I salivate at the mention of carrara marble. Seriously, though, it is so expensive, and I’ve heard that it’s really hard to come by these days. (most people are using Calcutta?) I don’t do work on kitchens and I have never done a serious kitchen remodel of my own, so I don’t know all that much about counter tops.
But, I know I fell in love when I saw these cement counter tops on design*sponge. The home owners MADE the counters themselves, and, admittedly, they said it was a lot of work, though the cost of goods was pretty low.
Do any of you readers have cement counter tops? I’ve read that sealing them can be tricky. Though carrara is not exactly stain-proof!
At any rate, concrete counters make for a very pretty kitchen. And check out those vintage lockers they installed as a pantry! Genius!
And don’t you just love the ink blue cabinets? They really did a great job here.
And now, just like that, I’m back to wanting a big home in the suburbs. :)
Last year we made a concrete coffee tabletop and used ecoprocote's Eco-Tuff sealer (www.ecoprocote.com). It has held up great and really easy to work with.
Carrera is BEAUTIFUL, but you do have to be super careful. We have it in the master bedroom bath and make up can stain it so you have to wipe all the time. It's also much softer than other materials (granite, even soapstone, which is a beautiful alternative and has that nice flat look). I would be leery about putting it in a kitchen that you actually want to cook on, of if you have children:) That said, a nice big slab for pastery making is awesome if you can do just a portion of the counter in that. Love the half marble/half butcher block look.
I have concrete countertops (we did ourselves – and yes, a lot of work, but SO worth it!) and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. It's not hard to reseal them once or twice a year – just rub on the wax-like sealer and rub off. Takes about 30 minutes. I would highly recommend concrete coutertops to anyone and I would recommend at least trying to do it yourself. A guy named Cheng has lots of books on how to do it. Love your blog by the way!
I just put in a new kitchen and decided against carrara bc we have a little one but I did a lot of research and found that carrara is basically the cheapest white marble in that family. Calacatta is the more expensive (calacatta gold is outrageously expensive — the bluette is not quite as much). That is why you see carrara every where, like in the Pottery Barn and RH bath catalogs.
This is such an impressive re-do. And definitely a savings over marble! So pricey and carrera is easier to come by than calcutta gold or statuary (and a fraction of the cost) – my favorite look! And totally worth the expensive if you can swing it! Marija
I design a lot of kitchens, and have used both carrara and calacatta marbles many times – however, it always comes with a disclaimer to my client: I tell them if they can deal with stains/scratches/hairline cracks/chips, then marble is for them. If not, go for granite or a quartz composite, such as caesarstone. Personally, I think granite looks really "eighties", and quartz is gorgeous, but contemporary. My own kitchen is done in marble – bianco gioia – and to me, it really gives that professional, classically beautiful, French look. I view the wear and tear as "patina" instead of a negative thing, and most of all, a sign that I'm really cooking and using my kitchen!
I have concrete counter tops and love them!! We did NOT do them ourselves and they were almost as expensive as marble but so worth it!!!
love the built in lockers!!
I have always loved concrete countertops…
I've lusted after concrete countertops for years. We have 70's, yes I said 70's, avocado green countertops. I think I have the hubs talked into at least attempting to make the concrete countertops. The people who make them in this area charge upwards of $75/sq ft to make them!
I can't stop saying Oh my gosh! when I look at these! I am always looking for a solution to the countertop dilemma. I may move to Utah where the speckly countertop is all the rage, but I really can;'t picture that meshing with my dream kitchen.
yes, my boyfriend redid a studio apartment in the city and put in concrete countertops in the kitchen. it's beautiful and raw and so… city-like. naturally, the renter does not use the kitchen for it's intended purpose and when we visited him the kitchen was more like his closet, the countertops were hidden under shirts and shoes etc.
This is a wonderful kitchen! Love the way those counter tops look.
I love the look of concrete and that kitchen you posted is seriously amazing, I love everything they did! I actually have honed carrera in my bathroom and I love it, and honestly have never had a problem with it. I love the idea of having it in the kitchen along with another type of material. I know they say in the kitchen it can get chipped or dinged etc. but I think that's the beauty of it. I'm so glad to see another comment about granite looking dated, I'm so over seeing that! My favorites is concrete, marble and recycled glass!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE those built in lockers! What a brillant idea!!!
I felt the need to comment as I am an admitted blog stalker and I work for a natural stone importer. Carrara is the least expensive of all the Italian white marbles, with a material price of around $15/sf. It is still readily available, and we only recommend it honed for kitchen use (and then topped with a silicon-based sealer). Poured concrete is as expensive as natural stone unless you DIY and runs the risk of settling and cracking since it's poured in place. There are some good alternatives such as IceStone, which is recycled glass in concrete and is fabricated like stone (still expensive but good for those who want to be green.)
I'm also a big fan of carrera, but concrete looks fantastic… but right now I'm stuck with formica… que the violins.
I love everything about this kitchen – the counters, the lockers, I could on… lovely!
Nicole
I bought my first home just one year ago and immediately fell in love with the concrete countertops the previous owners installed. EVERYONE comments on how "cool" and "different" they are … so I definitely recommend them.
LOVE your blog by the way!
Read a post or two about Haiti and you'll be back to being grateful for just what you have. :-)
I'm addicted to your blog and getting a little bit of aesthetic heaven from you every day. Thanks!
We have a concrete top on the vanity of our most used bath (half bath on main level) and while I LOVE it, it is staining a bit after a year or so. I don't mind the staining (mostly from soap drips, etc) and it just adds to the character! (I love your style and your blog… long time reader, first time commenting!)
We're in the midst of a mini kitchen remodel and we're trying to decide what to do with our countertops. I'm leaning towards butcher block but my husband really wants the cement countertops. They were in a home in Country Living a few months ago and as soon as I showed them to him he wanted to do it. Decisions, decisions!
Oooh I love this! We are trying to settle on countertops ourselves and have always liked cement. Though I didn't know it was equally as expensive as carrera! Beautiful pics!
I agree.. I drool over Carrera marble, but, for the past year I am totally sold on Concrete. You can get it in so many colors and designs, and its soooo efficient. I have friends that have a house with unsealed chocolate concrete counters and they are totally to die for, except for the fact that they have to have them sanded about every 6 months to keep them looking good.
my husband just started his own business doing concrete counters and sinks. he's in utah if any of your readers are interested and his blog is nobleconcrete.blogspot.com. there are only a few of his samples up there now because we need to take more pictures..
This kitchen is so gorgeous! I like the look of both carrara and concrete countertops, thought they are different. Are the concrete ones really that inexpensive?
You can even get honed Corian or ceasarstone now which is still expensive but less so than marble.
I LOVE cement countertops, they are so unexpected! We went with silestone in a cement color for our remodel because of the practicality. I adore carrera, but couldn't deal with the stain factor
love the "keep calm and carry on" mugs…also, we just got cement countertops in florida and LOVE them. The builder came and sealed them (with something) and we haven't had any problems…they're especially great because you can put anything on them…hot pans etc.
we recently built a home and did marble.
honed marble.
does not stain.
vermontquarries.com
it was not expensive.
very comparable to doing granite.
absolutely love it.
http://drywallanddiapers.blogspot.com/2010/02/kitchen.html
we also used it in our bathroom.
go with what you love.
this is not the place to settle.
You know, the comment that granite countertops look really 80s kind of opened my eyes about something. It's SO expensive and, like anything, can get so dated. The most horrible Formica now(think white with gold flecks OR the butcher block pattern)was once a very sought-after look. Tile is slightly more expensive than laminate but a whole lot of people put it in and then realize that they hate it. If you're reselling, DEFINITELY don't do tile counters. Too many people already know that they hate it.
That said, since granite can be painted and re-sealed, it seems like it might be a pretty versatile choice. Getting more trendy by the year like granite has done for so long, but could painted by a faux artist to look like another kind of stone.
Finally, if budget is a HUGE restriction, think about this: the newer laminates are looking more realistic all of the time. Buy slabs with a full rolled edge, but no backsplash AT ALL. Butt the cut edge to the wall and tile the backsplash. Seams (especially front seams) and that rolled backsplash are what screams "laminate (e.g. cheap.) Take away those visual cues and gain a countertop that says, "stone" rather than "plastic" at first glance.
Artistic coordination between the backsplash and countertop will yield a very high end look, especially if you do a tiny splurge on a little bit of really expensive stuff like glass tiles.
This could also be used in conjunction with either a built-in wood area for a cutting board or a marble area for baking.
Nice kitchen I love the look, it is really nice.
The ink blue and the concrete is so mod & chic!
L.
I've never seen concrete countertops but they look fantastic! I know you can color them with some sort of acid.
Any idea of where the beautiful light is from? I have been on a year search for something just like that.
That kitchen is gorgeous. I love that it's not all matchy-matchy.
jbhat
Contractors price them out at $50/sf. Isn't that crazy. I just compared granite, limestone,and concrete for a project I am working on. I am assuming part of that is the extra labor, because materials cost cannot be that much.
I like them too.
There's a how-to for concrete counters over on instructables.
Concrete Countertops for the Kitchen Instructable
Looks great but waxing every month to maintain it? Seems like too much work to me.
awesome kitchen!
oooooh concrete! Our new house has …lavender laminate counter. They're in good shape, but I happen to loathe the color. We REALLY don't want to spend on new counters though (esp since they're in good condition), so my first choice is a product I found called SkimStone. It's a portland cement product (mostly used for decorative floors) that can be used over existing laminate. Most people do really warm colors in 'faux' looks, but I'm only keeping it white or grey when I try it. Saw them do that exact look on an HGTV show- that's what sold me. Reviews I've read from individuals and contractors were pretty good about durability too. Not a permanent fix, but for the super-cheap cost, I figure it's worth a try. If it's terrible… we'll just replace them anyways and I'll know I tried to save a few bucks.
Whenever I'm done (assuming it's a success), I'll have to send in some pics & let you know if it's worth it for those of us without the countertop dream funds!
I am in the market for a new countertop, but I never thought of cement! I have actually done tons of research on faux paint finishes for cement floors, and I'll bet the same techniques could be used for a cement countertop to create a custom granite-like look. (Plus you get to choose whatever colors you want!) An epoxy sealer like they use on basement and garage floors would provide a durable and long-lasting finish, too. You could even inlay a mosaic here and there, or do fossil-like impressions of leaves or other objects! What a gorgeous, practical and versatile idea.
We just put in concrete countertops 4 months ago. I LOVE them! We hired someone to do it, and it is as much, or more than, granite. But sooo worth it!
I think they have a great look, but heard they are a nightmare to keep up.
xo,
cristin
I have no advice but LOVE the kitchens! :)
noodleandboof.blogspot.com
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! I've lived in places with concrete counters and thought they were fabulous. As they age with wear and tear they look even better. Stains just add to the character and make them more visually interesting. To top it off, they can be very inexpensive. We always got so many compliments for our countertops because they're unique and uncommon.
those are beautiful. who would have thought?
We have friends that did DIY cement counter tops in their adorable B&B in central Panama. The locals there build all their counter tops this way and taught our friends. They passed along that the trick to getting the top smooth is to buff the wet cement with diesel. (Yikes!) For them it was incredibly affordable since they used sand from their property. I think it's definitely a doable DIY project if you're an experienced DIYer and have patience. My boyfriend and I are eager to try making our own once we move out of an apt/city.
I have experience with many kitchen installations. Concrete counters looks good in small slabs and more contemporary designs.
I once put in a large concrete island in my own kitchen which was a french style home. It was a huge mistake! The large amount on the island was very cold and looked like a large slab in a playground. Hated it! We took a sledgehammer to it and replaced the island counter with limestone! (thank goodness this mistake was in my home and not a clients!)
This is a great post, and all the comments are really helpful as I am shopping for a countertop right now. I have had a quote for granite, and my question is… is quartz composite or Corian more or less expensive that granite?? Thanks!
These cement countertops are amazing! So my aesthetic – functional yet stylish. :)
Bre @ http://theredbungalow.blogspot.com
It's so refreshing to see people doing something different. Frankly I'm sick of white kitchens with marble (as, if!) countertops. Don't these people cook? Like with spaghetti sauce? The ink blue cabinets are insanely gorgeous. Sigh. xoxo