Granite Countertops Reign
Granite & laminate Countertops reign but have rivals
By Judy Stark
ST. PETERSBURG TIMES
 Laminate and granite are still the king and queen of the countertop world, but there are more variations and more alternatives than ever. Last year, 32 percent of all kitchen countertops were laminate, up from 27 percent the year before. Granite remained in second place with 29 percent.
But even the reigning royalty need to stay competitive.
"People are getting tired of granite. They're starting to look for something new," says Nancy Braamse of Olde World Cabinetry in Largo, Fla.
Maybe that "something new" is a honed finish on granite instead of the highly polished surface everyone's accustomed to. Maybe it's more exotic granite patterns, "wild and crazy stuff from Africa, things you didn't see three or four years ago, things you don't see in every other house you go into," says remodeling contractor Daniel E. Ashline.
Or quartz, which looks a lot like granite, but requires less maintenance.
Or wood, particularly for kitchen islands.
Or maybe it's something really different, like countertops made of paper, or recycled glass (one manufacturer offers surfaces studded with chips of cobalt-blue SKYY vodka bottles), or banana-fiber laminate.
Solid surfaces such as Corian were the third most popular surface last year (16 percent), according to a consumer survey by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, followed by marble or other stone (9 percent), ceramic tile (7 percent), wood (5 percent) and other materials such as concrete or metal (4 percent). The association hasn't included quartz in its surveys but plans to do so next year.
Quartz is a popular choice among home builders, who like its uniformity and low maintenance, says Chris Stewart, president of International Granite and Stone in Odessa, Fla. They won't have to spend time sending buyers to a granite yard to pick their slab. They know that the sample they show a buyer is what the finished countertop will look like. There won't be any of the natural (often wild) variations of color, graining and pattern that granite offers.
The move to all things green has directed countertop choices toward recycled glass, paper or solid surfaces with recycled content such as Avonite. One manufacturer, EnviroGLAS, offers a surface called EnviroMODE, a terrazzo made from recycled toilets, tubs and sinks.
Before you pick a countertop surface, look at the rest of your kitchen, says Jeff Bourgholtzer, a kitchen-design consultant for Lowe's. Your cabinets, countertops, walls and lighting all need to coordinate, just as your shoes, belt, hat and bag need to look good together.
"Don't buy in a vacuum and then wonder why it doesn't look good," he says.
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