White quartz countertops are very popular in the design world, but are they a realistic option for families. Learn the pros and cons of installing white quartz counters in your kitchen or bathroom.
When we planned our kitchen renovation I knew I wanted the all-white look that is so popular around the design world, especially after coming from this hot mess:
When we build our house in North Carolina back in 2012 I had wanted an all-white kitchen and the builder's representative talked us out of it saying that it would be awful for us with 3 kids under 5. "One mischevous kid with a permanent marker and you'll regret it forever" was the exact quote.
Now that our children are all firmly out of the destructive phase (our youngest is almost 9) I wasn't going to be deterred, white kitchen or bust!
We first went to Lowes and Home Depot for estimates on the counter work. I have to tell you that the numbers we got broke my heart. For a while I thought we were going to have to scrap the entire project because it was WAY higher than I had planned for.
Then on a whim we went to a local company and lo and behold the pricing was almost HALF! Seriously. The cost through the big box stores for removal and disposal of the Corian was over $1000 and at the local place it was included with no extra charge. Crazy!
We toured many counter manufacturers and decided on quartz (see our reasons here) and I chose a flat white finish. After five months with our new white counters I thought I would share the pros and cons.
Pros and Cons of White Counters
Con: You see EVERYTHING on the white counters. Every crumb, every drip of coffee, every grease splatter. There is absolutely no disguising if your counters aren't pristinely clean!
Pro: You see EVERYTHING! This is a pro to me too because I want to keep my home very clean and being able to easily see any grime means I can address it. I hated how our old black corian hid dirt. I would think the counters were clean then catch them in a certain light and be totally disgusted by what they were actually holding.
Quartz is nonporous so it is quite resistant to staining (this also makes it antimicrobial which I love!) I would be more nervous about choosing a white countertop in another type of material that was easier to stain.
To keep the counters clean I simply wipe them with a Magic Eraser at the advise of our installation crew. It does the trick and is a fast way to make sure they stay perfectly white!
Pro: The space looks bigger and brighter. White reflects light and the entire kitchen looks so much brighter now. It also looks bigger, but this is not only because of the white counters but also because we lowered our breakfast bar to counter height.
Pro: It is a nice neutral color. I love the white as a backdrop because it's neutral and lets our backsplash serve as the central feature.
Con: You can see the seams. Although not terrible, you can definitely see the seams where the two pieces of quartz come together more than you would with a darker or more patterned countertop. If that would bother you, a stark white is probably. not the best choice.
Overall I have ZERO regrets about choosing to go with white quartz countertops. I LOVE them! Despite the few cons, the pros by far outnumber them and make up for any issues.
Do you have white counters? Would you consider them?
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