The countertop you fell in love with in the showroom may look altogether different when it's in your kitchen.
"Lighting will change colours totally," says Louise Gordey, retail sales manager with Floform Countertops.
Gordey suggests taking countertop samples home to see how they look away from store lighting.
"It's like your paints," she says. "It will appear different in the day throughout the different times."
Artificial light in the home will also influence a countertop's subtle tones, she says.
"We've got so many different shades or variations in lighting right now and that will change colours totally."
The angle you view your counter at is something else that should be taken into consideration before you buy, says Gordey.
"Always look down at the colour of your countertop, because when you're in the kitchen, it's not something that you view straight on.
"It's a surface that you're going to be working on, so how do you feel about looking at it? Because if you're mixing, or baking or doing sandwiches or dishes, it's downwards that you're looking."
On its website, Floform advises people to bring paint colours, cabinet doors and floor tiles into the showroom to match with their countertops.
"Colour plays a big factor in what they're going to be putting in for a countertop," says Gordey. "Your colour will set the tone."
Countertops come in a variety of materials. Floform carries laminates, granite, quartz and Corian, the brand name for a solid-surface acrylic product with the look of natural stone.
Laminates are a popular way to get the look of stone without the high price.
"You see more laminate purchased because of the cost factor," says Gordey, who notes that granite, quartz and Corian are about two to three times more expensive than laminate.
And sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.
"Laminates have changed drastically," Gordey says. "There's all different finishes and some of them replicate (natural materials) like the granite."
Gordey has seen more than one person swayed by its appearance.
"I've had customers come in looking for granite or quartz or Corian and then they find a laminate and that's it: 'No, I'm going to put this in; I like it.' "
But one area where the stones and Corian excel is durability.
Both Corian and quartz are non-porous, so they won't stain or become a breeding ground for bacteria. Granite is a porous product, but it's sealed when installed and should be resealed over time.
Unlike most laminates, the three materials are heat- and scratch-resistant to a certain point.
"The operative word is 'resistant'," says Gordey.
"Use a cutting board when you're chopping and use a trivet when you're taking hot pots out of the oven or off the stove."
If your budget allows, go with the best product you can afford, she says.
"You have to look at the countertop and realize you're going to be using it as much, if not more than, a sofa, a television, even your flooring.
"You have to consider that it is a major expense."
-- Postmedia News
