The Value of Concrete Countertops: Personalization Rises Visual Allure and also Real Estate Financial Investment for Hom

1. From top-dollar residences in the San Francisco Bay Area to stretching mountain residences in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating home owners are demanding custom-made layouts as well as coatings in their kitchen areas. Particularly, they are aiming to express their uniqueness and unique design preferences with the quick expanding layout material of selection-- concrete. In fact, concrete kitchen counters have come to be rather of a status icon for kitchens, measuring up to granite as well as other premium kitchen counter surface options. Customer News Magazine (August 2004) rated concrete highest possible for its "modification" and "exclusivity" amongst premium cooking area countertops. As a customized item, the amount of time and also workmanship needed to create concrete counter tops positions them as one of the most labor-intensive and most expensive amongst leading counter top products. Nevertheless, concrete counter tops are becoming more available for those on a moderate budget plan. The most up to date diy (DIY) trend to captivate property owners and also builders is developing your own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has actually gained appeal mostly because of Cheng's very popular publication Concrete Countertops: Style, Types, as well as Completes for the New Kitchen Area as well as Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little financial investment in making concrete counter tops, yet the innovative gains of collaborating with concrete are plentiful. THE SHOWSTOPPER Significantly, homeowners are moving far from the tedious, manufactured appearance of standard kitchen counter surfaces as well as selecting concrete for its natural, ageless charm. And also, the alternatives for customizing concrete countertops are limitless: one can tint, gloss, stamp and tarnish concrete or imbed personal countertops bargain outlet objects like stones, seashells as well as fossils right into the counter top's surface area, including view and also personality. Practical functions such as drainpipe boards, soap meals, and trivets can additionally be included to fit the home owners' very own demands and also way of living. Concrete is gradually ending up being demystified as classically cold and also commercial. In contrary, this olden product is warm as well as surprisingly tactile; people can not aid however touch their smooth, refined surface areas. Realty representative Delight Rasmussen, who has lately sold her mountain residence-- a temporary investment property in Steamboat Springs, CO-- recounts her visitors' experiences with concrete: "When I had open homes, visitors was attracted to the concrete kitchen counters-- lots of people around here have actually never ever seen them". Happiness's 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was personalized construct by her hubby, Ken Otterman, along with KJ Otterman, president of Classic Unique Customized Homes. They developed pour-in-place concrete counters for the residence's kitchen and 3 washrooms by utilizing Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete kitchen counters were brightened smooth, after that paired with natural slate of varying shades-- like charcoal, corrosion and gold tones-- that creates the backsplashes in the kitchen area as well as baths. As a layout accent, little rectangle-shaped slate ceramic tiles were added to the rim of the shower room sinks, which gave an unique information to the customized vanities. When Pleasure and Ken made a decision to market their house, their investment in concrete countertops verified its value. "We had the ability to provide the house $20,000 over market price, and had no worry marketing it," remarks Delight, while discussing the lengthy listing of upgrades throughout their residence, consisting of knotty want solid doors, natural slate wall surface accents as well as wood floors. "The concrete countertops were conveniently one of the most distinct and impressive of all the surfaces. I believe they were a significant component in including worth to the home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite counter tops-- as well as I truly believe property buyers are getting rather numb with granite."

2. " Concrete kitchen counters are an unique offering to homebuyers who see the same coatings used in residence after house they check out," clarifies Pleasure, using her monitoring as a seasoned realtor. "Having concrete kitchen counters nearly provides you bragging civil liberties-- you have something different from your neighbors." BREAKING THE MOLD AND MILDEW An additional benefit of concrete is its adaptability in either modern-day or conventional settings, especially when coupled with various other products like different metals, wood or rock. "Concrete includes numerous [opportunities] to rock, and also the mix with slate, which is extremely prominent right here, gives the mountain residences a total warm, all-natural touch," claims Happiness. Joy as well as Ken have because built a much larger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that offers extensive sights of the Boat Ski Resort and also is indicated to work as a long-lasting financial investment for the pair. They've additionally increased their list of custom-made finishes, including hand-troweled walls, classy oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty want doors that arch on top, cupboards in an all-natural, knotty alder, and their preferred-- concrete cooking area counter tops. Unlike in their previous house, KJ as well as his specialized staff put charcoal-colored countertops using the pre- cast approach in the unfinished cellar of the new