The Value of Concrete Countertops: Modification Rises Visual Charm as well as Realty Investment for Homeowners

1. From top-dollar residences in the San Francisco Bay Area to stretching mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating home owners are demanding custom styles and coatings in their cooking areas. Specifically, they are aiming to share their uniqueness and also distinctive layout choices with the quick expanding style product of choice-- concrete. In fact, concrete counter tops have actually become somewhat of a standing sign for cooking areas, matching granite as well as other premium countertop surface alternatives. Customer Reports Magazine (August 2004) rated concrete greatest for its "personalization" and "exclusivity" amongst high-end kitchen area counter tops. As a customized item, the amount of time and also craftsmanship needed to produce concrete countertops places them as the most labor-intensive as well as most costly among leading countertop products. However, concrete counter tops are ending up being extra accessible for those on a small budget plan. The most up to date do-it-yourself (DIY) pattern to mesmerize property owners and also building contractors is developing your very own concrete kitchen counter. This phenomenon has actually gotten appeal mainly because of Cheng's very popular book Concrete Countertops: Design, Forms, as well as Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bathroom (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the innovative gains of working with concrete are plentiful. THE SHOWSTOPPER Increasingly, house owners are relocating far from the tedious, manufactured appearance of typical counter top surfaces and picking concrete for its earthy, timeless allure. And also, the options for personalizing concrete kitchen counters are endless: one can color, gloss, stamp as well as discolor concrete or imbed personal objects like stones, seashells and fossils right into the counter top's surface area, adding view and personality. Functional attributes such as drainpipe boards, soap dishes, and trivets can likewise be integrated to match the home laminate countertops denver colorado owners' own requirements and also lifestyle. Concrete is slowly becoming demystified as characteristically chilly as well as commercial. In contrary, this old-time product is warm as well as remarkably tactile; individuals can not help but touch their smooth, refined surface areas. Property representative Happiness Rasmussen, that has actually just recently marketed her hill house-- a temporary financial investment residential property in Steamboat Springs, Carbon Monoxide-- recounts her site visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open residences, site visitors was attracted to the concrete countertops-- many individuals around right here have never ever seen them". Happiness's 2,265 sq. ft. hill residence was custom-made construct by her husband, Ken Otterman, along with KJ Otterman, head of state of Classic Special Custom-made Homes. They developed pour-in-place concrete counters for the residence's kitchen area as well as three washrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete countertops were brightened smooth, after that coupled with natural slate of varying shades-- like charcoal, corrosion and also gold tones-- that forms the backsplashes in the cooking area as well as baths. As a layout accent, tiny rectangular slate ceramic tiles were contributed to the edge of the restroom sinks, which offered an unique detail to the personalized vanities. When Delight and Ken decided to market their house, their financial investment in concrete countertops confirmed its value. "We were able to provide your house $20,000 over market price, and had no problems offering it," comments Happiness, while reviewing the lengthy listing of upgrades throughout their house, consisting of knotty ache solid doors, natural slate wall surface accents and also hardwood floorings. "The concrete kitchen counters were easily the most unique as well as outstanding of all the finishes. I think they were a significant part in adding worth to the residence. Around here, all you see in homes are granite kitchen counters--

2. as well as I really think homebuyers are getting fairly numb with granite." " Concrete countertops are a special offering to homebuyers who see the exact same surfaces made use of in home after residence they visit," describes Pleasure, providing her monitoring as an experienced real estate agent. "Having concrete kitchen counters virtually provides you bragging civil liberties-- you have something various from your next-door neighbors." DAMAGING THE MOLD One more benefit of concrete is its adaptability in either modern or standard setups, especially when combined with various other products like diverse steels, wood or rock. "Concrete includes numerous [possibilities] to stone, and the combination with slate, which is hugely preferred right here, provides the hill houses a general cozy, all- natural touch," claims Happiness. Pleasure as well as Ken have actually given that developed a much bigger house (4,000 sq. ft.) that offers extensive sights of the Steamboat Ski Resort and also is suggested to act as a lasting financial investment for the couple. They've additionally broadened their listing of customized coatings, including hand-troweled walls, sophisticated oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty yearn doors that arch at the top, closets in a natural, knotty alder, and their favored-- concrete kitchen countertops. Unlike in their previous residence, KJ and his specialty team poured charcoal-colored kitchen counters utilizing the pre-cast approach in the incomplete basement of the brand-new residence. Prior to pouring the concrete, they sprinkled a range of semi-precious rocks in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Blue-green. After the surface area was ground and lightly polished, the completed result was an outstanding mix of colors, "Without a doubt, the Mother-of-Pearl was one of the most extraordinary," states Pleasure. The L-shaped concrete countertop has a rough, rustic stone appearance, enhancing its sturdy country environments. An indispensable drain board as well as trivets supplies feature and also added interest to the concrete kitchen counter. Natural slate backsplashes, distinct wall accents, as well as a butcher block countertop at the kitchen island all resonate with the conventional warmth and earthiness of the concrete counter tops. Joy as well as Ken's particular backgrounds in realty as well as custom homebuilding, and as investment homebuyers, have actually assisted them understand that concrete counter tops can add tremendous visual and monetary value to a home. Concrete's customization and "show-stopping" charm is like nothing else counter top surface. Cheng is a proponent of emotional appearances and developing residences that record these emotions, as when it comes to Joy and Ken Otterman. Cheng wraps up: "Individuals really desire distinction, something individual, something personalized-- as well as concrete can do that for them."