Once the place where food was prepared but not served, the kitchen now is not only the busiest room in the home, but where guests gather.
"People are really living in their kitchens now," said Lena Palmer, a kitchen designer with Cox Kitchens & Baths in Baltimore.
That means the countertops come in for extra scrutiny and greater use. Their appearance, durability, ease of cleaning and maintenance are always on display. The more expensive countertops - granite being the most popular - can increase a home's value.
"Nothing looks like granite," said Karen Sorrell, who owns Simply Stone in Finksburg. "You will never replace the depth you see, the colors."
Granite and laminates have the lion's share of the market as they compete for the top spot, but other products - stone as well as fabricated - are piquing buyer interest. Some manufacturers have been trying to mimic granite's unique look as they create alternatives to the stone.
Laminate-makers have added lines of faux-stone looks with textured surfaces. Newer solid surfaces show some depth; engineered stones come in bright colors that don't exist in nature. And there are custom concrete, thick glass, stainless-steel eco-products and wood.
Some products carry a smaller price tag. Others require less care. Some don't look at all like granite.
The countertop has to match a family's lifestyle and wallet, kitchen designers say.
"It comes down to educating the customers as to what the qualities are," said Scott Waldhauser, owner of Kenwood Kitchens in Lutherville.
From all the choices, two trends are growing, Waldhauser said. Butcher blocks - an upscale version showing the end-grain of the wood or made of eco-friendly bamboo - are drawing customers' interest. And combining surfacing material in a kitchen is on the rise: the counters atop the cabinets in one material, and a different material for the breakfast bar, island or pass-through.
News reports a few months ago about possible health risks from some granites emitting low levels of radon was a short-lived revival of past allegations. Kitchen designers and countertop fabricators locally say they haven't had many questions about it. Granite remains the most popular kitchen countertop for Baltimore-area homeowners who seek an upgrade. Inquiries about it focus on newer finishes - honed, which isn't glossy, a leatherlike look - and exotic granites. Customers are eyeing other stones as well.
