Should your flooring match your kitchen or countertops?

Throughout the past year, many people have begun reinvesting in their homes and renovating them as a way to breathe new life into their space. One of the main areas of the home that has seen an uptick in renovations is the kitchen.
Homeowners across the country have been working to change many different aspects of their kitchen, including countertops, flooring, cabinets, and more. While the renovation process itself can be fun and exciting, many homeowners find themselves stumped on the design process.

A common question that has been asked lately is whether countertops need to match the floor or backsplash. While aesthetics vary from kitchen to kitchen, here are a few things to keep in mind when renovating your space:

1. If you have ceramic, porcelain, or vinyl tile for your kitchen floor, you should look for granite with a slight contrast when selecting your countertop. Attempting to match the granite countertop to the floor can cause the space to feel busy and overwhelming. This means you should aim to pick a tone in the flooring material and find a tone in granite that highlights it
2. When shopping for new kitchen countertops, bring flooring and color samples with you to make the process smoother. This will help ensure that the countertop you select will create a beautiful contrast with your existing kitchen aesthetic.
3. Always aim to complement your wood cabinets. Typically, selecting a granite countertop that contrasts against your cabinet color works best. This means that for light wood cabinets, you should aim for a dark or black granite countertop, and for dark wood cabinets, you should look for a gold-toned or neutral-colored granite. When done correctly, your cabinets and granite countertops will complement each other nicely to make your kitchen feel bigger and more inviting.

How to Keep Your Granite Clean & Beautiful for Years to Come

Keep your granite looking beautiful with everyday cleaning to remove dirt, grime, dust, and food that may have settled on the countertops. You can do this by using a dry or wet microfiber cloth to dust off or clean the surface. When there are spills, we suggest you use some dishwashing soap to clean the surface and then dry it with a soft cloth.

Sealing Granite Countertops

Many people are cautious about getting granite countertops because they believe they are more upkeep than quartz. Granite countertops are known to be more porous than quartz countertops. Although this may be true, granite is unique and no one stone is the same as another. In order to see if you need to seal your granite – perform this simple water test.

1. Pour a bit of water on the counter.
2. Note the time that you placed the water on the counter and see how long it takes for the granite to darken

Depending on the time it takes to absorb will tell you how many times or if the sealant is needed.o

• Immediate absorption:  Apply a couple of layers of sealer annually and wipe spills quickly.
• 4-5 minutes: Multiple layers of sealer needed, but only redo every 3-5 years. Use this water test again before reapplying.
• 10 minutes: Apply a single layer of sealer; may be many years before re-application is needed
• 30 minutes (or doesn’t absorb): No need for a sealer

For more information on the best kitchen and bathroom countertops for your home or business contact NEKA, today to get a consultation and to schedule an appointment to visit our warehouse.

Whether you’re updating your kitchen to increase your home’s resell value or just decided it’s time for a style upgrade, choosing the right material for your new kitchen countertops can be a seriously daunting process. Before getting overwhelmed by everyone’s opinions, take a few minutes to consider what your priorities are. Do you want to up the resell value of your home? Are you looking to make sure your countertops are as durable as possible? Should you prioritize low cost of materials and installation? Do you want to ensure that you end up with something completely unique? Once you know what your priorities are and what you can compromise on, you’ll be able to choose a kitchen countertop material that perfectly suits your needs.

Overview of Marble, Granite, and Quartz Countertops

1. Marble Countertops

Marble countertops will give your kitchen an air of luxury, sophistication, and elegance. Marble is a gorgeous natural material that looks high-end and can elevate any kitchen. However, it can be a little more susceptible to scratches and stains than other materials, because it’s relatively soft. But if you clean and maintain your marble countertops properly, they should stay in great condition for many years. Marble comes in a variety of shades and can be purchased in slabs or tiles depending on your needs and tastes.

2. Granite Countertops

Granite is one of the most popular materials for kitchen countertops. Granite is a natural stone that comes in a ton of colors ranging from bold pink, red, yellow, and green to neutral white, grey, black, and tan. Each cut of granite is completely unique, so your granite countertops won’t look like anyone else’s. You may need to re-stain your granite annually to keep it stain resistant, but it’s such a hard material that not even the sharpest knives will be able to scratch or damage it. Granite countertops are also a must-have for a lot of home buyers, so if you’re looking to sell, granite may be the perfect option.

3. Quartz Countertops

Quartz is an engineered stone material that is a blend of different stone chips, pigments, and resins. Quartz is perfect for the areas of your kitchen that get a ton of use. Quartz countertops will survive spills, knife scratches, and hot pots and pans without sustaining any damage. Quartz countertops come in vibrant styles and colors that mimic the look of natural stone but typically have a more consistent pattern. With quartz countertops, you can be confident that your countertops will always look clean and flawless.

As long as you consider all your options and make an informed decision, you’re bound to love your new kitchen countertops. Your entire kitchen will look like a completely new place with beautiful new countertops.

Investing time and money in creating a beautiful, functional kitchen is one of the best things you can do to increase your home’s value. Home buyers often list a high-quality kitchen as one of their must-haves, and studies have shown that kitchen remodeling has one of the highest returns on investment of any home improvement project. When it comes time to choose your kitchen countertops, granite is a no-brainer. Granite countertops are durable, beautiful, and timeless.

However, if you’re not an expert, choosing the perfect granite countertops for your kitchen can be an overwhelming process. There are so many things to consider; where do you even start? These three tips will help you feel confident that you’re choosing granite countertops that you’ll love for years to come.

1. Consider Color Carefully

You might think that your options are limited to black and white, but granite actually comes in a wide variety of hues. Red granite countertops can bring warmth and energy to your kitchen, and you can find it in shades from light rose to deep burgundy. Green granite comes in beautiful earthy tones and can help create a calm, relaxed atmosphere. If you want to stick with something more classic, go with the traditional white or black granite countertops. Black countertops will make your kitchen look elegant and elevated and are great for kitchens that have a lot of natural light coming in. White granite is also a timeless choice, and it will create a modern, contemporary look in your kitchen, especially if you pair it with all white cabinets and chrome appliances. You could even use two colors of granite if you want to get creative – one for the island, and one for the countertops under your cabinets. This combination of colors can create a beautiful contrast and make both colors really pop.

2. Think about it in Context

When choosing your granite countertops, don’t forget to think about how they will fit into the overall design of your kitchen. Consider the color of your kitchen cabinets, walls, floors, and appliances. Then, pick granite that will either match those elements or stand out as a focal point. You should also think about the lighting in your kitchen. If you don’t have a lot of natural light, you may want to shy away from dark colors and go for something lighter and brighter instead.

3. Do Your Research

One of the most important things to think about when choosing granite countertops is the company you’re working with. Do your research and read reviews online before committing to a specific company or retailer. Neka has been in the granite countertop business for almost 30 years, and their goal is to make sure every single customer loves their new granite countertops. They carry a wide range of colors and styles, all of which you can check out for yourself in their showroom. Neka is a full-service company, so you can buy your granite, and have it installed – all from one company. Granite countertops are an investment, and Neka puts in the work to make sure you’re completely satisfied with the end result and love your new countertops for years to come.