☰
☰
Natural stone countertops continue to be a popular choice for functional, attractive kitchens. Part of the appeal of natural stone countertops is their incredible variety, which means that they can support a wide range of styles. Here are some of the style trends we’re seeing in natural stone countertop designs and expect to be popular in the coming year.
One of the big trends in recent years is when people don’t limit their use of stone to the countertop itself. Instead, they take advantage of the durability and beauty of stone to get an attractive and resilient backsplash to go along with their countertop.
We see two main approaches to the stone backsplash. Most people like to go with the same material for their backsplash as their countertop. It’s easy and creates a harmonious appearance. However, it’s becoming increasingly popular to choose a contrasting backsplash stone. The benefit of this is that it gives you many more design options. The countertop is a demanding application, and fewer stones are suited for it than the backsplash. The backsplash doesn’t need to stand up to the same punishment, so you can choose from a wider assortment of colors and patterns.
Make no mistake: neutral colors have always been popular and remain popular today. Beige, gray, ivory, and the like are all popular choices. Black countertops are also popular.
However, we are seeing more interest in natural stone with dramatic colors: greens, blues, and reds are all in demand. In some cases, it’s hard to find natural stone countertops that meet both the color demand and the functional properties necessary for the application. To get around this, some people turn to engineered stone products. Others, however, will utilize a contrasting stone backsplash to get some of the color they want while having a durable and functional countertop.
One of the design challenges of using such strong color choices is that it can be too much. A strategy to avoid saturating the kitchen is to use different colors for the primary countertop and the kitchen island.
This is a great design for many reasons. First, it brings in more colors and patterns to create a more dynamic appearance in the kitchen. Second, it lets a designer choose a dark stone without making the kitchen too dark. Finally, it helps people make decisions when they don’t want to commit to just one stone. It’s not an either/or decision, it’s a yes/and decision, which is a lot easier to commit to.
Natural stone can be a difficult material to work with. The very hardness that makes it such a desirable countertop limited how it could be worked. Straight edges were easiest to achieve, and that’s what was offered. Plus, rectangular countertops are practical in a rectangular kitchen in a rectangular building.
However, sometimes people crave a little curve in their design. It can literally take the edge off a natural stone countertop to make it feel softer, even if it is still the same hard stone. Modern fabrication techniques mean that people can have these curves if they want them. People have responded enthusiastically to the option, adopting curved countertops in large numbers. This won’t become ubiquitous because many people still like the practicality of rectangles, but expect to see it a lot more in the future.
For many years, people have been adopting the waterfall edge on their natural stone countertops. This is where the natural stone continues over the edge of the counter and extends to the floor, creating a uniform surface.
People like the elegant look of this finish. They appreciate that it gives their kitchen more visible stone surfaces. It also creates a more modern, minimalist appearance in the kitchen.
Although many people are looking for ways to bring more stone into their kitchen design, others are looking for ways to bring together disparate materials to create a multimodal kitchen design. This includes approaches that combine natural stone with other materials, especially wood.
The benefit of this approach is that in brings not just a contrast in color and pattern, but also in tactility. People can move from the cold, smooth stone to the warm, grained wood. It’s another way to avoid the potential for natural stone to overwhelm a kitchen design: reduce the amount of stone and bring in something less solid and heavy for contrast.
A common strategy is to have the kitchen prep surfaces made of stone, but the surfaces for eating and gathering made of a softer material.
These new trends can help you design the kitchen of your dreams using stone countertops, but making them work depends on finding just the right stone for you. That’s where The Stone Collection comes in, with our exclusive Get Inspired™ Experience.
You don’t need an appointment to browse our extensive collection of stone countertop slabs, including both natural and manufactured stone products. You can start by browsing on your own, just looking at the options, or you can immediately get assistance from one of our natural stone design experts. They’ll spend as much time with you as you need, first by listening to you describe your project, then by suggesting options to make your dreams a reality. They can help you balance your style and design ideas with the functional properties you need to have a kitchen that serves your needs not just today, but for years to come.
It’s easy to get started. You can contact us today, or you can just show up at one of our showrooms in Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, Ft. Worth, or Salt Lake City when you’re ready to begin.