving away from the dull, manufactured appearance of traditional counter top surfaces and selecting concrete for its natural, timeless allure. Plus, the options for personalizing concrete kitchen counters are countless: one can color, polish, stamp and also discolor concrete or imbed personal objects like stones, seashells and also fossils into the counter top's surface, adding belief and personality. Functional attributes such as drain boards, soap dishes, and trivets can also be incorporated to match the home owners' very own demands as well as way of living. Concrete is gradually becoming demystified as classically cold and commercial. In contrary, this old-time product is cozy and also remarkably responsive; people can not aid but touch their smooth, polished surface areas. Property representative Happiness Rasmussen, that has lately marketed her hill residence-- a short-term financial investment property in Steamboat Springs, Carbon Monoxide-- states her visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open houses, visitors gravitated to the concrete counter tops-- many people around here have never ever seen them". Happiness's 2,265 sq. ft. mountain house was customized develop by her granite countertops with sparkles husband, Ken Otterman, together with KJ Otterman, head of state of Standard Special Personalized Residences. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the home's kitchen area as well as 3 restrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their overview. The sand-colored concrete counter tops were brightened smooth, then paired with natural slate of varying shades-- like charcoal, rust and also gold tones-- that creates the backsplashes in the cooking area and also baths. As a design accent, small rectangular slate ceramic tiles were contributed to the rim of the washroom sinks, which supplied an one-of-a-kind detail to the custom vanities. When Pleasure and also Ken decided to sell their home, their financial investment in concrete counter tops verified its worth. "We had the ability to note your house $20,000 over market price, and had no worry offering it," comments Pleasure, while going over the long listing of upgrades throughout their residence, consisting of knotty pine strong doors, natural slate wall accents and hardwood floorings. "The concrete countertops were quickly one of the most one-of-a-kind as well as excellent of all the coatings. I think they were a massive part in adding worth to the home. Around right here, all you see in residences are granite countertops-- as well as I really believe buyers are obtaining fairly numb with granite."

2. " Concrete countertops are an unique offering to buyers that see the same finishes used in house after residence they go to," discusses Joy, using her monitoring as a seasoned real estate professional. "Having concrete counter tops practically provides you boasting rights-- you have something various from your next-door neighbors." DAMAGING THE MOLD AND MILDEW Another advantage of concrete is its flexibility in either modern-day or typical setups, particularly when coupled with other materials like different metals, timber or stone. "Concrete includes so many [opportunities] to stone, and also the mix with slate, which is hugely popular here, offers the mountain residences an overall warm, all- natural touch," claims Happiness. Delight and Ken have since developed a much bigger house (4,000 sq. ft.) that supplies extensive sights of the Steamboat Ski Resort as well as is suggested to work as a lasting financial investment for the pair. They've likewise expanded their checklist of custom coatings, consisting of hand-troweled walls, sophisticated oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty ache doors that arch at the top, cabinets in an all-natural, knotty alder, as well as their favorite-- concrete kitchen countertops. Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialized crew put charcoal-colored countertops making use of the pre-cast method in the incomplete cellar of the new residence. Prior to pouring the concrete, they sprayed a variety of semi-precious stones in the mold and mildew including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Turquoise. After the surface was ground and gently brightened, the completed result was an outstanding mix of colors, "Without a doubt, the Mother-of-Pearl was one of the most extraordinary," states Happiness. The L-shaped concrete counter top has a harsh, rustic stone appearance, enhancing its rugged nation surroundings. An indispensable drainpipe board and also trivets provides feature and also included rate of interest to the concrete kitchen counter. All-natural slate backsplashes, distinctive wall accents, and a butcher block countertop at the kitchen area island all resonate with the standard warmth and earthiness of the concrete countertops. Delight and also Ken's respective backgrounds in realty and also custom homebuilding, and also as financial investment homebuyers, have actually aided them understand that concrete countertops can add tremendous aesthetic and also financial worth to a house. Concrete's modification and also "show-stopping" appeal resembles no other counter top surface. Cheng is a proponent of emotional appearances as well as building houses that catch these emotions, as when it comes to Happiness and also Ken Otterman. Cheng concludes: "Individuals actually desire distinction, something personal, something custom-- and concrete can do that for them."