The first things, that someone notices when they walk into your kitchen, are your cabinets and the kitchen counter tops that you have chosen. They will evaluate them on their beauty and functionality. Hopefully, those two things will have gone together well in your planning.

Marble and granite are two very popular stones for use on counters, but are they practical for the way you live and work in the kitchen? You want your counter surfaces to be completely functional. Stone will not have a problem with a hot pot being set down on it, nor will it complain when you set a pan from the oven on the top. But surprisingly, some stones stain – so be careful if you are going that way. Some composite tile or wooden tops look great and are sealed against any stains. We chose white 12×12 inch tile of the counter tops and the 6×6 inch white tile for the walls in our kitchen. The floors in the rest of the house were marble, so the tile was a change that went well with the cabinets.

You want your kitchen to be outstanding and fully functional as a kitchen and as a family gathering place. Put in counter tops that you will not worry about or be concerned if the kids are mixing grape juice or if you spill a glass of wine. This is the place where the family comes together after school and after work. Where you can take off your shoes and lend up against a counter and think, ‘this is my place – I designed it and I love it!’

Your kitchen counter tops can be dark with the cabinets being light or dark, or the tops can be light or even white if you want. Remember this is your kitchen. Do remember though that the cabinets and the counter tops are going to last a long time. You may repaint but if you chose wisely, you will probably not redo the cabinets and tops for a very long time (maybe the next generation or so…) so think about what you want for your counter tops – plan for them and then enjoy the smart style that you have chosen.