Re: Sister wants Formica ?

blackhole99 · ‎08-22-2013

I put laminate countertops in my summer kitchen 2 years ago and did it because it was cost effective and they looked almost as good as something much more expensive. If you have a home that is worth a half a million dollars it would no doubt be foolish to install laminate, but for most average home owners not so much.

OnlyShopsOnline · ‎03-09-2010

@nyc1 Seams? I have an extra large island and an L-shaped counter in my kitchen, in custom laminate. I have no seams.

"I've been here since October 2006. Wow!"

NYC Susan · ‎03-13-2010

@stevieb wrote:
I guess I agree with your sister and prefer the 'gaudy' laminate counter materials. If you haven't looked at them lately, you might be surprised to find that there are many options and configurations that aren't 'gaudy' at all. I'm neither concerned with what buyers want nor certainly with what HGTV 'designers' are choosing. What's 'on-trend' isn't always going to drive my choices. For what it costs me to put new laminate on my counters, I can change it out every few years, which is something you'd never be able to do with granite, etc... The good news is, if I chose to do it, it would be a purely aesthetic choice, because it is, indeed, very durable and low-maintenance too. Each to their own.

I agree. If I'm living with something, I want it to be what I like. I couldn't care less what anyone is doing on HGTV. And I keep resale value in mind of course, but it's not the final deciding factor in anything I do in my home.

I don't have formica, but I wouldn't describe it as "gaudy". And if it's what she wants, then that's what she should have.

deedledeedeedle · ‎05-27-2014

The Formica from today is gorgeous, with zero upkeep. A friend had new counter tops installed over her custom cabinets that I swore was marble, but are Formica. Her wooden cupboards, 30 years old, were sent out for repair (new drawer guides, etc), professional sanding, white paint and new hardware. Her carpenter rebuilt a ragged drawer, too. The cabinets were pretty costly to refurbish this way but the original cupboards were made by a professional craftsman, and hard to replicate today. I would put her kitchen up against anything out of BH&G. I asked her why she didn't go with quartz or natural stone she said for the lack of upkeep & durability (she uses her kitchen a lot) she preferred Formica. She had a custom edge put on it, too.

dee

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

Formica has come a long way.

No more brown lines or seams and they can put fancy edges on them now.

When my daughter rented her first apartment, she was the first tenant to go in after it had been renovated and updated and it took me a long time to realize that the countertops were not stone.

Just because granite is on HGTV doesn't mean it's right or for everyone. They have stainless steeled, grey painted walls, subway tiled themselves out. Talk about cookie cutter.

I would much rather live in a Nicole Curtis Rehab Addict house than a Chip & Joanna Gaines Fixer Upper or Flip or Flop house.

nyc1 · ‎03-19-2010

@OnlyShopsOnline wrote:
@nyc1 Seams? I have an extra large island and an L-shaped counter in my kitchen, in custom laminate. I have no seams.

@OnlyShopsOnline Well then that is news to me and quite an improvement from the formicas in the past that always had them. Much nicer without.

faeriemoon · ‎03-14-2010

I had granite in my old house (before it was a trend), I have it in my summer home, and I have it in my new house that we built. I love it. It's not difficult to care for and it looks beautiful.

I love stone of any kind, as I love natural elements. If it's not your thing, by all means, choose something else!!! There are too many options out there to be stuck with something you don't want (or that you were talked into.)

Adding: The bathrooms have marble; a bit more maintenance, but still beautiful. My recommendation would be to go for honed rather than polished if you are in the market for marble.

~What a terrible era in which idiots govern the blind.~ William Shakespeare

Regal Bee · ‎07-20-2017

Your sister needs to be happy with her own home. We are all different and make different choices.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Between granite, quartz,and soapstone and laminate there are many other choices. There is ceramic tile, granite tiles, corian, concrete, butcher block, & I'm sure some I've missed. Any number of choices beside natural stone and laminate.

alicedee · ‎07-25-2010

@stevieb wrote:
I guess I agree with your sister and prefer the 'gaudy' laminate counter materials. If you haven't looked at them lately, you might be surprised to find that there are many options and configurations that aren't 'gaudy' at all. I'm neither concerned with what buyers want nor certainly with what HGTV 'designers' are choosing. What's 'on-trend' isn't always going to drive my choices. For what it costs me to put new laminate on my counters, I can change it out every few years, which is something you'd never be able to do with granite, etc... The good news is, if I chose to do it, it would be a purely aesthetic choice, because it is, indeed, very durable and low-maintenance too. Each to their own.

I totally agree with this. When our kitchen was remodeled we went with a really pretty laminate....it was much cheaper, and looked beautiful. I was careful not to set hot pans on it without something under them....always used a cutting board....after several years when the house was sold, it still looked like new. If you are careful, it is durable. And perhaps the laminate is what they can afford....I wouldn't give my opinion unless asked for it.