Old Goats Ridge Notes: Countertop Guru Joni Petro Chimes in on Choosing the Right Surface

Old Goats Ridge Notes: Countertop Guru Joni Petro Chimes in on Choosing the Right Surface

At Old Goats, we spend a lot of time designing and creating functional and unique spaces with cabinetry and hardware, but countertops are a complementary and important part of the process. Granite? Quartz? Concrete? And do I go dark, light? Will dark show water stains? Will light give away my red wine habit? Yeah, we know. It’s overwhelming. Cheers to that. 

In its recent article, "Demystifying Kitchen Countertops," Artistic Tile offers some great advice. “Countertops are not meant to be changed with frequency. You’re likely to live with the countertop you select for many years, using it daily, and experiencing it every time you enter the room. It will be a statement about who you are, what you love, and how you see yourself.  Natural stone countertops are unique – no two are exactly alike. They’re drawn from the earth, made by nature, and are durable and beautiful, with a depth and character that – should you choose to allow it – can change over time, evolving with you – or that may be maintained in or restored to a pristine state with relative ease.  They are sanitary surfaces, easily cleaned, and are a primary focal point of most spaces they are installed into. Man-made imitations will never be as unique, beautiful or storied as a slab of real stone, forged by nature, pulled from the earth, sliced and finished into a singular work of natural art. You’ll likely live with your countertops for a long time. Choose a material that you love.”

As someone who lives and breaths kitchen spaces (and more importantly, as a mother of three), these are the things I tell my clients to consider when choosing countertops: 

1. Function first. Our default is to choose a countertop that stylistically matches our cabinets, complements our floors, and falls into the matte or sheen category. And all of those things are important, really important. But the biggest thing to consider when choosing the right countertop surface is how you’ll use it. Do you tend to accidentally set a pot of boiling pasta on your counter? If so, quartz is probably not a great choice, but granite could be. Do you want something industrial, a surface you don’t have to handle with kid gloves (or aren’t afraid to let your kids handle)? Concrete is a great modern option. 

2. Shiny or not so much. Something people often overlook when choosing a countertop is its sheen, or lack thereof. Marble tends to offer a very shiny surface, while granite can be honed down and concrete even more so. Quartz comes in matte finishes as well, but it’s worth noting that quartz with matte finishes typically don’t offer as long of a warranty as the same product with more of a sheen given that the matte offers less protection against stains, chips and smudges, ultimately reducing the countertop’s durability and longevity. 

3. Texture. And by texture, I mean the appearance of it in your countertops. In the home build world, we often deal in micro samples and slivers of the real thing. Make sure your supplier or fabricator provides you a picture of what the entire slab will look like to ensure you like the look and “feel” of the finished product. 

4. Sealants. That’s right. Just like your decks and walls and floors and windows, your countertops need to be sealed, too. Natural stone options tend to need this less often over time. The new sealants for concrete are proving to minimize stains and nicks. Ask your fabricator or designer for advice on how often you might need to seal your countertop of choice. 

5. Seriously, back to concrete, is that really a thing? Yes! And an excellent choice. In the Old Goats showroom, we feature a beautiful concrete countertop by Kevin McDonald at Concrete Alternatives in Kalispell, Montana. He does gorgeous, creative work. The important things to consider when choosing concrete are whether or not the fabricator can deliver it in one piece to help reduce cracking down the road (Kevin can!). If you choose concrete, again, make sure to get a sample of the mixture you’ve chosen. Some mixtures can appear a little green if not mixed correctly. While concrete is a less traditional choice, it’s not any less an eye-catching one. We find clients love it in their homes, and we love it in our showroom!

Countertops can be tricky. They are a home surface that will see more traffic, more life, more cooking, homework, late night chats, smudges, spills and wear and tear than just about anything else besides your floors, so it’s important to make an informed decision. We’re always happy to help clients pair their cabinetry and hardware choices with a countertop surface and style that invites every member of the family to gather, enjoy and even spill.