Countertop Choices

The most popular choices for counters tend to be laminate or stone, but many other choices are available. Host Joan Kohn visits architects Ernest Santallas and Andreas Charalambous of Forma Design for some ideas for unusual countertop materials. The designers emphasize that the material you choose should coordinate with the entire home's scheme, and that it should be both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

• Stainless steel is a durable choice for counters that can easily be extended up the wall for a backsplash, or cover the entire wall. It reflects light (which can brighten a dark space) and color (which keeps it from seeming too cold).
• Poured concrete is a versatile choice since it can be formed and colored in almost any shape and color.
• Synthetic slate, which is cool to the touch like natural stone, has a number of advantages over the real thing: it is perfectly smooth, with no texture or ripple, and it is very lightweight, making it easy to create a thick look.
• Zinc has the look of stainless steel but will stain and dent. As design moves away from a pristine look, these indications of age are becoming not only acceptable, but desirable.
• Copper provides a soft, shiny surface that is very pliable and easily formed . It is much less expensive to create a bull-nose edge with copper than stone. It looks wonderful paired with a tinted glass backsplash.
• Mirrors make exceptional backsplashes, adding light to the room when positioned opposite a window.