The Value of Concrete Countertops: Personalization Increases Aesthetic Charm as well as Property Financial Investment fo

1. From top-dollar houses in the San Francisco Bay Area to stretching mountain houses in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating property owners are requiring customized layouts and surfaces in their kitchen areas. Particularly, they are aiming to share their individuality as well as unique style choices with the quick growing style product of selection-- concrete. In fact, concrete countertops have actually come to be somewhat of a condition symbol for kitchens, measuring up to granite and various other high-end countertop surface alternatives. Customer Information Publication (August 2004) rated concrete greatest for its "personalization" and "exclusivity" amongst premium kitchen area counter tops. As a custom-made product, the quantity of time and craftsmanship needed to generate concrete kitchen counters puts them as the most labor-intensive and also most expensive among leading kitchen counter materials. However, concrete counter tops are coming to be much more easily accessible for those on a modest budget. The most recent diy (Do It Yourself) pattern to astound homeowners and building contractors is developing your very own concrete counter top. This sensation has actually obtained appeal greatly due to Cheng's very successful book Concrete Countertops: Style, Kinds, and also Ends Up for the New Kitchen as well as Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the creative gains of dealing with concrete abound. THE SHOWSTOPPER Progressively, property owners are relocating far from the monotonous, manufactured appearance of typical kitchen counter surface areas as well as selecting concrete for its earthy, timeless allure. Plus, the options for customizing concrete counter tops are limitless: one can color, polish, stamp and also discolor concrete or imbed individual objects like rocks, seashells and also fossils right into the kitchen counter's surface area, adding belief as well as personality. Useful features such as drainpipe boards, soap recipes, and also trivets can also be incorporated to match the homeowners' very own needs and also lifestyle. Concrete is gradually coming to be demystified as classically cool as well as industrial. In contrary, this old-time product is warm and remarkably tactile; individuals can not help yet touch their smooth, sleek surface areas. Real estate representative Happiness Rasmussen, that has actually recently marketed her hill house-- a short-term investment residential property in Boat Springs, CO-- recounts her site visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open houses, site visitors was attracted to the concrete countertops-- lots of people around here have never ever seen them". Joy's 2,265 sq. ft. mountain residence was custom develop by her hubby, Ken Otterman, along with KJ Otterman, head of state of Classic Unique Custom Homes. They developed pour-in-place concrete counters for the residence's cooking area and three bathrooms by utilizing Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete counter tops were polished smooth, then coupled with natural slate of differing shades-- like charcoal, rust as well as gold tones-- that develops the backsplashes in the kitchen and bathrooms. As a layout accent, tiny rectangle-shaped slate ceramic tiles were contributed to the rim of the bathroom sinks, which provided a special detail to the customized vanities. When Delight and Ken determined to offer their residence, their investment in concrete countertops verified its value. "We were able to note your house $20,000 over market price, and also had no concrete countertops tools worry offering it," comments Pleasure, while discussing the lengthy list of upgrades throughout their house, consisting of knotty ache strong doors, natural slate wall surface accents as well as wood floorings. "The concrete countertops were conveniently one of the most one-of-a-kind as well as impressive of all the coatings. I believe they were a big part in including worth to the residence. Around right here, all you see in homes are granite countertops-- and also I truly assume buyers are obtaining quite numb with granite."

2. " Concrete countertops are a special offering to homebuyers who see the very same finishes utilized in residence after home they check out," explains Delight, supplying her monitoring as a skilled real estate professional. "Having concrete counter tops nearly offers you bragging legal rights-- you have something various from your neighbors." DAMAGING THE MOLD An additional benefit of concrete is its flexibility in either modern or conventional settings, particularly when coupled with various other products like varied steels, wood or stone. "Concrete includes numerous [possibilities] to rock, and also the mix with slate, which is extremely prominent below, gives the mountain homes a general warm, all-natural touch," states Delight. Happiness as well as Ken have actually given that developed a much bigger residence (4,000 sq. ft.) that provides expansive sights of the Steamboat Ski Resort and also is indicated to serve as a lasting investment for the couple. They've also expanded their list of personalized coatings, including hand-troweled wall surfaces, stylish oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty pine doors that arch at the top, cupboards in a natural, knotty alder, and their preferred-- concrete kitchen area counter tops. Unlike in their previous residence, KJ and his specialty team poured charcoal-colored counter tops using the pre- cast method in the unfinished cellar of the brand-new residence. Before pouring the concrete, they sprinkled a range of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl as well as Blue- green. After the surface was ground and also lightly brightened, the finished result was an impressive mix of colors, "Without a doubt, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most extraordinary," says Delight. The L-shaped concrete kitchen counter has a rough, rustic rock look, enhancing its sturdy nation environments. An indispensable drainpipe board and trivets provides feature and added rate of interest to the concrete countertop. Natural slate backsplashes, distinctive wall surface accents, and a butcher block counter top at the cooking area island all reverberate with the conventional warmth and also earthiness of the concrete counter tops. Delight and Ken's particular backgrounds in property and also customized homebuilding, and as financial investment property buyers, have actually aided them recognize that concrete counter tops can include remarkable visual and monetary value to a house. Concrete's personalization and also "show-stopping" allure resembles nothing else countertop surface. Cheng is a proponent of psychological visual appeals and constructing residences that catch these feelings, as when it comes to Happiness and Ken Otterman. Cheng ends: "Individuals actually desire distinction, something individual, something custom-- as well as concrete can do that for them."