The San Francisco Chronicle ran an article last year in which the writer claimed to create a three by eight-inch kitchen counter using only $36 in materials.  Fu-Tung Cheng, the Bay Area designer quoted in the article, has even published a book and DVD called Concrete Countertops Made Simple.  You simply mix up the stuff and when it has the consistency of oatmeal, it’s ready to pour.

Citing the benefits, Cheng reports having the same concrete countertops he first poured in his home more than 30 years ago. On the negative side, Cheng says, if you the concrete isn’t cured correctly, it can be prone to cracks. And, it can stain easily from acidic liquids from vinegar, fruit, or wine.

Estimating the Cost of Concrete Counters

If you choose to have a professional install them, you’ll typically be charged by the square foot for concrete counters. You’ll probably pay between $70 and $150 a square foot, although some contractors include installation in the cost. Curing and polishing must be done in the first three days or so or the concrete will harden to a toughness you won’t be able to work with.

The most exacting job is in creating the mold. It must be smooth and watertight or it will leave unwanted impressions in the countertop, according to Instructables.

I’ve read that a quick way to damage an acrylic or other solid surface counter is to set a hot fry-pan or saucepan directly on the countertop. Instead, put your pots and pans on a trivet or solid cutting board. In fact, the cutting board is an acrylic countertop’s best friend. Use the board instead of cutting and slicing anything on the counter.

In some cases, if you burn the surface, you can call in a professional contractor/countertop fabricator to sand or buff down the finish. But not always. And repair jobs may void your warranty.

Countertops and Going Solid

Chemical giant DuPont first invented Corian for bathroom counters back in the 60s, and today’s kitchen countertops in the material can be cleaned with dish soap, soft soaps, and water. A mild abrasive may remove shallow cuts and scratches.

Products like Meganite clean up with water and dish soap. LG Surfaces are said to resist knives and, if you choose a matte finish, you can even use an abrasive cleaner. While LG’s High Mac surfaces are said to resist temperatures up to 225 degrees, they can yellow under continuous high heat exposure.

Other solid surface choices include Agonite, Formica, Centura,  Swanstone, and Royalstone. One of the best qualities of solid surfaces is that they’re extremely hygienic. In this day and age, that’s a great attribute.

According to the FSC, the organization coordinates forest management standards around the globe, organizing sustainable forestry among loggers, sociologists, environmentalists, and foresters. With global headquarters in Bonn and a national headquarters in Minnesota, the FSC has set standards now observed in 57 countries. The organization estimates that by 2013, 20 percent of American residential construction will follow “green” standards. I’ll mention a few manufacturers, but by no means offer them as research opportunities than endorsements.

Choosing Eco-friendly Veneers

Manufacturer Dooge Veneers suggests that conscious homeowners spec their veneer projects by square footage, length of required veneer, wood species, plain or figured grain patterns, and whether they intend to use FSC certified veneer. The FSC maintains a listing of American companies producing certified veneer on its website.

All considered, your use of veneers in refacing—rather than in replacing cabinets—contributes to the environment since thinly sliced veneers mean that harvested trees go farther.  Better environmental controls are typically in place in North America and Europe.

Another company, Treefrog Veneer, works with Italian wood suppliers in creating ongoing versions of eco-friendly veneers. They select fast-growing woods so forests can replenish themselves. But not all countries are equally concerned. Veneer Selector recommends that you don’t buy from South American foresters and suppliers and choose wisely among African lumber resources.

According to the U.S. Patent Office, a prefabricated tile counter can be installed with a “minimum amount of time” and the project can be easily cleaned up afterward. But you can save a ton of money by not having to call in a tile setter. Splash panels that come with the prefab set are also easy to install and cost a lot less than if you go with premium materials.

Prefabricated Countertop Benefits

One immediate benefit when you choose a prefabricated tile counter, you see exactly what you’re getting for the kitchen. Manufacturers can make up a countertop that fits the shape of your available space, and you see the color before it’s completely installed.

But if you look over products and decide against prefab, there are other options for savings on your new or replacement countertops.

Depending on your luck and tenacity, you can round up reclaimed countertops through want ads, Internet listings, or recycling centers that specialize in house parts. You might save as much as 80 percent this way. Remnants at stone yards may also yield 50 percent savings, but you may need additional cuts to make it work in your kitchen.

Face Your Kitchen has a nice roundup of the pros and cons of countertop materials. If you’re interested in laminate countertops, we have a blog just for you.

Wall Organizer

I like the slender look and handcrafted iron in this Ballard Designs wire wall organizer. The manufacturer says it includes a powder coating to resist moisture. It could add additional storage when mounted near a work station or cabinet. Seems right, too, for an Italian or Tuscan theme. The dimensions are 29 1/4″H x 25″W x 9″D.

Cabinet Organizer
This wire cabinet organizer from Closet Maid offers a convenient way to store foodstuffs, sauces, spices, or cookware.  And when you’re done, it disappears into the kitchen cabinet! Assembled dimensions are 4.62in. H x 11.06in. W x 20.00in. D (11.74cm H x 28.09cm W x 20.00cm D).

Spice Organizer
What I love about this three-tier spice stack is that the tiers have flip-out drawers on hinges. It hides 60 spice jars in a narrow space and holds them in color-coded drawers so you can put Italian spices in one section, fish or chicken spices in another. Made in plastic, the dimensions are 11 x 11 x 8″.

Space Organizer
Omega National’s Kitchen Mate fits between existing cabinets and provides extra space with adjustable shelves and heavy duty, ball-bearing slides. Fillers are made of maple and plywood, but you would need to add lacquer if desired. The pull-out unit has a 3″ base.

IKEA also has an extensive catalog of kitchen organizers that I find incredibly tempting.  Products include wall-top cabinet frames, baking sheet holders, iron racks, suspension shelves, and caddies.

Indeed, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) adds that in materials, cherry wood will be king, followed by alder and, as a rising star, alder wood. Medium and dark natural tones for the finish will join the trend. Even bathroom cabinets will echo the subdued colors prominently used for the 2010 kitchens, with traditional and Shaker cabinets leading the pace.

The Virginia-based Color Marketing Group (CMG), an independent organization, predicts that the color “Mardi Grape”—used for years in fashion—will soon join the palate of neutral colors for 2010. Surprised?

Other colors to come into vogue this year, according to the CMG, include:

• reds (used as accents)
• beige and brown (used as complementary hues)
• orange (to brighten up your sophistication),
• green (as an optimistic accent),
• yellow (tending toward green with gray)
• blue (toned down with gray influences), and
• neutral gray.

More Colors to Consider when Remodeling Cabinets

In choosing new or refaced kitchen cabinets, you might want to compare your wood finish choices with these hues recommended by HGTV.  Writer Jennifer Haupt noted that three new color palates from Pantone could be all the rage:

Ethnic Chic: purples, misty yellows, and stone grays; or vibrant blues, deep browns, and burnt orange.

Savories: tasty Daiquiri greens, chocolates, and bright colors.

Agrestic: soft greens, delicate yellows, and sudden touches of pink accents.

It all makes me hungry!

Cabinet styles may include upward mobility—not in terms of cash investment, but in the use of stack-able or extended pedestal cabinet units that rise some 42 inches or more. The top shelf, of course, is reserved for Aunt Doris’ tureen and the vegetable chopper you bought at the state fair but never use. The lower drawers are for everyday utensils or china.

For those looking at a cabinet refacing project, there are green materials that can look great if you match them to the décor—or redo the décor entirely to suit the materials. Wheat-board and bamboo cabinet facings can make solid options as sustainable choices.

Trends Toward Furniture-grade Woods

Consumers seem to be interested in high-performance cabinet accessories, such as pull-down shelving and roll-away waste cans. For those willing to spend the money, furniture-grade wood for cabinets or even facings can finish up a room smartly.

More exotic woods like Canadian red birch, knotty chestnut, or French white oak make for unique tones and grain patterns that can set your décor apart from the ordinary. Heavily distressed finishes and treatments are trending downward in favor of lighter colors that make the kitchen feel expansive, light, and functional.

The steps for replacing cabinet hardware are straightforward:

1. Inventory every item in the hardware that you intend on replacing. This means counting up the total number of cabinets, door faces, and drawers; then multiply the number for each against the part you’re replacing for total count.  Hint: Buy a few extras.
2. Remove the fastening screws or bolts for each type piece and measure the distance between the screw or bolt holes in a two-screw system.
3. Remove all escutcheons or plates behind the pulls or handles. Hint: Take parts with you when you shop for hardware and hold them next to replacements.
4. Clean old screw holes to help install the new parts. Or, if you are replacing your hardware with pulls, plates, or knobs with different dimensions, fill your screw holes with wood putty.
5. Drill out new holes as necessary, using your replacement hardware to make a template.
6. Install and enjoy.

Choosing Your New Hardware

Home improvement stores are an oasis of design ideas, or you can shop for plates, pulls, knobs, and hinges online. If ordering online, you need to be sure of your measurements. (You can easily return hardware that’s a poor fit to the store if you haven’t damaged it.)

You can search for ideas in pulls online, as well as do comparative shopping for prices. Finding the parts that catch your eye can be more challenging than actually installing the cabinet hardware. Have fun!

According to Sunset Magazine, recycled glass makes a great choice for replacement countertops since the material is comprised of used glass and, often, with fly ash, a material that heads for the landfill as waste from coal-burning processes.  Colors are bright and can be fit to your décor, but beware of the cost! Recycled glass countertops are among the more expensive options.

Using Wood for Your Countertops

Untreated hardwoods left behind by forest harvesting can make for a solid, environmental choice. Untreated wood certainly requires less industrial processing and creates fewer by-product materials than many other countertop materials.  Durable, wood should be treated with natural oils (mineral oil, for example) to help build resistance to moisture and warping.

You can find suppliers or materials through a search at The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) website.  The FSC sets standards and guides forest management practices in more than 57 countries.

Wheat board is rapidly becoming the wood of choice in many “green” kitchens.  The material comes from wheat straw that is held together with formaldehyde-free binding agents. It can be a great material for building environmentally friendly kitchen cabinet boxes.  In combining untreated hardwood countertops with wheat board cabinets, you can have a sustainable kitchen that looks warm, sturdy, and fantastic.

I wrote last year about choosing materials with low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) that can help prevent toxicity in your kitchen.

If you’re considering refacing your kitchen cabinets this year, prognosticators have already suggested that colors and color combinations are going to be more refined, quieter, more earthy, and primary. If you want to be bold, do so with your accents. Dark, earth-tone woods are bound to be in vogue, according to columnist Melissa Bullard. The natural look will complement natural countertops and floors. Sustainability will ride the crest of the fashion wave.  But don’t forget cool, easy-to-integrate base colors like gray or light green.

It’s Time for Primary and Soft Colors
Jean Patteson of The Orlando Sentinel believes that calm, uniform base colors in the kitchen can be complemented with few, selected bright accents, like red. These will be trend-setter combinations. But beware of blasting your room with too many bright colors and accents.

If last-year’s trends continue, earth-tone based colors and soothing combinations that reflect our attraction to spas and nature should find favor. Even kitchen paint colors carry names that echo natural cuisine or wide-open vistas.

Wood-finished cabinets will continue the trend of leading the market. Furniture-grade cabinets may make a strong move into the forefront for home improvements.  Cabinet drawers with under-mount slides, pull-out shelves, and complementing hide-away appliances with high-end materials will do well, too. Cherry wood and Maple should be top sellers.

Now let’s see what really happens!