Absolutely no granite.

November 20, 2011 2:42 PM

What are our options for a uniformly colored kitchen countertop? Laminate or ...?

We are replacing the countertop in our kitchen, and we want a surface that is truly uniform in color - no splotches, no specks, no swirls, no nothing except for one color that is exactly the same everywhere on the surface. We don't want a metal countertop. We also want some non-neutral color options to choose from, i.e., we don't want white/cream/beige or black. This is surprisingly hard to find. Is our only option a laminate countertop?

The best bets we've found so far are this and this. We'd love other suggestions.

posted by lab.beetle to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

Corian looks like it has some solid colors mixed in there. You might also consider a tinted concrete countertop. From what I understand, you can use whatever tints you'd like.
posted by goggie at 2:52 PM on November 20, 2011

I have LG HI-MACS Classic, which is a solid surface material like Corian. Three years in and it looks almost new. I wanted the same (no splotches, specks, etc) but I picked almond due to the existing tiling. They do have a number of solid no-pattern colors.
posted by bluesapphires at 3:08 PM on November 20, 2011

I got Corian counters, in a gray-green color. Love them, and they are beautiful. They're holding up well, and they can be formed into any shape seamlessly. Corian can be done in solid, custom colors if you have a specific color in mind.
posted by answergrape at 3:10 PM on November 20, 2011

Paperstone. Also seconding concrete.
posted by yoga at 5:06 PM on November 20, 2011

My parents have some absolutely gorgeous concrete countertops in their kitchen and some other areas in their home- it was installed less than 10 years ago. They are super durable and the ones that are not in high traffic areas have maintained their original color. However, the very dark gunmetal grey (nearly black) kitchen countertops have a definite (inconsistent) patina from use- light scratches, some grease stains, etc. Its nothing to get worked up over, but it is there. If you want concrete looking perfect for a long time, you have to seal them frequently and be very careful with them. If you would like photos, memail me.
posted by LyndsayMW at 7:21 PM on November 20, 2011

Have you considered glass countertops? Linked pic just for example.
posted by illenion at 8:11 PM on November 20, 2011

Laminate is the most obvious option, but you should be able to find some solid color options in Corian and other acrylic surfaces (Avonite, HiMacs, others I can't remember). If you want absolute solid colors with no variation whatsoever, these are the best options I am aware of (unless there have been new things released in the 10+ months that I have been out the industry).

Concrete is cool, but examples that I have seen have at least some minor shade variation. Aside from that they are durable and fairly easy to maintain, once properly sealed.

Paperstone is also a really cool material, but will have shade variation.
posted by nickthetourist at 9:16 PM on November 20, 2011

This may not be your cup of tea, and it's expensive but 3-Form C-3 Color Varia is cool looking. It's basically thick frosted acrylic with a translucent colored laminate on the underside. We've made a couple bars from it, it looks great with back light.

Otherwise Laminate obviously or Corian/Staron are good choices.
posted by MrBobaFett at 5:11 AM on November 21, 2011