What is Dekton?
Granite, marble, quartzite, soapstone, solid surface, butcher block, concrete, marble…. DEKTON. Haven’t heard of it? Neither had we, until a year ago when we ventured out to our local stone and granite fabricators to begin the process of seeking out countertop options for our clients. Starbucks in hand, we wandered down every aisle, looking at all the beautiful slabs (if you’ve never been to a place like this, the slabs are typically arranged into different categories by letter identification, the lower the letter, the higher the price. It’s like when you walk into Nordstrom and your eye goes to the MOST expensive shoes…this is basically how we felt looking at granite & marble. Our eyes go to the intricate weaving of the veining, leathered materials, and unique colors…and with this, comes expense.
Stunning examples of what we loved, but had a VERY high price tag (like try: starting at $279.00 sq.ft) YIKES.
We had a budget, just like we do with every project: so we knew we had to switch things up a bit. We started to do a little research and landed on Dekton, a newer ultra compact material comprised of glass, porcelain and quartz. It is in fact a highly durable man-made material, UV resistant, stain & scratch resistant, easy to care for, highly heat resistant (but you still need to be careful with those extra hot pans!), comes in many colors/patterns and lastly, the cost starts at $80 sq/ft.
We love the color options from Dekton, while options are more limited than granite, we still think there’s a great selection and you’ll find something you love. We do have three favorites though: Entzo, Bergen and Natura (see above!). Each one is unique in their veining and beautiful subtle color choices. If you’re in the market for new material for a bathroom, kitchen, backsplash, etc. – go check out Dekton, we promise you won’t be disappointed.
We snagged a sample from our local fabricator, literally obtaining this sample was like trying to sneak a pic of the Mona Lisa, it wasn’t going to happen, but with some major persuasion, it worked.
I mean, it’s just sooooo pretty: Bergen Dekton.
At this point in the renovation, we seriously were so excited. We were drooling even just over this design board.
Once we settled on the color, it was time for templating and fabricating. Listen, if we can give you ONE piece of advice in any large scale renovation it is THIS: trust the process and be patient when it comes to installation of countertops. We know that is VERY hard to do; but unfortunately countertops are one of those things, like in a game of chess it takes time and a lot of patience to win. Many things have to be perfectly in place in order for the countertops to go in; and then, even after they are in, there is still a lot of finishing work to be done. For example: this home was older, and our contractor (along with our fabricator) was concerned the older floor joists would not withstand the weight of the Dekton (even those much lighter than Granite), so reinforcements had to be done, adding more days to our timeline.
But ya know, it all worked out. The finished product was more than what we imagined it to be. The countertops came out beautifully, and the cool tones in the Bergan paired so well with our backsplash, cabinets and the warmth of the flooring softened the entire space. We are beyond proud of how this kitchen turned out and are so excited for you to take a peek.
