Quartz and white marble remain growing trends of kitchen design

When it comes to the kitchen — the most popular space in any residence — quartz and white marble remain growing trends, while mitered corners are also often requested for countertops

When it comes to aesthetics, homeowners are usually looking to incorporate what’s trending and what’s “hot” on the market to make each space unique.

When speaking with fabricators along the East Coast, it’s apparent that granite is not the only popular choice for countertops anymore. “Everyone wants white marble,” said Tim Farr, owner of StoneWorks in Augusta, Inc. in Augusta, GA. “It’s just really popular. We see some quartz, but for the most part, it’s everything light and white. People are moving away from the staple colors to the whites.”

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Marco Duran, co-owner of Atlas Marble & Granite in Springfield, NJ, also is seeing a trend towards marble countertops. “The most popular [materials] right now are marble or quartzite,” he said. “On a scale from one to three, with one being the most popular, I’d say marble is at one, with second, being quartzite. I think marble is the most popular only because people are not really aware of quartzite.

As an interior designer, Alena Capra, CKD, CBD of Alena Capra Designs in Fort Lauderdale, FL, said she has been working with a tremendous amount of white quartz lately. “I’ve done work in New York City as well as Florida, and more people are very much looking to do neutral quartz counters,” she said.

Anna Marie Fanelli, designer and vice president of Floor & Decor in Tenafly, NJ, echoed Capra’s comments and said her clientele is also requesting a lot of quartz to use for their homes. “I’ve introduced them to Dekton [by Cosentino], an ultra-compact material composed of glass and porcelain and the highest quality quartz material that can go on the inside and outside of buildings,” she said. “It comes in monochromatic colors — blacks and different types of whites. The technology is crazy; it’s amazing. I’ve used it for fireplaces, kitchens and bathrooms.

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Selecting the right edge

When it comes to edges, the mitered edge has been growing in popularity, but for some areas of the country, it has already been around for a handful of years. “We took an interest in that maybe four to five years ago,” said Duran. “I just always like that look of miters and clean lines. From a personal standpoint, I want to impose that in our showroom. Pretty much, it’s more of a foresight in people’s minds. I was ahead of the trend when it came to miters in natural stone. We partook in mitering way before people took an interest in it. Now that there’s an interest in it, it’s like second nature to us. If you look at people who are trending, their choices are directed towards quartzite or stones, and those are complemented by mitered edges.”

Farr agrees that his shop is seeing more of the mitered edge. “It’s coming, I will tell you”, said Farr “If folks are not prepared, they better start to [get prepared]. [But], I think it’s just a trend. That’s part of the reason for us buying a new CNC saw — it’s more efficient. Our old saw didn’t miter, and this one does. It makes it simple.”

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Polished verses honed

While many people tend to veer towards a polished finish, which is highly reflective, displaying the vibrancy and character of the stone’s natural colors, it really depends on the type of material being used and its application. “If I’m working with marble, it’s most likely honed,” said Farr. “There are some people that want the polished look. I’d say it’s probably a 70 to 30 ratio. About 70% want a honed finish and 30% want a polished finish.”

Duran said most of his customers are looking for the same things. “Honing is advantageous to having marble — people will drift towards honed tops,” he said. “If it’s marble, I’m almost positive they’re going for a honed finish; there’s probably a 3-to-1 ratio they’re selecting honed over polished. The polished finish — people are going just for the look of it.”

According to Fanelli, she believes the two finishes are equally popular. “It was always honed, but now it’s 50/50,” she said. “I’ve even done polished materials in the kitchen in porcelain. Before it was honed, honed, and honed. Now, it’s a combination of both.”

From Capra’s standpoint, she’s seeing the opposite, with the polished trend standing strong. “In this case, I am finding the tradition that kind of stays, for the most part, is polished countertops,” she said. “Not a lot of people are doing honed countertops. They keep trying the honed trend, but I don’t think it is happening. A shiny piece of stone in your kitchen contrasts so nicely. Most cabinets are wood, so I think it creates a beautiful, stunning contrast to have that polished top. I really don’t get asked for honed as much as I do for polished.

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The future of stone

A couple of years ago, people were really looking for ways to save on stone products, while also being able to accomplish an upscale design. Today, the trend has totally shifted. Now, instead of worrying about cost, people are starting to indulge in the luxury items they really want, looking at it as an investment.

“The future is in semi-precious stones and the ultra-high-end market,” said Duran. “The luxury goods market is basically coming out of its shell. We’ve been predicting that for about a year now that there is a call now for a luxury product that is beyond white marble, exotic granite and engineered stone. We feel that luxury is coming back. People, again, are sort of having what they desire, instead of what is common. Granite is attainable and common — and people are looking for opulence and luxury — and that’s what is with a semi-precious collection. It’s got qualities that make it look so unique — as unique as the individual wants to be. People say, ‘This is what makes me different — having this surface. Not everyone can afford it.’ And that market is starting to bloom. It’s becoming fashionable.”

“What I’m seeing with kitchen backsplashes are a lot of stone with mirror, stone with gold, stone with platinum — a lot of mixing with exotic materials,” said Fanelli. It’s different these days; they have upscale feelings. People are saying to me, ‘The Kardashians did it,’ so you have this mindset of ‘the celebrities did it, now I can do it.’ It’s an interesting way of looking at it. If they have to spend $4,000 to $5,000, they will now. They’ll say it’s an investment; before, it was ridiculous, now it’s artwork, a specialty.”

Heather Fiore, associate editor of TILE Magazine

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