Upgrade Your Kitchen this Holiday Season with Natural Stone Countertops

An entire kitchen remodel before the holidays can be stressful. Planning the logistics of what is getting done, plus coordinating family gatherings and travel is a lot to take on during this busy time. While you may want an entire kitchen overhaul, simple changes can make a big impact for the aesthetics of your home. Upgrading kitchen countertops is a great solution for minimal downtime during the holidays while giving your kitchen a new, fresh look. In one week or less, Academy Marble can upgrade your kitchen with beautiful natural stone countertops, making it a quick and easy way to update your home before guests and family visit for the holidays.

If you would like to have new kitchen countertops installed before the holidays, we are here to help.

Did your last celebration go smoothly in the kitchen?

Before you decide about a kitchen countertop upgrade before the holidays, sit back, close your eyes and think about last year’s holiday celebrations. Think about what you prepared. How has did it work out? Did you have any problems? Did everyone have enough room to gather in the kitchen?

For many of us, the holidays are centered around cooking. During food preparation, is there enough counter space for the cooks and their helpers? Would a kitchen island save the day and create countertop space for holiday cooking and baking?

Oftentimes holiday meal-prep, especially for large families, is an exercise in chaos management. If that’s how you remember it, consider upgrading your kitchen to ease holiday stress. You can add additional counter space or an island. This would also add extra storage for appliances, baking sheets, cookware, etc. Add barstools or highchairs to create a great gathering space in the heart of your home!

Start your kitchen remodel with natural stone countertops

Designing a kitchen with natural stone counters made of marble, granite or quartzite will ensure you transform your space while adding significant resale value.

Each type of natural stone has its own characteristics, but one thing they all have in common is that they are more heat resistance than synthetic materials that are usually held together by some sort of binding resin that can scorch with extreme temperatures.

Most natural stone is created by the Earth under massive forces of heat and pressure — in other words, it’s already withstood extreme heat, and should not be damaged by hot pans or dishes. We still recommend you protect your counters from heat by using trivets and silicon mats.

Just like other surfaces, we recommend using cutting boards to avoid getting acidic fruit juices on your natural stone. Knives should not damage your natural stone, but the natural stone will damage your knives. So for your counters, and for the health of your knives, always use a cutting board.

Life Hack: Silicon counter mats are extremely user-friendly as they can be rolled up and put away easily. They are also very easy to wash if they get any burnt residue stuck to them.

Marble Natural Stone Countertops

The classic look of marble is found in some of the world’s most beautiful homes. Timeless Calcutta and Carrara marble are making a big comeback with its beautiful features of modern designs.

Marble is the softest of natural stone options and should be used by a more mature kitchen team who are methodical and careful with food preparation. Marble can be stained by acidic liquids like vinegar, fruit juices and wine. To prevent this, a quick cleanup is needed. Children cannot always be depended on to remember minor details like protecting counters from staining.

Granite Natural Stone Countertops

Granite is the strongest natural stone counter material. It’s most likely to resist damage over the long run and keep looking beautiful for life. Many are familiar with the heavily flecked granite patterns seen on countertops in countless homes in Earth tones, with black or dark gray.

Granite comes in many other colors including hues of blues and green. Consider choosing one of these shades to be on-point with color trends in 2019. Behr has chosen a medium blue color called “Blueprint” to be 2019’s paint color of the year, and Benjamin Moore’s 2019 palette includes grays, blues, and greens.

Quartzite Natural Stone Countertops

Quartzite is strong and durable like granite. It features specks of quartz that sparkle in the sunlight. Its extra sparkle makes it slightly more expensive than other natural-stone counter materials. Quartzite is well-rated for UV resistance making it a perfect choice for rooms with lots of natural light, solariums and outdoor kitchens.

Natural stone counters will look beautiful with this year’s holiday décor trends. They include metallic accents in pale rose gold, ornaments in the palest pastel shades, and themes including tropical-nautical, peacocks and mermaids, winter forest creatures, and lots of velvet.

Academy Marble’s consultants can help you choose the perfect natural stone countertops for your kitchen. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to get the kitchen upgrade you’ve been dreaming of before the holidays.