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Over the years I have had Formica countertops of varying quality. A well installed countertop will not warp/delaminate due to mild exposure to water, though any of them will if they remain soaked all the time. You cannot use Formica as a cutting board. Of course if you use granite as a cutting board you will ruin your knives, but you won't hurt the stone. You can stain Formica but several of the other alternatives can also be stained. The last 3 houses we have had Formica countertops installed, we have used the "butcher block" pattern which doesn't show stains too much. Once we had white Formica and boy that was a mistake.
Formica will not last as long as stone or stonelike materials, under rough treatment, but it's plenty durable enough for most people. It's way cheaper and it's so out of fashion that it won't ever look like last decade's decorating fad.
For pure function I would probably use either stainless steel tops (like a commercial kitchen), or true wood butcher block (which gets cut marks and stains, but that's the way it's supposed to age). But we will probably stay with good old Formica in the relatively modest houses we will probably always inhabit. I would rather invest in fancy materials elsewhere in the house (like built in bookcases and real hardwood floors). I am old fashioned and don't want to live in the kitchen. I see it as a place for cooking and cleaning, not a place to spend all my time. For that matter, my waistline needs for me to get in and out of the kitchen quickly, not hang around with all that food all the time anyway.
Drop a cast iron skillet in your white enameled sink and you will understand why I only want stainless steel sinks from here on out.
Double kitchen sink for me, so you can wash in one and scald in the other. (If I have 6 big pots to wash, I don't do them in the dishwasher.)
I am a big proponent of Formica countertops.
I think the new "greige" colors are particularly hideous. Even more than the "aged Tuscany" look of 10 years ago. Grey paint everywhere just reminds me of living on a naval ship. If I wanted to live in a battleship, I would have joined the Navy. I would have already been retired with full military benefits.
Worst of all is when someone takes a 1939 small house and "improves" it by painting everything greige, and sands and re-stains the white oak floors nearly black. (Hint: oak is a LIGHT COLORED wood, when you try to stain it so dark, it does not look like black walnut, it just looks like a muddy mess. If you want black walnut floors, pony up the money, or just leave your 75 year old golden oak floors' patina the heck alone.) Don't even get me started on how these little houses, which are superbly designed for space efficiency, get mutilated by people "opening them up".
"Never wear battleship gray, dear, or a thousand sailors will try to board you." Richard Simmons
^^^^
agreed on the Formica. I never worry about stains or cracking it.
Yes and too much gray is not a good thing. It reminds me of the navy ships also. Just like white cabinets make me think of a hospital although they do work well in a very small kitchen.
Marble and slate are others I would never choose.
The new tiles that have printing or designs on them. Like the ones on Flip or Flop. Now that girl has some hideous taste. Those tiles will be dated too soon. And the work to take them out...ugh!!
Yes but we all do what we like No worries though you probably hate what I have
Oh I agree.
Patterned tile has been around for thousands of years. I think the minimalist, monochromatic look is just as trendy as anything else and it's not "me," so we went with this instead. I know it's a "statement" but like you said, we all do what we like!
What I can't believe is how all this midcentury modern stuff - Danish furniture, Jetson-style lamps, etc - has been back in style. I definitely see that trend coming to an end soon.
I think open concept will stick around. It actually is not that new either, but it like using stainless steel in kitchens. It is more of normal thing than a trend.
On the dark floors: I imagine that they will always be an option, if not exactly on trend. I had my natural oak floors restained dark and I continue to love how they look with my mostly gray walls.
On the use of gray: I do think this is a trend, and that it looks best with furnishings that are not over the top colorful. Gray works well with my stuff, and I continue to like it for me. But I suspect that more colorful furnishings will gradually become more trendy for the next few years.
Home furnishings industries drive change to drive sales. So, things will always change.
I like Formica countertops. I never had a problem with them cracking or chipping. They can stain a bit but a little Soft Scrub always got it out. I tend to lean on my counters a lot, when I am making lists or writing or checking homework or whatever. I hate the feel of the cold stone. Feels like a gravestone to me.
I like Formica countertops. I never had a problem with them cracking or chipping. They can stain a bit but a little Soft Scrub always got it out. I tend to lean on my counters a lot, when I am making lists or writing or checking homework or whatever. I hate the feel of the cold stone. Feels like a gravestone to me.
There is also a big difference in the quality of formica. If you buy the slabs off the shelf at HD or Lowe's they have less longevity and will not last as long as special ordered ones. But seriously you cannot expect much from $10.00 a foot, lol. The special ordered ones are a lot higher than those.
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No worries though you probably hate what I have
