The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Personalization Rises Visual Allure and Realty Financial Investment for Homeowners

1. From top-dollar houses in the San Francisco Bay Area to sprawling mountain residences in the Colorado Rockies, differentiating house owners are demanding customized designs as well as coatings in their kitchens. Specifically, they are seeking to express their uniqueness and also distinct layout choices with the fast growing design material of option-- concrete. Actually, concrete counter tops have actually become rather of a standing sign for kitchen areas, measuring up to granite as well as other premium countertop surface options. Consumer Information Magazine (August 2004) ranked concrete greatest for its "customization" and "exclusivity" among high-end cooking area countertops. As a customized item, the quantity of time as well as craftsmanship called for to produce concrete kitchen counters puts them as the most labor-intensive as well as priciest amongst leading kitchen counter materials. Nevertheless, concrete countertops are coming to be more obtainable for those on a moderate spending plan. The current do-it-yourself (Do It Yourself) trend to captivate home owners as well as building contractors is building your very own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has obtained appeal mainly because of Cheng's best-selling book Concrete Countertops: Design, Types, and also Ends Up 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 innovative gains of collaborating with concrete abound. THE SHOWSTOPPER Significantly, property owners are relocating away from the boring, manufactured appearance of typical countertop surface areas and also picking concrete for its natural, classic charm. Plus, the choices for individualizing concrete counter tops are unlimited: one can tint, polish, stamp and discolor concrete or imbed individual items like stones, seashells as well as fossils right into the kitchen counter's surface area, including view and also character. Functional features such as drain boards, soap recipes, and also trivets can additionally be incorporated to suit the house owners' very own needs and way of life. Concrete is gradually coming to be debunked as classically cool and commercial. In contrary, this olden product is cozy and remarkably tactile; people can not aid however touch their smooth, sleek surfaces. Property representative Delight Rasmussen, who has recently sold her hill house-- a temporary investment residential property in Steamboat Springs, Carbon Monoxide-- recounts her site visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open homes, visitors moved to the concrete kitchen counters-- many individuals around below have actually never ever seen them". Happiness's 2,265 sq. ft. mountain residence was custom construct by her hubby, Ken Otterman, together with KJ Otterman, head of state of Standard Special Custom Residences. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the residence's kitchen as well as 3 bathrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete countertops were brightened smooth, after that paired with natural slate of varying shades-- like charcoal, corrosion as well as gold tones-- that creates the backsplashes in the kitchen and bathrooms. As a style accent, tiny rectangular slate ceramic tiles were included in the kitchen countertops near me edge of the restroom sinks, which offered a special information to the custom-made vanities. When Happiness as well as Ken determined to market their residence, their investment in concrete countertops confirmed its value. "We had the ability to provide your home $20,000 over market price, as well as had no worry offering it," remarks Happiness, while discussing the lengthy list of upgrades throughout their house, including knotty yearn solid doors, natural slate wall accents and also hardwood floors. "The concrete kitchen counters were conveniently the most unique and also excellent of all the surfaces. I think they were a massive part in including value to the house. Around here, all you see in homes are granite countertops-- as well as I actually think property buyers are obtaining fairly numb with granite."

2. " Concrete counter tops are an one-of-a-kind offering to property buyers that see the exact same surfaces made use of in home after home they go to," describes Joy, using her monitoring as an experienced real estate agent. "Having concrete kitchen counters almost offers you bragging civil liberties-- you have something different from your neighbors." DAMAGING THE MOLD An additional advantage of concrete is its flexibility in either modern-day or traditional setups, specifically when combined with other materials like varied metals, wood or stone. "Concrete adds many [possibilities] to rock, as well as the mix with slate, which is extremely prominent here, provides the hill homes an overall cozy, all-natural touch," claims Delight. Happiness and also Ken have considering that built a much bigger residence (4,000 sq. ft.) that provides extensive views of the Boat Ski Resort as well as is meant to serve as a lasting financial investment for the pair. They've likewise broadened their checklist of custom finishes, consisting of hand-troweled walls, stylish oil-rubbed bronze equipment, knotty ache doors that curve at the top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and also their favored-- concrete kitchen area counter tops. Unlike in their previous house, KJ and his specialized crew poured charcoal-colored kitchen counters utilizing the pre-cast approach in the unfinished cellar of the new