The Value of Concrete Countertops
Customization Increases Aesthetic Appeal and
Real Estate
Investment for Homeowners
by Deborah Meyer, Cheng Concrete Exchange
From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco Bay Area to sprawling
mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating homeowners are demanding
custom designs and finishes in their kitchens. In particular, they are looking
to express their individuality and distinct design preferences with the
fast-growing design material of choice — concrete.
In fact, concrete countertops have become somewhat of a status symbol for kitchens, rivaling granite and other high- end countertop surface options. Consumer Reports Magazine (August 2004) ranked concrete highest for its “customization” and “exclusivity” among high-end kitchen countertops.
As a custom product, the amount of time and craftsmanship required to produce
concrete countertops places them as the most labor-intensive and priciest among
leading countertop materials.
However, concrete countertops are becoming more accessible for those on a modest
budget. The latest do-it-yourself (DIY) trend to captivate homeowners and
builders is building your own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has gained
popularity largely due to Cheng’s best-selling book Concrete Countertops:
Design, Forms, and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath (Taunton Press, 2002).
According to Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete
countertops, yet the creative gains of working with concrete are plentiful.
The Showstopper
Increasingly, homeowners are moving away from the monotonous, manufactured look of traditional countertop surfaces and choosing concrete for its earthy, timeless appeal. Plus, the options for personalizing concrete countertops are endless: one can color, polish, stamp and stain concrete or imbed personal objects like stones, seashells and fossils into the countertop’s surface, adding sentiment and character. Functional features such as drain boards, soap dishes, and trivets can also be incorporated to suit the homeowners’ own needs and lifestyle.
Concrete is slowly becoming demystified as characteristically cold and industrial. In contrary, this age-old material is warm and surprisingly tactile; people cannot help but touch their smooth, polished surfaces. Real estate agent Joy Rasmussen, who has recently sold her mountain home — a short-term investment property in Steamboat Springs, CO — recounts her visitors’ experiences with concrete: “When I had open houses, visitors gravitated to the concrete countertops — many people around here have never seen them”.
Joy’s 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was custom build by her husband, Ken
Otterman, along with KJ Otterman, president of a local construction company.
They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the home’s kitchen and three
bathrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored
concrete countertops were polished smooth, then paired with natural slate of
varying colors — like charcoal, rust and gold tones — that forms the
backsplashes in the kitchen and baths. As a design accent, small rectangular
slate tiles were added to
the rim of the bathroom sinks, which provided a unique detail to the custom
vanities.
When Joy and Ken decided to sell their house, their investment in concrete
countertops proved its value. “We were able to list the house $20,000 over
market value, and had no problems selling it,” comments Joy, while discussing
the long list of upgrades throughout their house, including knotty pine solid
doors, natural slate wall accents and hardwood floors. “The concrete countertops
were easily the most unique and impressive of all the finishes. I believe they
were a huge part in
adding value to the home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite
countertops —and I really think homebuyers are getting quite numb with granite.”
“Concrete countertops are a unique offering to homebuyers who see the same finishes used in house after house they visit,” explains Joy, offering her observation as a seasoned realtor. “Having concrete countertops almost gives you bragging rights — you have something different from your neighbors.”
Breaking the mold
Another advantage of concrete is its adaptability in either modern or traditional settings, especially when coupled with other materials like varied metals, wood or stone. “Concrete adds so many [possibilities] to stone, and the combination with slate, which is hugely popular here, gives the mountain homes an overall warm, natural touch,” says Joy.
Joy and Ken have since built a much larger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that offers expansive views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is meant to serve as a long-term investment for the couple. They’ve also expanded their list of custom finishes, including hand-troweled walls, elegant oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty pine doors that arch at the top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and their favorite — concrete kitchen countertops.
Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialty crew poured
charcoal-colored countertops using the pre-cast method in the unfinished
basement of the new home. Before pouring the concrete, they sprinkled an array
of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone,
Mother-of-Pearl and Turquoise. After the surface was ground and lightly
polished, the finished result was an impressive blend of colors, “By far, the
Mother-of-Pearl was the most incredible,” says Joy.
The L-shaped concrete countertop has a rough, rustic stone appearance,
complementing its rugged country surroundings. An integral drain board and
trivets provides function and added interest to the concrete countertop. Natural
slate backsplashes, distinct wall accents, and a butcher block countertop at the
kitchen island all resonate with the traditional warmth and earthiness of the
concrete countertops.
Joy and Ken’s respective backgrounds in real estate and custom homebuilding, and as investment homebuyers, have helped them realize that concrete countertops can add tremendous aesthetic and financial value to a home. Concrete’s customization and “show-stopping” appeal is like no other countertop surface. Cheng is a proponent of emotional aesthetics and building homes that capture these emotions, as in the case of Joy and Ken Otterman. Cheng concludes: “People really want differentiation, something personal, something custom – and concrete can do that for them.”
Photos courtesy Joy Rasmussen