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Quartz Kitchen Countertops Market 2022

The global engineered quartz surface market size was USD 17.10 billion in 2019. The regional impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and staggering, with engineered quartz countertops witnessing a positive demand across the region amid the pandemic. Based on our analysis, the market exhibited a modest growth of 8.1 % in 2020. The market is projected to grow from USD 18.50 billion in 2020 to USD 33.50 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 8.9% in the 2020-2027 period. The sudden fall in CAGR is attributable to this market’s demand and growth returning to pre-pandemic levels once the pandemic is over. 

Engineered quartz is a highly-preferred engineered stone for constructing a wide range of cabinetry solutions, as it is capable of levering more pressure. Compared to other materials, engineered quartz surfaces have higher durability and weight-bearing capacity, thus ensuring their reliability among customers and manufacturers. The application of aesthetic construction materials is increasing across the construction and fabrication industry throughout the world. Delivering beautiful aesthetic quartz surfaces is becoming a key factor for manufacturers across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and European countries, owing to cultural ethics and norms, thereby expanding the regional customer base. 

Key manufacturers are pioneering technological developments in order to gain a competitive advantage for sustained success. Artificial intelligence (All. and machine learning (ML) technologies have revolutionized the quartz manufacturing sector, enabling the use of automated sorting methods. Al and ML identify the characteristics and defects in tiles using a laser sensor and IP camera, thus improving the sorting method for the quartz countertop materials.

Kitchen Islands That Look Gorgeous in Green

Whether soft and sage-y or loud and lime-like, green is a natural choice for an island accent

Green is a popular color for kitchens because we associate it with freshness — in vegetables, fruits, herbs and more. But just as there are many different green-colored ingredients to cook with and eat, there are many shades of green paint to choose from when considering an island accent.

Monochromatic white kitchens have been extremely popular over the last few years, but one of the challenges of decorating in a single color is that you need to use elements other than color — such as texture, sheen and pattern — to visually break up the space and make it interesting.

That’s fine in most rooms, but in a kitchen you need to consider durability and how easy the surfaces are to maintain. This limits the materials you can use — a finish with a pronounced texture, for example, can be difficult to clean.

Color, then, can be your friend in the kitchen because it’s a simple way to add some zing. And an accent paint color on the island is relatively easy to change out later if you want to.

This kitchen is mostly white, but the touches of vegetal green, most notably on the island, give the space life and, in my view, make it more visually interesting than it would be if it was clad all in white.

Tip: The island featured above is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Split Pea. When I look at a paint swatch of Split Pea, however, it looks quite different from the color I see on the island on my computer monitor. This is why it’s crucial that you always sample actual paint colors rather than selecting them based solely on a photo viewed online. Your architect or designer can guide you toward the right color choice for your project.

Here’s another mostly white kitchen that features a beautiful herbaceous green island as the focal point. It’s a fairly bold color, but because it’s partnered with a lot of white, it looks crisp without being too visually busy.

A similar color to try is Sage Garden from Behr. This particular color works nicely, as demonstrated above, when paired with warm elements such as hardwood floors and gold- or bronze-tone metallic finishes.

Tip: In a mostly monochromatic space, anything painted in a different color is going to stand out. That’s why it’s important to make sure the item is worthy of the attention. In this case, the island is truly the hub of the kitchen and is therefore the right focal element.

This color admittedly isn’t for everyone. It’s about as bold as you can go with green. But I give it a huge thumbs-up because it’s unusual and also used in a smart way. Because this is a clean and fairly minimalist space with no other bold colors or elements, the green is striking rather than garish.

I strongly recommend working with one of our design professional who specializes in color if you want to go this bold. A pro can help determine if and how you can make a saturated color such as Mediterranean Green in your kitchen.

Tip: When selecting paint, there’s more to consider than color alone. Sheen is very important, especially on an island, which sees lots of wear and tear. A higher-gloss paint is going to be more durable and easier to clean, but the downside is that it more easily shows surface imperfections.

If the previous color example was a firm “nope” for you, then perhaps a soft silvery green like this is more palatable.

The key to picking a winning shade in this family is to find a color that has plenty of gray in it, which helps it steer clear of looking too sweetly pastel.

Tip: This kitchen is blessed with plenty of natural light, but if yours isn’t, you may want to keep the kitchen colors light. This whisper-soft green adds a little kick of color but the palette stays super soft and airy.

Here’s another subtle and soothing green, this one a bit warmer than the last option.

I would argue that this color can be used as a neutral, in that you can pair it with almost any other color. Benjamin Moore’s Levingston Green is a comparable choice that’s a nice alternative to white or off-white in a space.

Tip: If you live in a cold climate, think about bringing in visual warmth through color. Warm wood tones, such as used in this example, go a long way toward cozying up a kitchen. This green, being of the warmer variety, adds to the soothing vibe.

Two-toned cabinet schemes are hot with homeowners right now, and this kitchen, with its elegant shades of green, is a good-looking example.

It’s a lovely, organic palette that gives a nod to the beautiful yard just steps away.

Tip: If you want a space with many different materials, colors and textures, think carefully about the color palette. This kitchen features a variety of materials, sheens and colors, but because the colors are all fairly subdued, the effect is harmonious rather than busy or clashing.

This may be the smallest island featured, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in style. In fact, if your island is modestly sized, you can really have fun with color on it because it will be a relatively small dose in the kitchen.

written by. Jennifer Ott

The Most Common Kitchen Design Problems and Ways to Tackle Them

Check out these frequent dilemmas, experts’ tips on avoiding them and inspiring spaces that get things right

When it comes to kitchen planning, designers hear the same complaints from homeowners about what’s wrong or frustrating about their kitchens. Most of these recurring problems — and their resulting complaints — stem from a kitchen not having been designed with the owners’ needs in mind (often the case, of course, with inherited kitchens).

If you hire good designers, they’ll spend time asking you how you live in your home; how you use, or would like to use, your kitchen; and about your lifestyle, tastes and habits. You could get a head start by making a list of your kitchen likes and dislikes, frustrations and wishes, to help you avoid the issues outlined below.

All of the photos below show examples of good design and how to successfully handle common kitchen design problems.

Not Enough Storage

One of the most common kitchen design problems resulting from poor planning is insufficient storage. This can easily lead to clutter, mess and frustration. Yet even in really small kitchens, generous upper and lower cabinets should be achievable — you just need careful and sometimes imaginative planning to fully maximize the space.

Kitchen corner units, for example, can make use of otherwise unused space. In cases like this, pullout corner organizers keep contents accessible.

Similarly, drawers offer more generous storage for pans than cabinets do and are easier to access. Another option for a small kitchen is upper cabinets that extend to the ceiling, with a stool nearby for reaching the highest items.

There are also lots of clever storage options to consider, such as secret drawers or hidden spice racks, and many kitchen storage options are specifically designed for smaller items, such as gadgets, handheld appliances and utensils.

Carefully thinking about your storage needs from an early stage of the design process will ensure that you include enough of it and, in the long term, make for a much happier kitchen environment.

Badly Planned Layout and Workflow

A poor kitchen layout will make you work much harder than necessary and ultimately stop you from enjoying it. Your kitchen should work specifically for you, with a workflow and layout designed to cater to your individual needs.

For this to happen, your designer must enquire about your lifestyle, habits and kitchen requirements, as well as how many people live in your house, who likes to cook and what your preferred cooking style is. All this information should be used in the planning of your layout.

While a lot of designers still plan using the traditional kitchen triangle, I think defining separate areas or zones for prepping, washing and cooking can result in a more efficient and personalized design. This approach allows fluidity in the positioning of the different areas of the kitchen.

And, as in this example, your kitchen should look good too!

Insufficient Counter Space Where Needed

A lack of countertop space, or counters not being positioned where you need them, is a common design problem. It can also prove to be one of the most frustrating, since your counter is needed for just about every activity you’ll carry out in your kitchen.

The countertop forms part of the kitchen workflow, so this will help to determine where and how much of it you need. A common mistake is not leaving sufficient space next to or opposite a fridge or an oven. With a fridge, this counter space is merely convenient, but having space next to or opposite an oven and a cooktop, as seen in this scheme, is also important for safety. This way, you shouldn’t find yourself carrying piping-hot food across your kitchen, looking for a counter on which to set it down.

During planning, it’s important to think about all the ways in which you currently use, or intend to use, your countertops. For example, you may want space for more than one person to cook at once, or maybe an area where your partner can sit and chat to you while you cook, or it may be important to include somewhere for the kids to do their homework.

Traffic Through Your Working Area

As suggested, you may want enough countertop space for more than one person to operate in your kitchen at once. However, you need to consider how to achieve this so that users don’t get under one another’s feet while trying to reach the fridge, oven or sink.

Similarly, if you have children, you may want to ensure that they won’t come charging past as you’re carrying hot food or handling sharp knives. Both are examples of how traffic can become a problem in a kitchen’s work area, but they are preventable through careful planning.

This may mean setting up two separate and well-spaced prep zones or ensuring that there’s only one kitchen entry point, so you can easily see who’s coming or going, as shown. You can also make sure that frequently used appliances, such as the fridge, are on the periphery of your kitchen, so other household members can still get things out of them without having to fully enter the kitchen (also illustrated here).

Badly Spaced Cabinets and Appliances

It’s important that cabinets and appliances, while well-positioned for easy use, are also well-spaced. For example, walkways should be about 36 inches wide so that doors and drawers can open clear of one another.

Similarly, they shouldn’t be too far apart: For the sake of a smooth workflow, you shouldn’t have to take more steps between appliances than is necessary. Similarly, it’s important not to place wall ovens and microwaves so high that you can’t safely remove hot food from them.

Think also about which way your cabinet and appliance doors open. For maximum ease of use, and where it’s possible, these should swing according to the surrounding kitchen space.

Poor Ventilation

Appropriate ventilation — such as with a range hood — allows the removal of grease, steam and cooking smells. These can otherwise linger on you, your clothes or any furniture, which is especially unpleasant in open-plan spaces.

Choose the best-quality model you can afford, and ensure that you pick the right sizeof ducting to fit your chosen hood. This should make for quieter, more effective extraction that’s also more energy-efficient and less likely to break. Consider, too, how much noise your potential range hood will make; another common mistake is not choosing a model with a quiet motor.

This is particularly relevant if your kitchen is part of an open-plan living space, or is big enough that everyone frequently gathers in it. They should comfortably be able to have a conversation or hear the TV while someone else is cooking.

Inadequate Room for Trash and Recycling

Including sufficient trash space to suit a household’s needs is something that’s often overlooked.

Often a trash bin is present and fits neatly within a cabinet so that it maintains the kitchen’s clean aesthetic (and conceals smells). But the reality is that the container is too small and fills up too quickly, meaning constant emptying. Or another common problem is that there’s no provision for separating and storing recyclables.

As with many of the other design problems covered here, this one usually comes about because the designer hasn’t understood the homeowners’ requirements, dictated by how many people are in the house, how often they cook, their style of cooking, and whether recycling is important to them.

Providing a container with a larger capacity, one with separate compartments (as pictured) or a kitchen waste disposal unit are effective solutions to consider.

Insufficient Task Lighting

Another common complaint is not having enough task lighting. This kind of lighting is important, as it focuses direct light onto specific sites. These are mainly areas where you’re preparing and cooking food, such as the countertop, stove and sink areas.

Counters used for food preparation are often positioned directly under upper cabinets, so without additional lighting here, these cabinets can easily cast shadows and darken the surface, making cutting, slicing and other food preparation more challenging than it should be, or even potentially dangerous.

Again, this one is easily avoidable. Solutions include spotlights recessed into the underside of upper cabinets, or cabinet lighting to let you easily see the full contents of your cabinets. You may also make a focal point of your task lighting, such as installing statement pendants over an island, successfully combining practicality with high visual impact.

Poorly Planned Outlets and Switches

Often, you don’t realize that electrical switches and outlets aren’t where you need them until after a kitchen is finished.

We all use our kitchens differently, and your designer should take your needs into account when positioning these items. So don’t be afraid to convey your wishes. If you’d like additional outlets or a particular finish for the switch plate besides the standard white, this needs to be established during the planning stage.

Keep in mind, though, that the placement of electrical outlets is subject to safety regulations. Your designer should be able to advise you on these rules during the planning stage.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s article! Comment in the section below.

When to Pick Kitchen Fixtures and Finishes

Is it faucets first and sinks second, or should cabinets lead the way? Here is a timeline for your kitchen remodel

Many homeowners think designing a kitchen starts with choosing items like appliances, flooring, cabinet finishes, countertops, faucets and lighting — and to a point it does. But I try to keep my clients from worrying about many of these items until after the space planning is complete. The huge number of options can be distracting, and it can be overwhelming to make all these decisions at once. Getting overcommitted too early can stifle creativity and hinder your progress in getting the best kitchen design for your home.

For some, choosing kitchen fixtures and finishes is like being a kid in a candy store. They like everything and can’t stay focused on what’s right for the overall aesthetic or design. For others, it’s paralyzing. They get so worried about picking the wrong finish or fixture that they have trouble making decisions or focusing on other important aspects of the job at hand.

Even though we always start a kitchen remodel with inspiration photos to get an overall idea of what the client wants the kitchen to look like, I often shelve most of those until after the preliminary plans are complete. I view kitchen remodels as a series of small, layered choices. Here are some ideas for how and when to make them after space planning is complete.

1. Appliances, Sinks and Lighting

I recommend that clients select appliances and sinks during the preliminary design phase, which often comes before selecting the rest of the finishes and fixtures. This is so the plans can reflect the proper sizes, which will in turn affect the cabinetry layout.

Also, I recommend choosing the type and amount of lighting fixtures during this phase: cans, semi-flush mounts, how many pendants over the island and so on, in order to complete the lighting plans so the contractor to provide estimates. Most people haven’t actually picked what style pendant light yet, but at least the decision about number is done.

It’s also time to decide whether or not you want a prep sink in addition to your main sink. At this point, by the way, it’s fine if you decide to change from a 36-inch range to a cooktop and wall oven.

By the time you get to final construction documents or order cabinets, however, these decisions must be finalized. The nice thing is that there are now a few big decisions that you can check off your list.

The decision on how many pendants to use affects how many junction boxes you need on the ceiling — and that decision needs to be made before plans get approved for permits and before the contractor closes up the drywall after rough electrical is done.

This is why the professional you hired may focus you on figuring out the lighting plan before picking out the countertops.

You might have selected your appliances earlier in the design phase, in terms of manufacturer, model number and size, but remember that stainless isn’t the only option. Some companies offer a vintage finish, while others offer a wide array of enameled colors. Choices like this can determine the look and feel of your kitchen in one sweeping gesture.

2. Cabinets, Countertops and Tile

Depending on what type of professional you hired, or if you are doing your own kitchen, you may start the finishes and fixture selection process from a different jumping-off point.

Rather than picking the cabinet wood species and finish color by itself, and then picking countertops and tile, I like to have my clients work on an overall palette of materials at the same time. Layer the materials and create collages of patterns, textures and colors to see what works best together.

Sure, a client might have the idea that they want a “white kitchen,” meaning white cabinets, but there are many “whites” out there, and what you mix them with really makes a huge impact on what the overall kitchen will look like.

For the modernists out there, you would think picking finishes and fixtures would be easier, with less adornment and fewer decisions to make. For some this might be true, but I find that for others this style can be just as challenging. It’s all about restraint and editing, and that’s hard.

The small choices in this kitchen include sleek appliances, noninvasive lighting, the full-height backsplash and the waterfall-style island countertop.

Tip: Order current samples of the materials you’re considering. Get a door sample with your style and finish for final approval. Make sure you go to the stone supplier and view and tag the actual slab of marble for your countertops, and make sure to order a current control sample of tile for your backsplash. All these extra steps will cut down on costly mistakes.

Kitchen Countertops: Granite for Incredible Longevity

This natural stone has been around for thousands of years, and it comes in myriad color options to match any kitchen

Granite, the same stone that portions of ancient Egyptian pyramids are composed of, is ubiquitous in the kitchen for good reason. This stout stone that can weather millennia easily stands up to kitchen use and abuse. Is granite right for your kitchen? Have a look.

What to Know About Granite Countertops

The basics: Granite is a natural stone, composed of at least 20 percent quartz as well as mica and feldspar. Colors choices span the rainbow, from a monochromatic slab to bold patterns. Countertop finish options include:

• Polished: The most common finish; it’s mirror-like, stands up well to stains and is the least porous
• Honed: A matte finish that is typically not recommended, as it can stain and scratch more easily
• Brushed/satin: Similar to a honed finish, though less matte in appearance and better performing
• Leather: More polished than a honed or matte finish, but with a little texture
• Flamed/thermal: Created by running a flame over the slab surface; has a rough, textured appearance and a varying surface depth
• Antique: Has a brushed, dull appearance that is slightly textured

Advantages: Granite is tough to beat when it comes to durability, due to its heat- and scratch-resistant qualities; it can bear up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Granite can also be stain and water resistant when it’s properly sealed. Those seeking an unusual slab or a unique pattern will not be disappointed with the seemingly limitless choices.

Disadvantages: Installation can get tricky due to granite’s hefty nature. And if you choose some of the more exotic slabs, costs can quickly escalate.

Sustainability: Granite’s durability means this product can outlast you and even your home. However, mining stone does disrupt local ecosystems and depletes finite, nonrenewable resources. Ecofriendly granite can be had with salvaged slabs. Also, you can choose granite that’s mined in your region to reduce transportation-related energy costs.

Maintenance: Limit routine care to a soft cloth and warm water or cleansers made specifically for granite. You’ll want to seal your slab every year or two with an impregnating water-based sealer made for granite.

Special considerations: You might have heard questions about radon content in granite.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that there is little or no health threat from granite counters, due to their relatively low radon content. You can read more here.