The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Customization Rises Aesthetic Charm as well as Property Investment for Homeowners

1. From top-dollar residences in the San Francisco Bay Location to sprawling mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, differentiating property owners are requiring custom-made styles as well as surfaces in their kitchen areas. Particularly, they are seeking to share their individuality and also unique design preferences with the rapid expanding design product of selection-- concrete. In fact, concrete countertops have actually come to be somewhat of a standing sign for cooking areas, measuring up to granite as well as various other premium countertop surface alternatives. Customer Information Magazine (August 2004) placed concrete highest for its "personalization" and also "exclusivity" amongst high-end kitchen area counter tops. As a customized item, the amount of time and workmanship required to create concrete counter tops puts them as the most labor-intensive and also most costly among leading kitchen counter products. Nevertheless, concrete counter tops are becoming more available for those on a moderate budget. The latest diy (DIY) pattern to astound property owners as well as builders is building your very own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has actually gained appeal greatly as a result of Cheng's very popular book Concrete Countertops: Layout, Kinds, and also Ends Up for the New Cooking Area and also Bathroom (Taunton Press, 2002). According to average cost countertops kitchen Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the imaginative gains of collaborating with concrete are plentiful. THE SHOWSTOPPER Increasingly, homeowners are moving far from the monotonous, manufactured look of traditional countertop surfaces as well as picking concrete for its earthy, classic allure. Plus, the alternatives for individualizing concrete counter tops are endless: one can color, polish, stamp and also discolor concrete or imbed personal items like stones, seashells and also fossils into the countertop's surface, including sentiment and also character. Functional functions such as drainpipe boards, soap recipes, and also trivets can additionally be integrated to suit the house owners' own demands and also way of living. Concrete is gradually ending up being demystified as characteristically cool and also commercial. In contrary, this old-time material is cozy and also surprisingly responsive; people can not help yet touch their smooth, sleek surface areas. Realty agent Delight Rasmussen, that has actually recently sold her hill home-- a short-term financial investment residential or commercial property in Boat Springs, CO-- states her visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open residences, site visitors moved to the concrete countertops-- many individuals around right here have never seen them". Joy's 2,265 sq. ft. hill residence was customized build by her hubby, Ken Otterman, together with KJ Otterman, president of Standard Unique Customized Houses. They developed pour-in-place concrete counters for the

2. house's kitchen area and 3 washrooms 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, rust and gold tones-- that creates the backsplashes in the cooking area and bathrooms. As a design accent, little rectangular slate ceramic tiles were included in the edge of the washroom sinks, which supplied a special information to the customized vanities. When Joy and Ken determined to offer their house, their financial investment in concrete countertops confirmed its worth. "We had the ability to list the house $20,000 over market price, and had no worry selling it," remarks Joy, while discussing the lengthy checklist of upgrades throughout their house, consisting of knotty yearn strong doors, natural slate wall accents and hardwood floorings. "The concrete kitchen counters were quickly the most distinct as well as excellent of all the finishes. I believe they were a massive part in including worth to the house. Around here, all you see in residences are granite counter tops-- and also I really assume property buyers are getting rather numb with granite." " Concrete countertops are an one-of-a-kind offering to buyers who see the exact same surfaces utilized in house after home they see," describes Joy, offering her monitoring as a skilled realtor. "Having concrete kitchen counters practically offers you bragging rights-- you have something various from your neighbors." DAMAGING THE MOLD AND MILDEW An additional advantage of concrete is its versatility in either contemporary or traditional settings, specifically when combined with other materials like different steels, wood or stone. "Concrete includes many [opportunities] to rock, and also the combination with slate, which is extremely popular here, provides the mountain houses a general cozy, all-natural touch," says Delight. Happiness and also Ken have actually considering that developed a much larger residence (4,000 sq. ft.) that offers extensive sights of the Boat Ski Hotel as well as is indicated to function as a lasting investment for the couple. They have actually likewise expanded their listing of customized finishes, consisting of hand-troweled wall surfaces, classy oil-rubbed bronze equipment, knotty want doors that curve at the top, cupboards in a natural, knotty alder, and also their favored-- concrete cooking area counter tops. Unlike in their previous house, KJ and his specialty staff put charcoal-colored countertops utilizing the pre-cast approach in the unfinished cellar of the brand-new home. Prior to pouring the concrete, they sprinkled a range of semi-precious rocks in the mold consisting of Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl as well as Turquoise. After the surface was ground as well as lightly brightened, the completed outcome was an outstanding blend of colors, "By far, the Mother-of-Pearl was one of the most extraordinary," says Happiness. The L-shaped concrete countertop has a rough, rustic rock appearance, matching its sturdy country surroundings. An integral drain board and also trivets gives function and also added rate of interest to the concrete kitchen counter. All-natural slate backsplashes, distinct wall accents, as well as a butcher block kitchen counter at the kitchen island all reverberate with the traditional warmth and earthiness of the concrete counter tops. Pleasure as well as Ken's respective backgrounds in realty as well as custom homebuilding, and as financial investment buyers, have actually aided them realize that concrete kitchen counters can add remarkable aesthetic as well as monetary worth to a home. Concrete's modification and also "show-stopping" allure is like nothing else countertop surface. Cheng is a proponent of psychological aesthetic appeals and developing residences that capture these feelings, as when it comes to Happiness and Ken Otterman. Cheng ends: "Individuals really desire differentiation, something personal, something custom-made-- and also concrete can do that for them."