Countertop Buying Guide
New countertops can work wonders for your kitchen or bathroom, bringing fresh style and lasting value to your home.
At Carolina Tile, we make countertops easy by offering a complete selection of top-quality materials and an infinite variety of custom configurations. Count on our friendly experts to help you choose, granite, Cesar Stone, marble, in the colors and textures that work best for you.
Before you start shopping, take a good look at your lifestyle, and consider your budget. What you discover will help you choose the perfect countertop for your home.
Lifestyle
First, ask yourself key lifestyle questions. Do you think of your kitchen as a showplace or a workplace? Do you see yourself cooking a little or a lot? Doing a little countertop maintenance or a fair amount of it? Some countertops require virtually no upkeep while others need regular care. Tradeoffs are a natural part of the selection process - and if you seek a particular surface or style, sometimes a bit of maintenance is a small price to pay.
Next, ask yourself if having a new countertop installed is enough change for now - or not? Countertops are focal points in any kitchen or bath, but they may not achieve the look you want on their own.
Would you like to change the mood of this room from dark to light, or from traditional to contemporary?
Would you like new flooring, cabinets, appliances or fixtures? If anything is worn, out of date or just not to your taste, consider replacing it. If you're thinking about new cabinets in particular, now is the time to get them. All countertop installations require that cabinets be installed beforehand.
Is the kitchen layout easy and functional? For example, does the "work triangle" of sink, cooktop and refrigerator work well for you? (No single leg of the triangle should be less than four feet or greater than nine feet.) If not, now is the time to consider moving the sink, cooktop or refrigerator.
In the kitchen, would you like to add an extra work surface, such as an island or peninsula? In the bathroom, would you like two sinks instead of one, or one sink instead of two?
Budget
Finally, think about how much you want to spend on your countertops. Countertop materials come in a range of prices, making it easy to find a good match for your needs.
When setting your budget, consider your plans for the future. If you own your home, a premium countertop is worth the investment, especially if you're planning to stay in your home for a number of years. If you plan to sell your home, a new countertop will enhance its beauty, increase its value and make it easier to sell. If you rent, ask yourself how long you plan to stay. If it's more than a year, then a new countertop can make your kitchen more attractive and inviting
