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November 2014 ForResidentialPros.com | 47 hefty price tag, she adds. "That's where laminate comes in. Lami- nate has come such a long way since that of our grandparents' era, and people are starting to take notice. It's quickly becoming Plan A as a material that's easy to clean and maintain, has low impact on the environment and is highly durable," she adds. "We are seeing more preference for wood, both real wood and wood grain laminate," agrees Trisha Schmitt, v.p. corporate marketing for Holstein, IA-based VT Industries. The resurgence in popularity of lighter, natural stones such as marble is a growing trend that Cosentino has been monitoring and planning for, says Marquez. "We've developed new colors for Silestone and Dekton that emulate these materials but eliminate the potential for the wear and tear and high maintenance as- sociated with natural stones," he says. NEUTRAL TONES WITH TEXTURE In keeping with this desire for an organic feel, natural hues are also being used more often. Whites, greys, brown and beige top the list of preferences. "We're seeing neutral hues, including creamy whites, soft greys and muted blacks gaining popular- ity," says Marquez. Kath says that trends are moving toward calm looks and monochromatic color schemes. "More and more homeowners are looking to get away from a 'busy' countertop. The trends in countertops are driven by the trends in the kitchen, which have gone lighter, brighter and whiter. We think this is because the homeowner wants the kitchen to be calming and happy over busy and intrusive," she notes. Thomas Perich, North American marketing manager, Sur- faces, DuPont Building Innovations in Wilmington, DE, says that customers are interested in colors with natural movement. Whites, beiges and greys are especially in demand, he adds. Though neutral colors are in, that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of variance from kitchen to kitchen. With the wide range of shades available, choosing white or grey doesn't mean select- ing exactly the same thing as everyone else. "50 shades of grey isn't only the title of a hot romance novel," says Rosen. "Grey is defnitely showing up in kitchens and baths across the country, but light and white take the lion's share of volume for sales of most manufacturers' products," he states. There is plenty of room for personal style as well. Rosen adds, "Market to market across the country, the col- ors and patterns are as varied as the style of architecture that defnes a region." Texture adds an element of interest to the countertop style, allowing for a wide variety of unique designs, and Kath notes, "There continues to be a demand for honed and diferent tex- tures on countertops surfaces." Petter agrees. "Texture continues to rise as an attention- getter. While gloss surfaces are dominant for stone looks, we are seeing more surfaces that have been leathered, honed or antiqued, creating dimension and lower gloss levels," she says. QUARTZ ON THE RISE Options abound in countertop materials, and many factors impact which choice a consumer makes. That said, quartz is one material that is consistently gaining attention in the marketplace. Antolini Luigi & C. S.p.a. has implemented A zerobact, an NSF-certifed proprietary process in the production of its natural stone products. The process blends the safety of a bacteriostatic treatment to the features of natural stone. A zerobact utilizes a U.S. EPA-registered antimicrobial product and was specially developed to inhibit mold and bacteria proliferation. Shown is the company's Irish Green surface. Circle No. 160 on Product Card CafeCountertops' new Greywash solid wood countertops showcase an artful medium-grey color with a water-resistant oil fnish. The countertops work in both modern and traditional kitchen designs, according to the company. Circle No. 161 on Product Card This layered natural quartz – Serenity from Hanwha L&C;/Surfaces – features a creamy tone with an umber vein, blending texture and design. Part of the company's HanStone ofering, the quartz features natural-looking veins throughout the design, notes the frm. Circle No. 164 on Product Card KRION is a new solid surface material from Porcelanosa that is smooth to the touch like natural stone but can be molded like a plastic, notes the frm. The solid surface is freproof, and has a high resistance to chemicals, steam and light, the company adds. Circle No. 163 on Product Card Anti-scratch satin glass countertops from Studio G3 Glass feature a special coating that allows the glass to withstand tough conditions, according to the company. The matte fnish can be virtually any solid, metallic or pearl shade, and the frm can match to any desired color. Circle No. 166 on Product Card Pyrolave's glazed lava stone countertops can be formed into original shapes and are available in a wide variety of colors. The lava stone can withstand high temperatures, acids, corrosive products and other harsh elements, according to the company. Options such as a built-in draining board fanking the sink, custom curves and rounded edges can be added. Circle No. 162 on Product Card This kitchen island work center was created using an artisan handmade stainless steel countertop from SpecialtyStainless.com. This custom seamless island top incorporates two integral handcrafted stainless steel sinks with cove corners and radius corner edges for practical comfort. Circle No. 165 on Product Card