We’re inching right along in the kitchen (wish we could share kitchen updates every day but we’re doing this thing real-time). Which brings us to our latest decision: the new counters that we’ll be going with.
We’ve been debating possibilities for weeks (there are a junkload of options out there with pros and cons to each one). And ten people would probably make ten different decisions, so it can feel especially hard to hone in on the “right” thing since there are so many variables. So here’s how we landed on the choice that we like best for our kitchen/family/life. But first the thing we’re sad about: although we had high hopes of DIYing concrete counters (I pinned about a million tutorials) they’re not a good choice for our kitchen. After talking to a few concrete experts (who actually make ’em for a living) we learned that in order to accommodate the double 12″ overhang (on two of the four sides of the giant 3 x 5′ peninsula that we’ll be adding) we would need to pour the slab extra thick, which is an issue because:
- our cabinets can’t support that amount of weight (they’d need to be reinforced = $$$)
- our floors aren’t built to support that load anyway (more on that here)
Cue the sad trombone sound effect. We debated doing some sort of concrete “slipcover” (for lack of a better word- some folks just coat another countertop material with a thin layer of concrete) but it ended up having more cons than solid concrete, so we decided to explore a few other options in hopes of finding The One. But we’re diabolically determined (picture me stroking my chin like an evil genius) to mess around with concrete one way or another. Maybe we’ll make a long concrete dining table for an outdoor deck area that we have yet to tell you about/build (it’s on the to-do list, so we’ll hopefully get there eventually). But back to the kitchen…
Once concrete was off the table (or the counters, har-har) we decided that hitting up a bunch of local kitchen shops as well as the usual home improvement guys (like Lowe’s and Home Depot) would be a good way to see what other counter materials were out there… and what they were going to do to our budget. Back when we did our first home’s kitchen we really splurged when it came to the counters (to the tune of $3,700 after a $300-off promotion), but they kind of made our kitchen and we had saved up the money to pay them off right away, so we didn’t regret that choice.
But we definitely went into this kitchen makeover vowing to come in substantially under that number. Which is funny given that we have about twice as much square footage (since we’re adding a big peninsula and this kitchen is a lot larger than our last one). For example, to use the same “pashmina” granite from Home Depot that we used for our last kitchen would cost us over $7,000! Which is just not in the budget. At all.
At first we thought about butcher block (Ikea sells it so affordably and it can be stained to get a richer chocolate look). But with the dark wood counters in the adjoined office (just five steps from the stove and three from the fridge) we decided that would be too much wood. Plus we loved the slick and easy-to-wipe-down surface that granite offered us in our first kitchen. Call us spoiled. But this time we wanted to go with something different (and had heard good things about quartz, solid surface options like Corian, and even cool eco options like recycled glass). So after hitting up a bunch of places, here are all of the samples that we brought home to mull over:
- Top left: LG Viatera quartz in “Geneva” found at Lowe’s (note: any of these options are probably available at a number of places)
- Bottom left: Caesarstone quartz in “Pebble” found at a local spot called Kitchen & Bath Solutions
- Right: Silestone quartz in “River Blanco” found at Kitchen & Bath Solutions
- Top left: Cambria quartz in “Torquay” found at Kitchen & Bath Solutions
- Bottom left: Cambria quartz in “Sussex” found at Kitchen & Bath Solutions
- Top right: Allen & Roth quartz in “Alloy” found at Lowe’s
- Bottom right: Cambria quartz in “New Quay” found at Kitchen & Bath Solutions
Oh and here’s a pile of white solid surface options from Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Kitchen & Bath Solutions (the one on top is Glacier White by Corian, and there are other options by LG Hi-Macs and Allen & Roth under it).
We also admired a few awesome eco options like recycled glass but they sadly weren’t in the budget (at least we got cork floors and can reuse almost all of our cabinetry to keep things green).
The one we loved most? This Silestone guy (River Blanco):
But after we learned that it would be over 5K for those counters alone (!!!), we knew it wasn’t meant to be. But don’t cry for me Argentina. It all worked out in the end and we found something that’ll be a great choice for our kitchen/family. The winner? Glacier White Corian:
We’re in love and have all but forgotten the 5K option that we once called a favorite. That’s actually not a white Corian square pictured above, but that bigger white tile was the same color so it represents the new counter better than a tiny Chicklet-sized square sample. Oh and the stainless steel bottle represents our new stainless appliances and the paint swatch is the current wall color so you can see how those things layer in with other things like our backsplash tile and the mocha cork.
Why did it win? So many reasons:
- It’s thousands cheaper than most other options we priced out ($38 a square foot at Lowe’s – compared to many other options shown above that were in the $80-100 per square foot range). We also have a 10% off “project coupon” that arrived in the mail from Lowe’s and will get 5% off on top of that when we use our Lowe’s credit card (you know we love a deal)
- John’s sister has lived with Glacier White Corian in her kitchen for the past 5+ years and loves it and has had zero issues (seriously, she wants to marry it)
- We are keeping our existing deep stainless sink and are not going with an integrated Corian sink (we have heard they can be harder to care for, and John’s sister has a stainless sink with the Corian tops and has loved that combo).
- It’s easy care (Corian is nonporous, which means stains do not penetrate the surface). According to the company, it also resists the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria (John’s sister has a teen, a tween, a toddler, and a big dog – and she has no scratches or stains to date)
- We already use trivets and wood cutting boards to set down hot things (we’re paranoid) so following those steps with Corian should be no sweat (John’s sister hasn’t had any issues with that in five years of use either)
- It’s lighter than granite, quartz, concrete, etc (so our cabinets and floor joists can handle it, no problem)
- When installed, there are no seams, if done correctly (which is definitely appealing since the seams in our current granite tops drive us bonkers)
- It reflects lots of light, so it’s great for dark windowless rooms (like our kitchen!)
I know it might sound really bland to do white cabinets with white counters, but many of the rooms that we love in our inspiration files have the white on white look. And given our recent backsplash choice it’ll all hopefully make sense (the gray-green penny tiles will stand out along with colorful items on our open shelves while the counters and cabinets are classic & clean).
We’re also toying with the idea of some sort of subtle color on the cabinets (maybe a soft taupe-gray like this kitchen that we crashed a while back). Not sure where we’ll end up, but we’ll definitely keep ya posted! What about you guys? Has anyone else decided to go with Corian? Or concrete? Or quartz? Or granite? Or butcher block? We’d love to hear which counter you picked for your kitchen! There are so many delicious options out there…
Psst- We announced this week’s giveaway winner. Click here to see if it’s you.
heyruthie says
p.s. i just noticed y’all’s microscopic “smiley” at the bottom of the page for the first time :) made me smile too!
alison says
We’ve had the same glacier white corian for over 5 years and I love it! It is so easy to clean and looks great all the time. I also painted our cabinets white, so with the mint green walls and white appliances the kitchen has a very clean look. I’ve loved it for 5+ years. I’m excited to see how yours ends up!
Lindsay says
I have almost-white Corian counters myself, and I am in love with them. They clean up so easily, and there isn’t a single scratch. And even if there was, you can sand/buff them out, unlike granite! And as for the non-porous thing, it’s amazing! — one morning, I woke up to find that my cat had knocked over a wine bottle that had been sitting on the counter overnight. It had a cork in it, but some of the wine leaked out, and it pooled under a baking sheet that was also sitting on the counter. I lifted the baking sheet, and there was a huge rectangular wine stain on the counter. I nearly flipped. But then I took a dab of Soft Scrub (I usually use all-natural cleaners, but have the Soft Scrub around just in case), and I gave the stain a little scrub with a sponge. Literally, the stain came completely up within seconds. So I can wholeheartedly tell you that you will LOVE your new counters.
Wizzer says
I feel like the contrarian here, but I put Corian in my bathroom and wound up paying extra to change it out for travertine countertop. The Corian had a “plastic” look to it that in a real life size slab I realized I didn’t like at all (it wasn’t apparent to me in a small sample size, where I was more focused on the color/pattern of small sample tile).
On my kitchen counters I have 12×12″ ceramic floor tiles on the diagonal….L.O.V.E. them…especially at $5/sq ft plus install!! Can put everything right on them, hot pots, etc and the clean up is so easy. Just keep the grout cleaned/sealed on an annual basis and they’ve been fabulous. I’ve had so many compliments on them.
Stephanie says
I was reading some of these comments, and I kept going back and forth… Corian is amazing vs. Corian is terrible. I think you guys deal with this whole people-weighing-in-on-your-decisions really well. I get so indecisive when it’s just my husband or my mom telling me things… I can’t imagine all the people on the interweb! I don’t think I could actually execute a project! :) Good luck, and love how the kitchen is coming together!
Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says
I love the white on white! It looks so clean and crisp (which is exactly how a kitchen should look, if you as me :) )!
Ted says
Sorry, haven’t had time to read all the responses (509 and counting!), but here are a few caveats to keep in mind with your new counters. My best friend’s mother had her last kitchen resurfaced in Corian and we have our bathroom counters in Corian. Here are a few collected experiences:
– In addition to easily being burned by hot items, it is also easily stained. Be careful to wipe down any dark or acidic liquids immediately to avoid hard to clean stains (e.g. coffee, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce). Even sitting a little while can give a dark hazy tint on the white. We have bottles of orange hand soap and after some drips of soap sat for a while in a lesser used bathroom, there is a slight orange tint directly under the bottle. I’ll need to bleach it out.
– we find that they are softer than the natural stones. You need to be careful about sharp metal objects as they can leave scratches and gouges in the surface. Especially with knives, metal pots, metalware, you can develop slight imperfections (like the top of a used cutting board) from metal and other hard surfaces (Even a hard ceramic mug or trivet can leave a scratch). Yes, you can sand out the scratches, but just a warning to beware of harder items directly on the surface. We have a gouge approximately 1″ in our bathroom counter from something (we don’t know what) that was apparently set on the counter and then dragged off.
It’s a nice surface, but I find it to be a little more high maintenance than the granite in my kitchen. Good luck.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips Ted! We think all counters have pros and cons and thanks to John’s sister’s experience with the same color/type (with three kiddos) we’re hoping we’ll fall in love with ours just as much with hers! From having light granite in our last house we’re used to being careful about stains and scratches and also never put hot objects on it (we’re just paranoid, so we worried about burning the light colored granite even though it’s supposed to be heat resistant). So hopefully we’ll just keep up the same habits and it’ll all be good!
xo,
s
Erika says
That is exactly the choice I would make if I were fortunate to have a home that I owned and could replace cabinets! :)
Jenny says
Love your choices. Intrigued by the corian. I have granite that came w/ the house that I don’t love but can’t justify replacing right now, but v. jealous of this all around pretty combo.
I want that fruit bowl/shell. Where did you get that?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s from zgallerie- it’s a faux clam shell.
xo,
s
Melanie says
Wow, tons of comments so I’m sorry if this was already said.
I currently have white laminate countertops. My biggest issue with them is that they never look clean. That is to say they look clean for about a nanosecond after I’ve wiped them down/bleached them, but drop a single crumb on them and it’s visible. I like a tidy-looking kitchen, so I find myself constantly wiping down the counters even after I make a sandwich! This, to me, is not ‘low maintenance’.
This is totally a personal preference, but it drives me nuts! I can’t wait to get a countertop with some visual texture to hide crumbs/tiny spills so I’m not cleaning them all day long.
Julie G says
Is Pashima granite a color? Or a brand? My friends are redoing their kitchen and I love this in your old kitchen. I think they might like it too. And lucky for them money is no object.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s the color through Home Depot. hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I just love how you stick to a budget and still find things that make you giddy. Thanks for all your real world picts and experience!
Jenn @My Southwestern Life says
I think I would have done the same thing in your situation. We currently have nice laminate (the coloring and sheen kind of make it look like stone), but if/when we eventually upgrade, I think we will go with Corian. I just can’t justify spending several thousands of dollars on granite. Maybe if I lived in a mansion instead of a 1980s ranch? lol
Nicole says
Loving the way the kitchen is coming together, and its giving me the itch to start my own reno.
On a somewhat-related note, not sure if you knew about this or not, but I thought I’d throw it out there… Lowes teams with the USPS in their “Mover’s Guides”. Along with the Change of Address forms, the USPS packet has an insert with a coupon for 10% off any purchase at Lowes (Home Depot also accepts them). Since most people are only interested in the Change of Address forms, they scrap the inserts. I go to my local post office every now and then and ask to have the coupons that were tossed in the recycle bin. They always have quite the stack, and are happy to turn them over to me!
Virg says
I have corian. Love it….make sure you get an eased edge to the counter…vs. ogee or built up edge. The eased edge will look more modern. Btw I am a kitchen planner and got my countertops strait from the fabricator….cuts out the middle man costs.
Ravenna says
Can I just say that I love love love that wavy fruit bowl, and I want to steal it?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a faux clam shell from ZGallerie – I think they still sell it!
xo,
s
Rochelle Collins says
What perfect timing! I am doing a lightweight kitchen remodel next weekend. Due to budget constraints, I can’t do Corian, granite and the like. I noticed you looked at the IKEA butcher block countertop, and someone posted here that they went with that option for $300. I want to go with butcher block as well, probably from IKEA, but have heard it’s not a good choice due to easy staining (water, etc.). The IKEA counter is SO affordable, I like the look, and it appears to have a gloss seal/finish. Any thoughts? And should I choose an undermount sink? Appreciate any feedback, as I’m tearing out next weekend. Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
I’ve seen other bloggers use and love it! I would definitely google around to try to find out what sealers seem to work best!
xo,
s
DKL says
You will love Glacier White corian. I’ve had it for several years and it is surprisingly dirt hiding, to the point that sometimes I miss a spot because I didn’t see it. Great choice.
Tasneem says
Hi Guys,
So I’m not sure what kind of retails you have there in Virgina. But here is California, we have several dealers who specialize in just granite. They sell slabs for ~150-200$ (depending on the color or course) for a 10 foot piece. One dealer I spoke to also said that they can install the slabs for 150$ per slab. We ended up going with another guy who installed our granite for $120ish per piece. So we never ever go to Lowe’s or HomeDepot for granite! And sometimes when these dealers are trying to clear out inventory and you can get certain colors for as low as $75!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! We definitely checked out some local places here but they didn’t carry Corian for less than $75 a square foot (whereas Lowe’s and Home Depot do it for $38) – it really depends on what the material is (and how easily they can get it) I think!
xo,
s
Katelyn says
I also love the the taupey-gray kitchen cabinents on your house-crashing “Classic with a Twist”….any idea what color she used?
YoungHouseLove says
No idea – might have to try to email her. Although she might have commented about it in the comments section!
xo,
s
Kristen says
I hope the Corian works out well for you guys! When I moved into my condo the kitchen had been updated in the late 90s and has plain white Corian with white cabinets. I like that it’s a true solid surface, but personally I’m not in love with the all white look and it is so hard to get red juice and colored stains off the counter! I can’t wait to upgrade to granite.
JR says
Hey guys,
Loooove the concrete counters idea! I wanted to do something similar for a client recently but ran into several of the same issues that you did. I ended up choosing Caesarstone #4141 (my samples don’t have names, just numbers…) which looks a heck-of-a-lot like concrete. I know you’ve made your decision but I just thought I would throw this out there :)
Hanna says
18 years ago my parents installed white corian countertops.
Today, the color of them….remains white! They don’t stain or scratch. Also, when they installed them, they had twin 2 year olds and a 4 year old. Fast-forward to when those toddlers became children who became teens who became college students- the counters have held up, color and all!
As a design junkie, I also like them because they have a matte finish (I’m not too crazy about the shiny-shiny of granite), but at the same time, they feel like natural stone. The integrity of corian is quite incredible, regardless of the budget. I find it odd that more people don’t know about them!!!
Great choice, you won’t regret it.
YoungHouseLove says
Yay! So glad. I love the matte finish too!
xo,
s
Sally says
Great post! I’ve thought about Corian, Ikea butcher block, or laminate for a mini-makeover of our kitchen.
Did y’all consider laminate? I’m curious if you or other readers have throughts on good laminate colors.
YoungHouseLove says
We did consider some of the newer options but just preferred some of the looks/pros of Corian in the end! We have heard that some of the newer laminates are great though! I think Ikea sells a few.
xo,
s
Sally says
Thanks for the reply. Ikea has white, black, silver, and faux wood. If I knew I would live in the house another 20 years I might pick apple green or turquoise or orange laminate – but I know that wouldn’t seem like an upgrade to most potential buyers!
ashlee says
i can’t tell if you have existing laminate or ceramic tile in your kitchen, but i’m just wondering if happen to know of a super AWESOME grout cleaner. my grout is filthy from the kids and pets.
YoungHouseLove says
Anyone have any suggestions for Ashlee?
xo,
s
amanda says
I’m kind of sad you aren’t going with the Silestone since that’s my dream countertop and I love the River Blanco and was drooling to see it in your kitchen. But I do like what you ended up choosing. I’m so glad y’all are white countertop people and didn’t choose the overly common (and IMO, ugly) black or brown granite. I love a white countertop. And you are using penny tile which is one of my fave backsplashes, but in my dream kitchen I want to do white, light blue and green penny tile. Oh yeah, I’m rich in this dream.
Sheila @SZInteriors says
Oh my gosh you get a lot of comments… you think?!
My parents installed a barely off-white Corian in 1989, and they never looked back. It looks as new today as it did back then. I’d like to say Corian, you’ve come a long way, Baby, but honestly, I think Corian just got it right the first time around! So instead I think it’s safe to say, Corian, you go a long way, Baby!!!
I don’t think you’ll regret your choice for one second!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, so funny! Glad they go a long way!
xo,
s
Caryn says
Can’t wait to see it coming together! We redid our kitchen last year and totally fell in live with the River Blanco as well. Alas we couldn’t afford it either but I mourned it for a while until we finally found something that worked even better and didn’t bankrupt us. So excited for you guys!
julie. says
I don’t have time to skim the 553 comments (!!!), but wanted to say, good choice! I love the look of it. We moved into our current house 3 years ago, and the previous owner had put white corian in the kitchen in 1990 (when it was newish and trendy!) and it STILL really looks good! Seriously!! And I like that it feels kind of room temp when you touch it, not FREEZING cold like the silestone we put in our bathroom!
Kate says
My parents had white Corian for years, but my dad totally abused it. He would chop vegetables on the counter with no cutting board (hello, orange carrot stains!) and set hot pots and pans directly on top of it (hello, huge crack in the middle of the island!). They ended up having to replace it. You made the right call on the sink too–even if you don’t abuse it the sink gets scratched over time by pots and pans, which leads to stains. Since y’all are careful and willing to follow the instructions, I think you made a wonderful countertop choice! Can’t wait to see how it looks!
Carolyn says
I’m like a lot of folks and have parents who installed white Corian for their kitchen update almost 20 years ago. The counters still look incredible and they were easy to care for to boot! For a family of 6, that was key. One great example – Christmas dinner a few years ago, someone left a red wine glass (complete with a few droplets dripping down the side) on the counter all day and then over night. It was in sunlight – the whole thing. When we went to clean it up I thought for sure it would be a permanent stain. NOT SO! A little elbow grease, a green scrubby and a small dab of Soft Scrub and it was gone. Amazing! (Wow, that sounds like an info-mercial!)
My sister had Corian installed in her kitchen 6 years ago because she loved it so much. I really think you’re going to be VERY happy with it! Love all the info and progress updates!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- I love it! So great to know they stand the test of time and can even survive red wine!
xo,
s
Liz says
I hate to be a party pooper (who likes those?!), but I have Corian counters, and I hatehatehate them. They scratch beyond easily, and are always smudgy looking. I know that you can buff out the counters, but I feel like we would be doing it constantly. I’m super disappointed :(
Sandy says
The silestone was my favorite of your choices too but I think the solid white counter top will really work well. You have a good mix of color and texture going on elsewhere in the room and the white will just frame everything and make it pop. It’s gonna look so goo-ood!!! Seriously, I’m in deep kitchen envy here! It will be fun to watch it come together.
Lauren L says
I have that corian and despise it. First, corian is not robust like your other options. Second the white shows every single atom-sized crumb. not good for a young family that actually cooks and eats in their kitchen. It came with my house and I have 40 lineal feet of it but first chance I get it is coming out!
YoungHouseLove says
Any type of counter is definitely going to be someone’s favorite (and someone else’s least favorite)! Hearing from John’s sister with three kiddos (a teen, a tween, and a toddler) who has had it for the past five years was the best endorsement for us (yes, she actually cooks and eats!). And of course we have loved getting hundreds of comments from other Corian owners who have had it for decades and love it as well) but we know that not everyone would make the same choice!
xo,
s
renee says
Ahhhh. I was So excited when I thought you had chosen Silestone! Then I read further… (excitement bubble deflated) and saw that Corian won out. I can only tell you that Silestone is THE greatest countertop product that I have ever used. I’ve had formica.. eesh. Then granite, which I hated. I did a total gut job on my kitchen back when Silestone was a “new” invention. We have “verde orion” which is a beautiful green and even after 9 years it still looks like brand new. You can NOT hurt this stuff. It is indestructable. If you reconsider going with Corian (I have heard many horror stories about it which I will not go into here) I hope you will go back to thinking about Silestone. I promise you the extra cost is totally worth it!!!
Candice says
I actually prefer the solid white corian over the silestone! While still pretty, the silestone does look like the more “typical” choice to me. I think the corian is a bolder choice, and with the backsplash and floors, not boring at all! Beautiful! Can’t wait to watch it all unfold! :)
Lori Bamber says
Hey … you can have light concrete counters. My son makes beautiful glass-reinforced concrete counters and sinks in Alberta. They are so affordable, and so much lighter than regular concrete, that he could probably ship them to you and still save you money over other high-quality options.
Here is his website:
http://www.surfaceconcepts.ca/images.php
Whatever you choose, I’m sure it will be beautiful – I look forward to the photos.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Lori! We looked into the lighter weight stuff but due to two 12″ overhangs on our giant peninsula we heard they wouldn’t work for us!
xo,
s
Libby says
After seeing the inspiration pics I think it will look great. We wanted to go with concrete counter tops also but after pricing it out/other issues, with also went with Corian. We found Corain the same color I envisioned what the concrete counters would have been.
Kara says
We did butcher block in our kitchen because it was cost effective and granite or another material like it would be too high end for our house (it’s going to end up as a rental one day and the neighborhood isn’t a “granite” type place!)
We stained it dark, then sealed it three times, sanding between coats one and two. We love the way it looks against the bright yellow walls, our white farm sink, and light grey cabinets! You can see more of the transformation here – http://mattandkaraadopt.blogspot.com/2011/09/kitchen-overhaul-hgtv-style-part-2.html
Love your choice of white on white!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! So pretty.
xo,
s
Christine Schwalm Design says
I like this idea. The penny tile will read as a pattern and the floor has texture. I think it’s smart to keep the counter clean and neutral.
KiTx says
Love your choices, that is going to look amazing when it’s done!
Quick question- we’re moving (in 8 days, yay!) to our first house, and the countertops are pretty unique- Travertine tmes (small tiles, like coaster sized.) We love the look, and the homeowner assured us that she hasn’t had a problem with them since they put them in 5 yrs ago and she just cleans them with hydrogen peroxide. However, Googling them led to some pretty intense sounding maintenance. Do you (or any readers??) have any experience with them you can share?
YoungHouseLove says
Anyone have tips for Kitx? We hear that sealing grout can keep it easier to clean!
xo,
s
LANA BROOKS says
Went with silestone for our kitchen counter. It’s a soft creamy white with tiny confetti like flecks of grey and beige, so the overall effect is light. We absolutely love it and it is much more easy than granite. I definitely like the idea of a light grey on your cabinets. You guys rock!
Emma Braford says
We have Glacier White Corian and we LOVE it. It’s very durable and beautiful and the installation guys told us that if it gets scratched you can just buff it out. I recommend getting Countertop Magic cleaning spray for solid surface countertops from Lowes. It works great and smells good. :) Nice choices! :)
Meliss says
My corian counters are about 7 year old and still look fab. Get yourselves a bottle of barkeepers friend (http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/) on the off chance something does leave a stain (red and blue seem to be most common on my counters), this takes/buffs it right off! Also, my only peeve is our sink is not under mounted. Would make it so much easier to sweep crumbs into the sink and it’s one more place for germs to hid. Even though you are reusing your existing sink, see if they can under mount it (could not tell from the post how the sink is and I was too lazy to try to find a picture).
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes I’ve heard that Barkeeper’s Friend is the best stuff ever!
xo,
s
Cindy says
I have had my glacier white Corian counter tops for 21 years. I have white & glass upper cabinets and dark brown lowers. My kitchen has 60 sq ft. of counters and a 45 sq ft. center island. I have 5 sons who all love to cook with my husband and me and my counter tops are as white and beautiful as the day they were installed. I can promise you that many a hot pot and other no-no’s were set on them when I was not around with no cracks or chips. Clorox Soft Scrub & Barkeeper’s Friend are always under my sink! Several times my husband has begged me to redo them with granite or quartz but I really do not see any reason to change. I did have a professional come in about 5 years ago and buff them. They are still as shiny as when new. So good choice!!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so amazing to hear! Your kitchen sounds gorgeous and timeless. Amazing it’s 21 years old!
xo,
s
Amy says
I just bought a house and am giving it a good ol’ makeover, sadly not a DIY one – not enough time! :( However, I looked at tons of different options – quartz, granite, butcher block, even stainless steel! – before I found one on Wednesday I’m in love with – purple granite! (linked) Crazy, I know, but it’s my favorite color and I’m somewhat unconventional that way. LOL Love y’alls choices though, everything looks great together!
DJ says
We replaced our 1999 hunter green laminate (the horror!) Corian. A friend’s neighbors actually ripped it out of their kitchen, so we upcycled and bought if off them for $40! The guys who installed it promised that we wouldn’t be able to see the seams where they pieced it back together (parts of it were cut out with power tools of some sort), and they made good on their promise. It looks perfect! I actually like it better than granite, it’s not “cold” LOL.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that! We’d love to find some secondhand Corian to upcycle on craigslist or something. Man that would be amazing!
xo,
s
Erin says
Super digging this choice. Wish we had gone with it. We went with granite and it’s the most unforgiving surface. We’re a fellow eco-friendly Richmond family and don’t use hardly any paper or plastic in the kitchen. I cook almost everything from scratch, so our kitchen gets crazy use. With three kids, constant use and lots of glass, my rock counters have shattered more glass than I could care to remember. Corian feels like it would be a little more forgiving. Ceramic floors were a poor choice for us, too. Everything breaks when it hits the floor.
Deborah says
My parents chose Corian for their kitchen counters in the late 70s and they loved it. When they remodeled and enlarged their kitchen in the late 80s, I snagged two big squares of the old Corian and have been using it since then. One piece is used as a table top, and the other piece I use as a kitchen pastry slab (like marble).
I also leased a house where the master bathroom shower was covered in Corian. Boy was it easy to clean. I love Corian.
Laura says
that looks great! we have corian in our kitchen! it is an off white and we have the corian sink too, I agree with your choice not to get the corian sink, ours (is very old) and has some crack lines in it from hot pots and general wear (near the drain) that are not so pretty. I love the seamless look and with a little soft scrub it is very easy to keep clean, my grandmother said soft scrub is the best thing for cleaning corian! other than the sink, it has held up very well! we have a few stains on it, that I probably could get off if i bought some other kind of stronger cleaning product to go after them with! I hope the white is just as easy to care for, and I look forward to how this all turns out! best of luck to you!