Kitchen countertops are one of those very personal design decisions and they’ve changed drastically over the years.  You may have memories of stylish formica in lime green, pumpkin orange and sunny yellows. Let’s take a look back at these trends and see what the future holds.

 
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Don’t Settle For Mediokra Countertops
December 06, 2018

1960s  According to How Stuff Works, “Formica was created back in 1913 as a replacement "for mica" electrical insulation.”     

Check out these two retro images….design choices from 1953 and an advertisement for formica.

                                          

 

1970s  Granite started becoming popular in the seventies.  It had been a part of high end homes since the twenties. Granite is popular because of its unique appearance---no two slabs are the same!

1980s Ceramic tiles were all the rage in the eighties. Inexpensive and easy to install, the attractive colors brightened kitchens. While homeowners still install tile, it’s not as popular as it used to be due to grout that stains and holds bacteria.

1990s Corian is a manmade hard surface that was created by DuPont.  Just like granite, Corian is on-porous, easy to clean, attractive and a similar cost and return value.  Both must be professionally installed.

2000s  Most of the time, quartz countertops are not a quarried slab of natural stone.  “Quartz countertops are man-made engineered stone countertops formed by combining 90% ground quartz (a natural hard mineral) with 8-10% resins, polymers, and pigments. This forms a very hard granite-like surface. The appearance depends on how the quartz is ground: coarsely ground quartz produces a flecked appearance, while finely ground quartz produces a smooth look.”


Today  Quartz and Granite are still popular options. But, there are other great affordable options, along with pros and cons for each:  

 

 

Pros

Cons

Butcher Block

Affordable, DIY

Stains, Heat Sensitive

Marble

Beautiful, Cheaper than Granite

Porous, softer, high maintenance

Soapstone

Easier to Maintain than Marble, Nonporous

Harder to Maintain than Granite, Scratches Easily

Stainless Steel

Easy to Maintain, Durable, Modern Look & Feel

Can be Expensive

Concrete

Can Be Budget Friendly, Great Look, Can Be DIY

Can be Expensive, Higher Maintenance and Must be Initially Sealed and Regularly Resealed

 

What’s the Future Hold?  Article after article names quartz as the kitchen countertop surface with the most staying power due to beauty and durability.  But, new technology may treat our countertops like tablets. How’s this for a Jetsons moment?! “Intel's Oasis technology recognizes ordinary objects instantly and transforms bathroom or kitchen countertops into touch screens.”


Resources:

https://newsroom.longandfoster.com/2018/07/countertops-changed-last-50-years/

https://www.thespruce.com/corian-vs-granite-which-is-better-1822082

https://www.thekitchn.com/all-about-quartz-countertops-countertop-spotlight-166190

https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-future-of-kitchen-counters-1/

https://blog.retroplanet.com/1953-formica-sunrise-collection-brochure/

https://funnyjunk.com/channel/oc-comic-makers/Gem+in+the+rough/GBbjLTO/

https://www.amazon.ca/settle-mediokra-superheroes-kitchen-illustration/dp/B076NY8VF1

                    


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