The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Modification Boosts Visual Appeal and
The Worth of Concrete Countertops: Customization Increases Aesthetic Appeal and Real Estate 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 requiring custom styles and finishes in their cooking areas. In particular, they are aiming to express their individuality and unique style choices with the quick growing style material of option concrete.
In fact, concrete countertops have become somewhat of a status sign for cooking areas, rivaling granite and other high-end countertop surface area choices. Customer Reports Publication (August 2004) ranked concrete greatest for its modification and exclusivity amongst high-end cooking area countertops.
As a customized product, the quantity of time and craftsmanship required to produce concrete counter tops puts them as the most labor-intensive and most expensive among leading counter top materials.
However, concrete countertops are ending up being more accessible for those on a modest budget. The latest diy (DIY) pattern to mesmerize house owners and home builders is building your own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has actually gained popularity mainly due to Chengs best-selling book Concrete Countertops: Design, Types, and Ends Up for the New Cooking Area and Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little financial investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the innovative gains of dealing with concrete abound.
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Increasingly, house owners are moving far from the dull, manufactured appearance of traditional countertop surface areas and choosing concrete for its earthy, classic appeal. Plus, the options for personalizing concrete counter tops are endless: one can color, polish, stamp and stain concrete or imbed individual things like stones, seashells and fossils into the counter tops surface, adding sentiment and character. Practical functions such as drain boards, soap dishes, and trivets can also be incorporated to match the homeowners own needs and lifestyle.
Concrete is gradually becoming demystified as characteristically cold and commercial. In contrary, this age-old product is warm and remarkably tactile; individuals can not assist but touch their smooth, refined surface areas. Property agent Delight Rasmussen, who has just 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 countertops many people around here have actually never ever seen them.
Joys 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was customized develop by her other half, Ken Otterman, in addition to KJ Otterman, president of Classic Unique Custom-made Residences. They developed pour-in-place concrete counters for the homes kitchen Discover more here and three restrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete countertops were polished smooth, then coupled with natural slate of varying colors like charcoal, rust and gold tones that forms the backsplashes in the kitchen and baths. As a design accent, little rectangular slate tiles were contributed to the rim of the bathroom sinks, which provided a special information to the custom-made vanities.
When Joy and Ken decided to sell their home, their investment in concrete counter tops showed its value. We were able to note your house $20,000 over market value, and had no issues offering it, comments Pleasure, while talking about the long list of upgrades throughout their house, including knotty pine strong doors, natural slate wall accents and wood floors. The concrete countertops were quickly the most distinct and remarkable of all the finishes. I think they were a substantial part in adding worth to the home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite counter tops and I actually believe homebuyers are getting rather numb with granite.
Concrete countertops are a special offering to property buyers who see the exact same surfaces used in home after house they visit, explains Joy, using her observation as an experienced realtor. Having concrete counter tops nearly offers you bragging rights you have something different from your next-door neighbors.
BREAKING THE MOLD
Another benefit of concrete is its flexibility in either modern-day or conventional settings, particularly when paired with other materials like diverse metals, wood or stone. Concrete adds a lot of [possibilities] to stone, and the combination with slate, which is extremely popular here, offers the mountain homes an overall warm, natural touch, states Pleasure.
Joy and Ken have actually considering that constructed a much bigger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that uses expansive views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is indicated to function as a long-lasting investment for the couple. Theyve also broadened their list of custom-made 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 favorite concrete kitchen area countertops.
Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialty team poured charcoal-colored countertops utilizing the pre-cast method in the unfinished basement of the brand-new home. Before putting the concrete, they sprayed a range of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Blue-green. After the surface area was ground and gently polished, the finished outcome was an impressive mix of colors, Without a doubt, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most incredible, states Pleasure.
The L-shaped concrete counter top has a rough, rustic stone look, matching its rugged country surroundings. An important drain board and Fix-It Right Plumbing trivets supplies function and included interest to the concrete countertop. Natural slate backsplashes, unique wall accents, and a butcher block countertop at the kitchen island all resonate with the traditional heat and earthiness of the concrete countertops.
Joy and Kens particular backgrounds in property and custom-made homebuilding, and as investment property buyers, have actually helped them understand that concrete countertops can add remarkable aesthetic and monetary worth to a home. Concretes modification and show-stopping appeal is like no other counter top surface area. Cheng is an advocate of emotional visual appeals and developing homes that catch these emotions, as when it comes to Happiness and Ken Otterman. Cheng concludes: Individuals truly want differentiation, something individual, something custom-made and concrete can do that for them.