Granite or Concrete Countertops?
Countertops & Outdoor Kitchens - Chattanooga
By: Kathy Gilbert
COUNTERTOPS
For homes $300,000 and up, granite countertops are practically mandatory now, said Larry Clemmons, owner of Southeastern Solid Surfaces. If your price range is lower and you’re looking for a practical alternative, acrylic offers a nonporous, low-maintenance, attractive pebbled surface for half price or less, he added.
If you want something a bit edgier, try custom-made concrete countertops by Warren Cole of Chattanooga.
“Concrete is extremely customizable. And because granite’s so popular, some people are sick of it. They want an alternative,” Mr. Cole said.
Concrete starts at about $60 per square foot. Mr. Cole creates a custom mold after measuring the countertop. Colors can be almost any shade or tone. Objects can be set into the top. A booth display counter was embedded with copper slashes.
A client recently requested that a sea glass collection be set into counters. Fossils are another popular choice.
“There’s not a lot of upkeep. If you take good care of it, it lasts a lifetime,” Mr. Cole said.
TILE CHAIR
Outdoor living is in. Patios, outdoor kitchens, arbors, fireplaces, fire pits — all are more plush and lush than ever.
Looking to buy American? Top-quality American steel built-in and freestanding Fire Magic grills are on sale at Fine’s Hearth and Patio in Fort Oglethorpe.
“I like it (to support) our economy, and these are made of aircraft-grade stainless steel. Everything Chinese in stainless steel is recycled from scrap we sell to them,” he said.
A built-in range runs about $2,000 to $4,000.
To create settings for new appliances, Fine’s works closely with Scott Stoner’s Custom Stone & Tile Design and Rock Rankin’s Landscaping. Vance Jones creates original reclaimed and recycled furniture “and other neat things.”
Their booth at the Home Show pulled the look together: Tumbled-stone patio covered by rustic arbor, supported by 1886 posts from a local barn. Colors and a variety of textures are recommended for an alluring outdoor room, Mr. Rankin said.
Mr. Jones and Mr. Stoner teamed up to build a tiled lounge chair. Occasional chairs cased in tree bark or new cypress planks completed the natural, Earth-materials theme.
Is the cost and effort of a lavish patio worth it? Many people these days think so.
“A lot of people are spending as much money on their outside room as on their inside ones,” Mr. Jones said.
Learn more about granite countertops or concrete countertops
|
