That Special Surface

Kitchen counters come from many different materials.

Steve Raphael

Special to the Jewish News

p

eople aren't moving much these
days. The state's depressed econ-
omy is seeing to that. Instead
they are staying put and putting money
into their homes.
"People are renovating their homes
rather than selling," says Lesly Sallan,
owner of Millennium Inc., a custom
cabinet manufacturer in Bloomfield Hills.
"Retirees feel like they have nowhere to go
and they're spending more of their time in
their homes:"
Upgrades often start in the kitchen,
with the countertops. Despite an almost
mind-boggling array of materials to
choose from, more people are turning to
granite and stone, supplanting the once-
popular Corian.
Marble, a natural stone, and quartz are
expensive surfaces preferred by high-

income homeowners. Stainless steel is
hot, too. Coming on strong is eco-friendly
wood, notably bamboo, and sustainable
interior design.
Granite is growing in popularity
because "it is more durable and cheaper,
and that's because the materials are read-
ily available said Ilan Hazan, owner of
Aviv Global in Farmington Hills, a whole-
sale importer and installer of sinks and
faucets in the United States and overseas.
Hazan says his customers overwhelmingly
buy granite.
Arguably a biased source, the National
Training Center for Stone & Masonry
Trade in Sanford, Fla., spelled out the pros
and cons of granite and Corian:
Granite is durable, quite beautiful and
lasts longer. Though it requires proper
sealing to prevent staining, it is scratch
resistant and can tolerate the placement of
hot plates.
Corian comes in numerous colors and

can cost more than granite. Non-porous
and stain resistant, it is easy to clean and
refinish. It scratches easily but scratches
can be repaired easily. Hot pots will melt
the finish.
Designers creating a kitchen envi-
ronment for their clients have to exer-
cise some caution, says Hackettsville,
N.J.-based National Kitchen and Bath
Association, a trade group representing
contractors and interior designers nation-
wide. The association has spelled out nine
guidelines on interior dimensions that
emphasize convenience and safety rather
than aesthetics.
For example, one guideline recommends
a minimum of 15" of counter space on one
side of a cooking surface and 12" on the
other. The 15" is for placing a pot next to
the cooking surface before, during or after
the cooking process. "We would not want a
child to reach up and touch a hot pot or the
burners of a range said David Newton, a

NKBA consultant. Virginia Tech University
developed the guidelines from research it
conducted in 2003.
Other recommendations include:
• Plan 158" of counter space, at least
24" deep, to perform the required tasks
in a kitchen. (Additional research deter-
mined how much space was needed to
place a couple of bags of groceries beside
the refrigerator to unload them and how
much space was needed beside the sink
for dirty dishes, etc.)
• Plan a landing space at least 15" wide
on the handle side of the refrigerator.
• Provide a landing area of at least 15"
above, beside or below the microwave.
"Many of the guidelines are so impor-
tant that they should be code issues;'
Newton says. "They are very important
and anyone aware of the NKBA has to be
thinking of these."

That Special Surface on page C6

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August 21 • 2008

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