The Value of Concrete Countertops: Customization Boosts Visual Appeal and
The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Modification Boosts Visual Appeal and Realty Investment for Homeowners
From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco Bay Area to sprawling mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating house owners are requiring custom-made designs and surfaces in their kitchens. In particular, they are aiming to express their uniqueness and unique design preferences with the fast growing style material of option concrete.
In reality, concrete counter tops have become rather of a status sign for kitchen areas, rivaling granite and other high-end countertop surface area options. Consumer Reports Magazine (August 2004) ranked concrete greatest for its modification and exclusivity amongst high-end kitchen area countertops.
As a customized item, the amount of time and workmanship needed to produce concrete countertops positions them as the most labor-intensive and most expensive among leading countertop products.
However, concrete counter tops are ending up being more available for those on a modest budget plan. The current do-it-yourself (DIY) trend to mesmerize property owners and builders is constructing your own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has acquired popularity mostly due to Chengs very popular book Concrete Countertops: Design, Types, and Ends Up for the New Kitchen Area and Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary financial investment in making concrete countertops, yet the creative gains of dealing with concrete are plentiful.
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Increasingly, homeowners are moving far from the monotonous, manufactured appearance of traditional counter top surface areas and selecting concrete for its earthy, timeless appeal. Plus, the choices for customizing concrete counter tops are unlimited: one can color, polish, stamp and stain concrete or imbed individual items like stones, seashells and fossils into the countertops surface, adding belief and character. Functional features such as drain boards, soap dishes, and trivets can likewise be incorporated to match the house owners own needs and lifestyle.
Concrete is gradually ending up being demystified as characteristically cold and industrial. In contrary, this age-old material is warm and remarkably tactile; individuals can not assist but touch their smooth, refined surface areas. Property agent Happiness Rasmussen, who has actually recently offered her mountain home a short-term financial investment residential or commercial property in Steamboat Springs, CO recounts her visitors experiences with concrete: When I had open houses, visitors gravitated to the concrete counter tops lots of people around here have never ever seen them.
Joys 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was custom-made construct by her hubby, Ken Otterman, along with KJ Otterman, president of Classic Special Custom-made Homes. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the homes kitchen area and three restrooms by utilizing Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete counter tops were polished smooth, then paired with natural slate of varying colors like charcoal, rust and gold tones that forms the backsplashes in the cooking area and baths. As a design accent, small rectangular slate tiles were Fix-It Right Plumbing contributed to the rim of the bathroom sinks, which provided a special information to the customized vanities.
When Happiness and Ken chose to sell their home, their financial investment in concrete counter tops proved its value. We had the ability to note your home $20,000 over market value, and had no issues offering it, remarks Pleasure, while going over the long list of upgrades throughout their home, consisting of knotty pine solid doors, natural slate wall accents and wood floors. The concrete counter tops were quickly the most distinct and impressive Browse this site of all the finishes. I believe they were a substantial part in adding value to the home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite counter tops and I really think property buyers are getting quite numb with granite.
Concrete countertops are a special offering to homebuyers who see the same finishes utilized in house after home they go to, discusses Happiness, offering her observation as a seasoned real estate agent. Having concrete countertops almost provides you boasting rights you have something different from your neighbors.
BREAKING THE MOLD
Another benefit of concrete is its flexibility in either modern-day or standard settings, particularly when paired with other products like diverse metals, wood or stone. Concrete adds many [possibilities] to stone, and the mix with slate, which is extremely popular here, provides the mountain homes an overall warm, natural touch, says Joy.
Joy and Ken have actually since built a much larger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that provides expansive views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is suggested to function as a long-lasting financial investment for the couple. Theyve also broadened their list of customized surfaces, including hand-troweled walls, classy oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty pine doors that arch at the top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and their preferred concrete kitchen countertops.
Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialized crew put charcoal-colored counter tops using the pre-cast approach in the unfinished basement of the new home. Before putting the concrete, they sprinkled a selection of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Turquoise. After the surface was ground and gently polished, the completed outcome was an impressive blend of colors, Without a doubt, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most amazing, states Happiness.
The L-shaped concrete counter top has a rough, rustic stone look, matching its rugged nation environments. An important drain board and trivets provides function and added interest to the concrete counter top. Natural slate backsplashes, distinct wall accents, and a butcher block counter top at the kitchen area island all resonate with the traditional heat and earthiness of the concrete counter tops.
