The latest trends in kitchen countertop material are definitely Engineered Stone – or Quartz countertops as a lot of people refer to it. According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, quartz countertop has surpassed granite in the past two consecutive years, which is a great achievement for companies like the American-made Cambria, the Spanish giant Silestone and the Israeli company Caesarstone; which since 2015 has opened its first US factory in order to supply the demand of the US market.
According to a recent study created by The Freedonia Group, U.S. demand for countertops is forecast to increase 4.2 percent per year to 810 million square feet in 2019, valued at about $29.3 billion. With so much money on the table, a lot of Natural Stone distributors were forced to get into the quartz game; companies like MS International was forced to create their own engineered stone line, which requires couple millions of dollars investment – one more indication that quartz countertops material it’s changing the industry significantly.
Natural stone such as granite and marble are still the material of choice for a huge percentage of homeowners and it won’t lose its value because of the increased demand for quartz countertops. The natural beauty, veins and crystals that make granite, marble and quartzite so appealing it will keep making us fall in love with a certain color that the engineered stone manufactures haven’t figured, just yet, how to reproduce it. Therefore, gone are the days of boring and flecked quartz patterns; Nowadays, colors like Statuario Nuvo from Caesarstone and the new Cambria design Brittanicca are just two examples of what the manufactures are capable of in order to gain market space in the heart of the natural stone lovers. Colors like the ones in the Cambria Oceanic Collection are skyrocketing in popularity among interior designers and architects around the US. The waving look of Cambria Ella, the earthy and organic feel of Oakmoor and the beautiful flowing veins of Roxwell are the best sellers for the brand. The marble-like Calacatta Nuvo, Frosty Carrina and London Grey from Caesarstone are a great option for that classic look in a busy cooking area that before only marble could offer. Silestone Pulsar, Blanco Orion and Lusso are a better choice for those who likes the marble look but want to stay away from big veining and too much movement on their countertop surface.
This trend of reproducing the natural stone look on a material that it’s nonporous and don’t require any kind of maintenance it will only grow and I’m not afraid to say that the day is coming that even us, the fabricators, won’t be able to tell if a given material it’s man made or a natural stone! Until then, we will keep our eyes open to all the trends that the industry throw at us in order to keep you, our customer, up to date with the material that it will be a success at the heart of your home, the kitchen!
