Shopping for Countertops in 2020: A Guide

Beginning your home renovation is an incredibly exciting time! Home improvement is one of the best things that you can do for your peace of mind and ease of living. When starting your project, you have a huge amount of freedom in deciding what’s best for you and your home spaces, and that includes kitchen and bathroom surfaces, which are some of the most-used areas of our home. With that immense freedom comes a bit too much responsibility-- how do I know what to choose? What do I need to know? What type of options should I be looking for when choosing new countertops? 

Fear not, we’re here to guide you through your quest for new countertops and make sure that you get all of your boxes checked in the process! 

Countertop Materials 

Probably the first big thing you’ll want to consider is the material that your countertop is going to be made of. This is important for many reasons, including durability, design, as well as functionality. There are many options on the market, and we’ll talk more in detail about the top 3 countertop surface materials. 

Quartz Countertops Building your countertop out of quartz can have many benefits, and quartz countertops are quickly becoming one of the most popular countertop options. Quartz countertops can give you a modern and natural stone appearance without the upkeep and maintenance of some other stone countertop materials. It has an incredible durability and won’t be prone to scratches, stains, or other impacts. You can find a plethora of design options with quartz and it will definitely keep your kitchen happy. 

Marble Countertops

Marble is truly one of the most stunning countertop surface materials that you can find on the market. Marble offers a feel of luxury but can truly end up being quite affordable as far as building materials go. Marble is a natural stone with a number of variations and a longstanding durability. It will no doubt be a crowd pleaser in your home, give you that little spark of luxury, as well as offer you a long lasting countertop surface that performs very well.  

Granite Countertops

Granite is an excellent natural stone material with a wide variety of looks and patterns and an air of sophistication and natural beauty. The benefit of granite is that it’s extremely heat-resistant, which will give it more durability than other stones depending on how you’re using your countertops. Granite is also going to avoid scuffing and staining, which is excellent for the long-term preservation of your countertops. 

Samples

So, now you’ve heard about three incredible countertop surface materials, but still aren’t feeling any more decisive than you were before. No problem! You should always get a feel first-hand for any building materials that you’re going to use in your project. Your countertop design and installation professionals should be happy to show you the materials to get a feel for how they might do in your home; perhaps there may even be a sample to take home. Don’t be shy about partnering with your design and installation team as they are the professionals who are ready to help you! 

Countertop Edge Options 

Now that you’ve thought about what material you want to use, you should take into account the shape of your countertops’ edges. It seems like a minor detail but can in fact bring a lot of cohesiveness to your design as well as practicality for your family. 

There are many different designs and edge profiles when choosing your countertop design. This is the benefit of having an interior design professional at your side! Make sure that you discuss this with your design expert and installation team, and be sure to keep in mind the shape of your countertops for the most seamless look. 

Countertop Height 

Deciding on a height for your countertops is also going to be an important factor for practicality and aesthetic. Take into consideration your family’s needs when deciding on the height, and keep in mind that the thickness of your countertop can adjust the height by a few inches depending on the thickness. 

For the kitchen, the average countertop height is 36 inches, respectively. For the bathroom, you’re looking at an average countertop height of roughly 31 inches. This will depend a bit on personal preference and on your own personal height, but these are useful points of reference. 
Project Specifications

When working together with your installation team and design experts, you want to make sure that you have an accurate understanding of your project size, including square footage and other basic information for the project. While your expert team will be in charge of dealing with most of this technical stuff, it will be useful for you to understand your home renovation project specifications when it comes to understanding the project as well as pricing terms. Plus, it helps you get straight to the point when working with your installation and design team and avoid wasting any time in getting the project off the ground. 

Wrap-Up 

Hopefully you feel a little more at ease knowing that you will be working with a team of countertop installation experts in Vancouver like Van Countertops and interior design experts to guide you in this process, but you can start to make these decisions on your own! 


Consider the needs of your family first. Then, give some thought to the aesthetic that you’re going for. Are you looking for a natural feel? Do you really want to add a bit of luxury style to your home? Do you love a natural and comforting look? There are many possibilities. With some ideas in mind, take a look at options such as countertop surface material as well as countertop edge profiles. Once you know your project specifications and the height that you’d like your countertop, you’re as good as on your way to the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams!