3 min readWhen it comes to “timeless” design, investing in the mainstay home elements that transcend trendiness may be harder than you think. While repainting a room may be necessary every few years to keep your space au courant, redoing kitchen countertops is far more of an investment and life disruption. Ideally, it’s a decision you’ll only have to make once during your time in a home. Yet, designers are now saying you might want to think twice before choosing this stone.
For years, quartz countertops have become as much of a kitchen staple as salt, pepper, and olive oil: The stone can have dramatic veining that rivals the beauty of marble, yet the material is considerably more economical. However, the sentiment on quartz countertops and other engineered stone is shifting for some experts—while others are devotees who stand behind the material. Ahead, we’re breaking down this design world debate.
Why Some Experts Are Opting Out of Quartz
“For years, engineered stone was hailed as the ideal countertop solution because of its durability, consistency, and low maintenance,” explains Barrett Oswald, an interior designer in New York’s Westchester County. She happens to favor the depth, warmth, and individuality of natural stone counters, which have their own trade-offs.
Additionally, the National Kitchen & Bath Association recently released an annual trend report that showed 78 percent of designers are sourcing quartzite, which is a natural material, while fewer individuals are selecting quartz.
Meanwhile, California is reportedly preparing to ban the production of engineered-stone countertops with more than one percent crystalline silica. This is because cutting the slabs releases silica dust that can cause silicosis, an incurable lung disease. While large-scale facilities have stringent workplace safety measures in place to protect their fabricators, many smaller shops are harder to monitor.
What are alternatives consumers could consider? Though marble is classic, designer Jessica Risko Smith says soapstone and granite are suitable for a low-maintenance kitchen. But if natural, and often pricey, natural stone is out of the question, Kilian Camp of Élan Design House recommends porcelain slabs. “They’re a great option if someone is on a budget or to use in a shower or on a fireplace,” she shares. “Porcelain is incredibly durable, and the veining looks much more real than quartz.”
The Case for Quartz Countertops
Before you rethink the design of your kitchen countertops, there are still plenty of reasons that designers are choosing (and loving) quartz.
Jacqueline Gonçalves of MOKSA Studio says quartz’s affordability and no-fuss maintenance make it a reliable choice: Instead of questioning your countertop’s durability, you know what you’re getting with quartz.
“I appreciate its ability to provide a uniform surface when the architecture or other materials in a space serve as the focus,” the Los Angeles–based designer adds. Anne Underwood of Underwood Interiors agrees and calls it an “effective workhorse” material in hard-wearing areas like bathrooms and kids’ spaces.
Many of the designers we talked to were also unconcerned with the future of quartz, since they only choose stone from reputable brands that take painstaking measures to ensure the health of their workers.
“I love that manufacturers continue to innovate, not only in the appearance of these surfaces but also in how they’re made,” says Cyndy Cantley of Cantley & Toulmin. “Not everyone wants the maintenance that comes with marble, and quartz offers a practical alternative.” To that end, Cosentino recently unveiled its Éclos line, which uses zero crystalline silica and offers a new chapter in high-performance, high-style quartz offerings.
Though some people might favor a quartz alternative, choosing what best suits your needs is the secret to “timeless” design.
