The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Customization Increases Visual Appeal and
The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Customization Increases Visual Appeal and Property Investment for Homeowners
From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco Bay Location to sprawling mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating property owners are demanding custom-made designs and surfaces in their kitchens. In specific, they are looking to reveal their uniqueness and distinct design preferences with the fast growing style product of option concrete.
In fact, concrete counter tops have actually ended up being somewhat of a status sign for kitchen areas, rivaling granite and other high-end countertop surface area options. Customer Reports Publication (August 2004) ranked concrete greatest for its customization and exclusivity among high-end cooking area countertops.
However, concrete countertops are becoming more available for those on a modest budget. The current diy (DO IT YOURSELF) pattern to mesmerize homeowners and contractors is constructing your own concrete counter top. This phenomenon has actually gained appeal mostly due to Chengs very popular book Concrete Countertops: Design, Kinds, and Finishes for the New Kitchen Area and Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the innovative gains of dealing with concrete are plentiful.
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Increasingly, house owners are moving away from the monotonous, manufactured appearance of traditional countertop surface areas and selecting concrete for its earthy, timeless appeal. Plus, the options for individualizing concrete countertops are unlimited: one can color, polish, stamp and stain concrete or imbed personal things like stones, seashells and fossils into the counter tops plumbing article surface area, including belief and character. Functional functions such as drain boards, soap meals, and trivets can also be integrated to fit the homeowners own requirements and lifestyle.
Concrete is gradually becoming debunked as characteristically cold and commercial. In contrary, this olden product is warm and surprisingly tactile; individuals can not help however touch their smooth, sleek surfaces. Property agent Delight Rasmussen, who has recently sold her mountain home a short-term investment home in Steamboat Springs, CO recounts her visitors experiences with concrete: When I had open homes, visitors gravitated to the concrete counter tops many individuals around here have actually never ever seen them.
Joys 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was custom construct by her partner, Ken Otterman, in addition to KJ Otterman, president of Classic Special Custom-made Residences. They developed 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 coupled with natural slate of differing colors like charcoal, rust and gold tones that forms the backsplashes in the kitchen and baths. As a style accent, little rectangular slate tiles were contributed to the rim of the restroom sinks, which offered an unique detail to the customized vanities.
When Joy and Ken chose to sell their home, their financial investment in concrete counter tops proved its value. We were able to list your home $20,000 over market value, and had no problems selling it, remarks Happiness, while talking about the long list of upgrades throughout their house, including knotty pine strong doors, natural slate wall accents and hardwood floors. The concrete countertops were easily the most special and excellent of all the surfaces. I think they were a substantial part in adding worth to the home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite countertops and I truly think homebuyers are getting rather numb with granite.
Concrete countertops are a special offering to homebuyers who see the very same finishes utilized in house after house they check out, describes Happiness, providing her observation as an experienced realtor. Having concrete counter tops practically provides you bragging rights you have something various from your neighbors.
BREAKING THE MOLD
Another advantage of concrete is its flexibility in either modern or conventional settings, particularly when combined with other products like varied metals, wood or stone. Concrete adds many [possibilities] to stone, and the mix with slate, which is hugely popular here, offers the mountain homes a general warm, read expert advice natural touch, states Happiness.
Joy and Ken have given that constructed a much bigger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that uses extensive views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is suggested to work as a long-term financial investment for the couple. Theyve also broadened their list of custom-made finishes, including hand-troweled walls, sophisticated oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty pine doors that arch at the top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and their favorite concrete cooking area countertops.
Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialty crew put charcoal-colored counter tops using the pre-cast technique in the incomplete basement of the new home. Before pouring the concrete, they sprinkled a variety of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Blue-green. After the surface was ground and lightly polished, the finished outcome was an excellent mix of colors, Without a doubt, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most incredible, states Happiness.
The L-shaped concrete countertop has a rough, rustic stone appearance, complementing its rugged country environments. An essential drain board and trivets provides function and added interest to the concrete countertop. Natural slate backsplashes, distinct wall accents, and a butcher block counter top at the kitchen island all resonate with the traditional heat and earthiness of the concrete counter tops.
Joy and Kens particular backgrounds in property and customized homebuilding, and as investment homebuyers, have helped them recognize that concrete countertops can add incredible aesthetic and financial worth to a home. Concretes modification and show-stopping appeal is like no other counter top surface. Cheng is a proponent of emotional aesthetic appeals and developing homes that capture these feelings, as in the case of Happiness and Ken Otterman. Cheng concludes: Individuals actually want differentiation, something individual, something custom-made and concrete can do that for them.