The value of concrete countertops personalization increases visual appeal and
The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Modification Boosts Aesthetic Appeal and
The Value of Concrete Countertops: Modification Boosts Aesthetic Appeal and Real Estate Financial investment for Homeowners
From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco Bay Location to sprawling mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating house owners are demanding custom-made designs and finishes in their kitchens. In specific, they are aiming to reveal their individuality and unique style preferences with the fast growing style material of choice concrete.
In truth, concrete counter tops have actually become somewhat of a status sign for cooking areas, measuring up to granite and other high-end countertop surface choices. Customer Reports Magazine (August 2004) ranked concrete greatest for its personalization and exclusivity among high-end kitchen area countertops.
As a custom-made product, the quantity of time and workmanship required to produce concrete counter tops puts them as the most labor-intensive and most costly amongst leading counter top materials.
However, concrete counter tops are becoming more available for those on a modest budget. The current diy (DO IT YOURSELF) trend to captivate homeowners and home builders is constructing your own concrete counter top. This phenomenon has gained popularity largely due to Chengs best-selling book Concrete Countertops: Design, Kinds, and Completes for the New Cooking Area and Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the imaginative gains of dealing with concrete are plentiful.
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Increasingly, property owners are moving away from the monotonous, manufactured look of conventional countertop surfaces and choosing concrete for its earthy, ageless appeal. Plus, the options for personalizing concrete countertops are unlimited: one can color, polish, stamp and stain concrete or imbed personal objects like stones, seashells and fossils into the countertops surface area, adding sentiment and character. Functional functions such as drain boards, soap meals, and trivets can also be incorporated to match the house owners own requirements and lifestyle.
Concrete is slowly becoming demystified as characteristically cold and commercial. In contrary, this age-old material is warm and remarkably tactile; individuals can not assist but touch their smooth, refined surfaces. Property agent Pleasure Rasmussen, who has just recently offered her mountain home a short-term investment home in Steamboat Springs, CO trusted plumber Mount Martha states her visitors experiences with concrete: When I had open homes, visitors gravitated to the concrete countertops lots of people around here have actually never ever seen them.
Joys 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was custom develop by her other half, Ken Otterman, in addition to KJ Otterman, president of Classic Special Custom-made reliable plumbing repairs Houses. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the homes kitchen area and three restrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete countertops were polished smooth, then paired 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 rectangle-shaped slate tiles were contributed to the rim of the restroom sinks, which provided a special detail to the custom vanities.
When Happiness and Ken decided to offer their home, their investment in concrete countertops proved its worth. We had the ability to note the house $20,000 over market value, and had no problems selling it, remarks Pleasure, while going over the long list of upgrades throughout their home, consisting of knotty pine strong doors, natural slate wall accents and wood floors. The licensed plumber Hastings concrete counter tops were quickly the most unique and impressive of all the surfaces. I think they were a big part in including worth to the home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite counter tops and I really think homebuyers are getting quite numb with granite.
Concrete countertops are an unique offering to property buyers who see the same surfaces utilized in home after home they check out, discusses Joy, using her observation as an experienced realtor. Having concrete counter tops almost offers you boasting rights you have something different from your next-door neighbors.
BREAKING THE MOLD
Another advantage of concrete is its adaptability in either contemporary or conventional settings, especially when paired with other materials like diverse metals, wood or stone. Concrete includes numerous [possibilities] to stone, and the mix with slate, which is extremely popular here, provides the mountain homes a total warm, natural touch, states Joy.
Joy and Ken have actually considering that built a much larger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that uses extensive views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is meant to function as a long-term investment for the couple. Theyve likewise broadened their list of custom surfaces, including hand-troweled walls, stylish oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty pine doors that arch at the top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and their preferred concrete kitchen area countertops.
Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialized crew poured charcoal-colored countertops using the pre-cast approach in the incomplete basement of the new home. Before putting the concrete, they sprayed an array of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Blue-green. After the surface area was ground and lightly polished, the completed result was an outstanding blend of colors, Without a doubt, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most extraordinary, states Joy.
The L-shaped concrete countertop has a rough, rustic stone appearance, complementing its rugged country surroundings. An essential drain board and trivets supplies 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 standard heat and earthiness of the concrete countertops.
Joy and Kens particular backgrounds in property and custom homebuilding, and as investment homebuyers, have actually assisted them understand that concrete countertops can include tremendous aesthetic and financial value to a home. Concretes personalization and show-stopping appeal resembles Cranbourne plumbing experts no other counter top surface. Cheng is a proponent of emotional aesthetic appeals and building homes that catch these feelings, as when it comes to Delight and Ken Otterman. Cheng concludes: Individuals really desire distinction, something personal, something custom-made and concrete can do that for them.
