6 different types of kitchen top , which one shall I choose?

 

In many homes, people spend a lot of time in the kitchen, preparing victuals to sustain them throughout the day. More so when they have a family to feed. In these homes, a kitchen with a high-quality kitchen counter is really necessary since that is where food is prepped for cooking and eating. Especially so in Malaysian homes, where the usage of highly stainable food such as turmeric and soy sauce, and the use of the mortar and pestle to prep food for cooking calls for kitchen countertops that are made of durable material that is easily cleaned and maintained. In this article, we will highlight the 6 most commonly used material for Malaysian kitchen countertops, and the pros and cons of each.  

1. Solid Surface

Solid surface countertops are usually made of acrylic or polyester with fillers and are designed in such a way that they can resemble other materials yet cost a fraction of the price. Acrylic can be moulded in a huge variety of designs and colours. They are among the most popular choices for countertops as they are not too expensive and require little maintenance. Although scratched, this is easily taken care of by buffing and sanding out the marks. The material is also non-porous, ideal for food prep as the risk of harbouring bacteria that cause food contamination is low. 

 

 

 

2. Marble

The natural marble countertop is quite popularly used as kitchen countertops due to its heat resistance. This material is available in many colours and no two countertops have the exact same pattern. However, marble is not as durable a granite, as it is a soft and porous material, and easily scratched up. Spills also can result in stains if not cleaned up quickly enough. It thus has to be sealed often to avoid damages to the surface. 

 

3. Quartz

Quarts countertops are human cultured which combine natural quartz stone with a variety of materials such as resin, broken granite, marble, or glass. This is the most expensive countertop material on this list but due to its premium quality, it is worth investing in. Its durability is increased due to its non-porous nature, being highly heat and scratch resistant. The fact that quartz is manufactured means that it can be customized to imitate any style, including granite and marble. Its durability is increased due to its non-porous nature, being highly scratch resistant, and thus doesn’t need to be re-sealed as often as granite and marble There are also many colours and styles to suit different tastes. 

 

4. Granite

Granite is one of the most common countertop materials and is very solid and durable. Granite is natural stone; like marble, no two countertops will look the same. Granite can withstand extremely high temperatures, and quite hard to crack or scratch. The colour options, however, are quite limited, and it needs to be maintained by using sealant. It is also cheaper than marble or quartz.

 

5. Solid Wood

Wood countertops are popular with homes that are going for the warm, rustic, cottage-style look, and easily matched with any design. Like marble and granite, wood also has a natural vein pattern, so every wood countertop is unique. However, wood can be expensive as it is a rarer commodity than stone. The regular wear and tear do not show up as obviously on wood. However, it needs regular maintenance and needs to be sealed, as it can easily acquire damage from heat, water, and corrosive substances. 

 

6. HPL High Pressure Laminate

This material is able to mimic the style and texture of other materials. There are many layers and it consists of plywood being encased in a layer of plastic resin where the designs are printed. The material is easy to maintain and durable and is the cheapest material on this list. It is easy to clean but great care needs to be taken as damage from scratches, cracks, and heat cannot be repaired. Always remember to dry up the table top in case the water sipped into the surface and long term is not advisable.

What to consider when doing your Home Renovation - 8 Important Tips

Finally you got the keys to your new home! You are so excited with your family because you and your family have been hoping that you can have the set of keys to your new home as soon as possible so that all of you can move in asap. 

You have been flipping home magazines, browsing in the internet, checking in showrooms and dream about how your new home is going to look like. It should look like that showroom we saw last week. Oh hang on, what about the other showroom we saw the other week in Kuala Lumpur? Maybe I should engage an interior designer to design our new home! Why not?

 1. Do you intend to take care of your own project full time or are you engaging an interior designer or contractor? Do you have the time? It depends on what you want. To have an interior designer is good whereby they can help you to design based on your concept. You tell the interior designers what you want and they are able to come up with visuals for you to see. It is great to have visuals as you may not able to visualize in your mind sometimes. Get the list of your bulky stuffs so that when you plan your layout you will not miss it. Example : piano!

 

 2. Most of the times, new homes come with very minimum socket points. Even if purchase an existing home from another owner, you need to check this as well. Always install more socket points rather than ended up like this.

Do not think that after you have counted all your home appliances that you have, say 10 numbers, you decide to fix on that quantity. What about areas like corridor, hallway, bedroom, study rooms, kitchen, for your oven, microwave, steamer, blender, vacuum, internet, WIFI, charging port for all the phones that you have in the family! Those extensions for plugs and cables are just not ugly and unappetizing, it is hazardous to seniors and children as well.

 

3. Hooks for your clothes. If you intend to have hooks behind your door in the bedroom, remember to tell your contractors not to fix too high up.

A good height for back hooks should be around 5' 6" or for children's room, 4' should be good enough. I have seen real life experience before in my friend's house, the hook is so high even a 5' 7" can hardly reach. 😢 

4. Taps in the toilet. Sometimes, some new homes do not come with the outlet for bidet. So before you move in, you could have check if there is any near the WC. If there isn't, you may want to get your contractor to fix one. Bidet cum tap is very convenient not just for cleaning bathroom, it is also for collecting water if there is any water ration! 😁

5. Paint for your walls. Have you seen that beautiful interior design photo in that home magazine? You love the color so much that you ask your interior designer to find that particular color.

 

There are thousands of color in the paint section. Those special colors that you have selected has a certain code number. It is good that you keep that color code in your renovation file just in case if your child dirtied that wall, you can get another small can in the shop and paint that spot. But if you do not have that color code, then maybe you need to paint the whole wall!

 

6.Remember to plan as many storage space as possible. Drawers, pantry, cabinets are always not enough. There are always books, toys, cooking utensils, yearly Christmas decor that you use once a year. Of course it is fine if you decided to giveaway some of them before you move. In fact it is a great time to get rid of those old clothes that doesn't fit anymore or out of fashion. To have more storage doesn't mean to keep stuffs that you do not need. It is more for putting away your things so your home looks tidy and impeccable.

 

7. The air condition outlet position has been set by the developer. When the developer's Interior designer plan the showroom, it is always amazing and most of the time we can easily get attracted to it forgetting how we should design our own, and may blindly wanted to follow. After you collected the keys, check where is the outlet. Are you going to place your bed in the middle of the room or against the wall? Avoid having bed UNDER the air-cond. This is a no no as you may ended up drenched one morning when you wake up if the air-cond is leaking!  

 

8. By the way, did you plan a budget on your renovation? This is the most important part in fact but I placed in the last point. :) Because I do not want you to feel stressed!

Do you have unlimited budget? Regardless if you have a tight budget or money is not a problem, just make sure you make a list of needs and wants. Do I need that new sofa set or I can still use the existing one? Do I need that beautiful chandelier to hang it down from the ceiling at my living room or I can live without one? It is always wise to put a list of what you really need versus what you want. You can always make that list by rooms. Start with the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, study room, bathrooms, balcony etc. I will also recommend to have a pest control to come in to your home before moving in as an annual pest control spray is good to keep away unwanted insects and crawling friends. 

So now you have the whole lists before you start your dream home renovation. Plan and do not rush. Think wisely and have a great time doing your renovation!