Stainless steel is being used in more backsplashes these days.
Remodel Trends
Homeowners certainly have plenty of choices for kitchen countertops and backsplashes. Look around and you’ll see stainless steel, natural stones, wood, engineered stones, glass and the ubiquitous plastic laminate—all available in a wide range of colors, patterns and prices. Which products do customers of Jacksonville">Jacksonville- area homeowners ask for most? We asked local experts and here’s what they had to say:
The newest trend is what we call exotic slabs. They’re really niche colors. We also carry 100 percent natural quartz, which comes in a variety of colors and it’s actually harder than granite. What’s really popular on backsplashes is mixing glass with stone. We’re also mixing metal tiles with stone.
J.D. DIXON, BELMARMI
Glass backsplashes are probably the newest trend right now—especially the smaller mosaics. There are some glass products out there made from recycled glass and that makes it a green product. But it’s very expensive and it tends to scratch. Granite is still the most popular countertop material and it performs the best. ?Also, another trend is granite with a tile backsplash in a travertine tumbled stone.
CHUCK ENGEL
ART STONES MARBLE & GRANITE
With granite countertops having saturated the market, tile is once again becoming popular, especially with larger-unit porcelain tiles being made today such as 36-by-24, 36-by-18, 18-by-24 and 12-by-24. Clients are appreciating less grout joints and less seams with these larger unit tiles. On the backsplash, porcelains with listellos ad decoratives splashed in are always a complement to countertops. Mosaic glass is still running strong in its popularity. I look for concrete countertops to come into the marketplace as they already are popular in California, Texas and New York.
DANNY NICHOLS
TRADITIONS IN TILE AND STONE
As far as backsplashes, we’re seeing a lot of glass and metallic tile being used as well as traditional stone and subway tiles in a brick pattern. Stainless steel is another trend. There’s a lot of interest in anything recycled and recyclable.
NANCY LOVE
WOODSMAN KITCHENS AND FLOORS
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I’m still seeing countertops in the granite. Backsplashes are granite too. I’m seeing some concrete but not as much, and a lot of different types of stone backsplashes. Many people are leaning toward very light colors—in the marble range—for granite countertops. It seems like the last several years, the light, almost white, colors are being used.
JOEL DANTZLER
THE DANTZLER GROUP
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We’re seeing more interest in our ‘green’ surfaces, such as IceStone, a slab material made of recycled glass in a concrete binder that resembles terrazzo and EcoTop. It’s a 50/50 blend of bamboo—a rapidly renewable resource—and 100 percent post-consumer recycled wood fiber in a 100 percent water-based resin.
HARLAN BOST
FLOR IDA CUSTOM MARBLE