A stainless steel countertop has an industrial vibe yet looks sleek and sophisticated. Photos: Canva
Malaysians are known to love our food and our kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where family members come together for quick bites and to prepare meals.
In my previous articles, we learnt about tips on making small kitchens work and understanding the different types of kitchen layouts. Today, as part of a trilogy on kitchen design, this article will discuss the six most popular types of countertop materials for your kitchen.
The countertop or tabletop is one of the most important components in your kitchen. It is the centrepiece and often, a favourite topic of conversation.
Learning about the options available empowers better decision-making. Let’s begin!
A granite countertop resists scratches, stains, is heat-resistant and does not chip easily.
Granite is known to be a very hard material because it consists of feldspar and quartz. Top chefs are known to prefer granite kitchen countertops for their durability and beauty. A granite countertop resists scratches, stains, is heat-resistant and does not chip easily.
If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, granite is the perfect choice because it’s able to take a lot of hard work. It is also easy to clean, does not scuff and boasts of natural grain that is unique.
Choosing granite as your countertop also lends a premium touch to your kitchen. The only downside is it comes with a premium price tag!
As a countertop surface, marble is suitable for low-traffic dry kitchens or pantry counters.
Like granite, marble is also a natural stone, but it mostly consists of calcium carbonate.
Comparatively, marble is softer and does not possess the same durability as granite. Marble tends to be more vulnerable to heat damage and staining on its porous surface. Diligence and care are required to maintain a marble countertop. Yet marble is extremely timeless, elegant and beautiful with long veins that swirl through the stone. Hence, as a countertop surface, marble is still suitable for low-traffic dry kitchens or pantry counters.
One of the most popular choices for homeowners is quartz stone countertops. Unlike granite and marble, it is not a natural stone but an engineered stone product.
It’s a composite made up of 90% quartz and 10% acrylic that acts as an epoxy binder. Engineered quartz has a non-porous surface which makes it highly resistant to stains, scratches, heat and hard impacts. It comes in a wide array of colours, tones and patterns.
Quartz countertops are also low-maintenance and extremely durable. If you like this look, just be prepared to splurge a bit.
A solid surface requires low maintenance, is easy to clean, non-porous and stain-resistant.
Solid surface is also an engineered product, which is made of synthetic acrylic layers and stone-derived materials. This material requires low maintenance and is easy to clean. It is non-porous and stain-resistant too. Solid surface is not as hardy as quartz, but any scratch marks can be easily repaired by sanding.
You can also expect zero visible seams or joint lines when you choose solid surface. Just be mindful that compared to quartz, solid surface does not handle heat that well.
Besides the six materials above, other countertop options include laminates, timber and even concrete.
You often see stainless steel countertops used in restaurant kitchens. This is already testament to its robustness in a high-traffic kitchen. It is extremely resistant to heat and can handle a lot of abuse. In Bahasa Malaysia, we say it is really tahan lasak (highly durable). A stainless steel countertop may ooze an industrial vibe, but it also looks sleek and sophisticated. When paired with the right cabinet materials, you’ll have a kitchen screaming for attention.
If you have a big budget, go with stainless steel because it is one of the easiest countertops to clean and maintain.
Tiles are non-porous and highly resistant to heat, scratches and stains.
Ceramic tiles are commonly used for floors and walls in our Malaysian homes due to their affordability. It’s not a natural stone but it is made from a mixture of water, sand and clay that is shaped and fired in a kiln to produce a long-lasting surface finish.
Tiles are non-porous, highly resistant to heat, scratches and stains. They are also easy to clean, require low maintenance and come in diverse sizes, shapes, colours and textures. Just be careful with the grout between tiles which may need intermittent cleaning. You may opt for larger pieces of tiles to reduce the grout lines on the counter.
These are just my top six recommendations of popular and mainstream options in Malaysia. If you talk to your interior designer or contractor, you’ll be surprised to hear a long list of other options like laminates, timber and even concrete!
All of us dream of a beautiful home with a gorgeous kitchen. It is important to know your vision and work towards it within your budget. Remember to be honest with your design vision, style and flair. Your kitchen should embody your personal taste, personality and lifestyle, not copied blindly from the kitchen showroom or online references. Till my next article, happy renovating!
Tan Bee Eu is a professional architect registered with Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia. She teaches at Universiti Sains Malaysia and has two decades of working experience involving diverse local and international projects in architecture and design. She can be reached at www.betadesignz.com/contact.
A stainless steel countertop has an industrial vibe yet looks sleek and sophisticated. Photos: Canva
A granite countertop resists scratches, stains, is heat-resistant and does not chip easily.
Marble is extremely timeless, elegant and beautiful with long veins that swirl through the stone.
A solid surface requires low maintenance, is easy to clean, non-porous and stain-resistant.
As a countertop surface, marble is suitable for low-traffic dry kitchens or pantry counters.
Besides the six materials above, other countertop options include laminates, timber and even concrete.
As a countertop surface, marble is suitable for low-traffic dry kitchens or pantry counters.
If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, granite is the perfect choice because it’s able to take a lot of hard work
Tiles are non-porous and highly resistant to heat, scratches and stains.
