Countertops for 1939 house (granite, laminate, corian, flooring)

[turf3]

OK, I am not satisfied completely with the kitchen countertop in my modest 1939 house. If someone thinks of an option I haven't listed below, let me know.


- Tile; this is what was original. Hard, grout, can crack. Would prefer not to have this.
- Wood (butcher block style); looks pretty good, will age and develop patina and stains and so on, will not look new for very long, even with fanatical care which I am not going to do.
- Quartz/granite: too anachronistic for me, at least all of it I've ever seen.
- Marble: fragile, stains easily, probably way too grandiose
- Formica: what's on there now; it's OK, love the price and ease of replacing, pretty durable, but haven't really found a color I like. The metal-edged 50s/60s style I like, but it doesn't fit a 1939 Art Deco style house.
- Corian/similar: anachronistic, but it can look like all kinds of things, but I haven't seen any I really thought would look good.
- Soapstone: probably a good fit for the age of the house, but I think it only comes in dark colors, is that correct?
- Linoleum: Also probably fits with the age, but I am not sure I've ever seen it done in real life. Does it also need a metal edging?


Other possibilities?

[Diana Holbrook]

Can you post a picture?

[ChessieMom]

I think you have them all covered.
There is concrete...and epoxy counters look cool.

Agree that a picture would be most helpful.

[magicshark]

My 1936 house has recycled glass countertops. Obviously they aren't original but boy do I love them.

[emm74]

If you like the idea of marble but not the maintenance, there are lots of quartz options that look like marble, so you'd have the age-appropriate appearance with the easier care and durability of a modern material

just one example but most of the brands have several marble-looking options

https://www.caesarstoneus.com/collec...ra-white-5151/

[T. Damon]

There are so many laminate countertop options that are vastly better than the cheap, thin products that so many of us are used from decades back. I would seriously look into a color-through, high quality laminate product that you could have fun with the multitude of pattern and color variations that might work great for your vintage, artsy home.

I’ve worked in commercial/institutional architecture firms where we are constantly exposed to the vast array of products out there- you might be surprised with the truly high quality options available.

Linoleum (now called Marmoleum) isn’t really a countertop product but rather a flooring product.

[milesdavid]

Post a picture so we can get better idea.

[Brian_M]

Soapstone, when left alone, will go grey. It's needs to be oiled to stay looking darker, I think my folks said they do theirs twice a year. But if you want "perfect looking" (per your comments on butcher block), this also isn't the right choice. It's a Very soft material and takes dings, nicks and scratches easily. There's also a variation to the coloring (like all natural products). It's easily my favorite counter material, but I like rustic looking that develops character... I had "perfect looking" before, it takes too much effort to keep it looking that way.



Your choice depends on what you want to look to be, none of us are spending the money nor do we have to live with the results. Where I like natural products (butcher block is #2 on my list), you clearly don't. I also tend towards period correct for historic homes, so I'd be looking for tile options with a super-thin grout line.



You'll probably get better ideas (and corrections of misconceptions) by visiting a professional to see different options.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Since you added some negative connotations to pretty much all countertop materials- I don't think you'll be satisfied with any choice.

Perhaps revisit your list and note all the positive things that are attributed to each material- then perhaps you can make an educated decision based on the information before you.

[Bungalove]

You might try Wilsonart Laminate. It's like Formica but has many more color and pattern choices. I know the kitchen place that is going to do the counters in my 1959 house offers both but lists them separately on their website. My neighbors had Wilsonart countertops and they were pretty stunning.