Hottest New Trend in Countertops
Going Green in the Kitchen with Eco-Friendly Surfaces
Kitchen countertops are becoming easier on the environment with recycled materials that look great and are good for the Earth.
Are you tired of the old countertop options? Now instead of formica, granite, and old-fashioned tile, you can find sleek new options in a range of colors that are environmtenally friendly. Making "green" choices is not just a fashion trend but a new way of life. As people are becoming aware of the everyday permanent impacts they can make with choices large and small, they are deciding to incorporate sustainable habits to preserve nature for themselves and future generations.
Kitchen countertops made of recycled materials are hot. A variety of post-consumer products go into making these new substances. Here are a few choices that will put you on top of the new wave in kitchen (and even bathroom) design:
- EnviroGLAS - This company has a couple options for their customers. EnviroSLAB offers 100% recycled glass shards set in a terrazzo style to a colorful effect. EnviroMODE comes straight from the commode! Recycled porcelain from toilets, tubs, and sinks go into this durable and attractive countertop.
- Eleek - This green company uses 100% recycled aluminum tiles to give your kitchen an all-over commercial or industrial look. Or just add a few here and there to highlight work areas.
- Alkemi - For a different spin on metal, try this company's aluminum scrap countertops. The scraps look like curled chocolate shavings under a thick resin. The light catches these aluminum bits to make the countertops shine.
- IceStone - These countertops with the pretty name are made of recycled glass and concrete. The concrete can be dyed any color to coordinate with your kitchen decor.
- Vetrazzo - Another company using recycled glass, these countertops look like pieces of art. Choose a countertop with the shades of green bottle shards you can find washed up on the beach.
- Richlite - This is one of the companies who are recycling paper into countertops. The paper is a softer, more friendly feel from the hard granite that is wearing on homeowners. The paper-based product is similar to a wood countertop in that its soft nature makes it unfit for slicing and dicing - so please use a cutting board to protect it!
- PaperStone - This company is committed to preserving forests so they make their countertops from 100% post-consumer recycled paper. These countertops provide a warm, neutral look to any kitchen.
- ShetkaSTONE - Countertops made of ShetkaSTONE come from recycled fibers, such as waste papers. A beautiful range of color choices in a mottled pattern give the surface a traditional or colorfully modern look.
If you are building a home, ask your builder what environmentally friendly and recycled options they have to make your kitchen a showpiece for green living.
Read these articles for more on decorating green or countertops.
