natural stone vs. Composite Countertops

Natural Stone

Pros:

Hefty and heat resistant

Lasts a lifetime

Looks beautiful

Cons:

Needs to be resealed periodically

Some materials need regular applications of mineral oil

Marble is expensive, porous and susceptible to staining

Composite

Pros:

Quartz is scratch and stain-resistant and needs no sealing

Paperstone and Richlite are eco-friendly

Solid surfaces like Corian are seamless

Cons:

Hot pans can permanently mark some solid-surface countertops

Can be expensive

Open shelves vs. upper Cabinets

Open Shelves

Pros:

Space to display art, stunning cookware and dishes

Opens up the room

Can be restyled easily for a fresh look

Cons:

Requires regular dusting

Can become cluttered and look messy

Not as much useful storage space

Upper Cabinets

Pros:

Hides unorganized storage

Creates a seamless, unified look and uses all vertical space

Prevents dust and grease from settling on food and dishes

Cons:

More expensive to purchase and install

Can make a room feel closed in

May result in unused space as it is challenging to reach top cabinets

Tile vs. wood Floors

Tile

Pros:

Hard-wearing and easy to clean

Many economical options

Endless patterns and colours for any style of room

Cons:

Can be cold underfoot

Easily shatters dishes dropped on it

Grout requires regular scrubbing and sealing

Wood

Pros:

Maintains flow in an open-concept space

Warm and comfortable underfoot

Adds an organic element

Cons:

Scratches and dents easily

Can be expensive

Spills need to cleaned up right away to avoid moisture from affecting wood

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