Butcher Block Countertops - How to choose the right one for your kitchen.
Perhaps this summer you're considering a kitchen remodel and upgrading your kitchen countertops or island top. There are a number of different countertop materials to choose from, each with its own unique benefit. Butcher block countertops are timeless, having been around for generations and remaining extremely popular today. Many people migrate to the natural wood grain of butcher block because it fits any kitchen décor style, be it traditional, contemporary, or eclectic. Butcher block is often chosen for kitchen island tops because of its durability and versatility, doubling as both a chopping surface and serving table. Choosing butcher block countertops can be daunting and involves a significant investment. But here are some considerations to help make the process easy!
Perfect butcher block countertops fit your kitchen décor, your space, and your budget.
Think about how light/dark and cool/warm you want your kitchen to look.
Hard Rock Maple is very light in color and uniform in appearance. It can help brighten a kitchen and make it feel light, airy and cool.
Red Oak is of medium tone, with a golden, red tint. It falls in the middle of the wood species selection with regard to light/dark or warm/cool.
American Cherry has a warm, red tint and can add both color and warmth to a kitchen.
Black Walnut is naturally a chocolate brown color, and can help darken a kitchen or visually warm a kitchen with its rich tone.
You can match, or you can complement other wood grain in your kitchen.
Matching the color of an existing wood can be difficult since many woods darken with age. But matching a species and a grain pattern is much easier. If you have Maple cabinets now, you can consider Maple countertops as a nice match.
Often it is more interesting to mix and match woods. Differences in textures and colors, in moderation, can work nicely together. It is easy to complement woods, especially when they are separated, like a wood floor and wood countertop. Or kitchen cabinets and counter tops separated by a tile backsplash. Just be mindful; make it look well thought-out, not like an add-on.
Three grain-style choices for butcher block countertops: Blended Grain, Edge Grain and End Grain.
Blended Grain will give a wide variety of color and grain pattern. Rails of varying lengths are finger-jointed together showing much visual texture. Blended grain can look "busy" so it is awesome when paired with a simple kitchen design, regardless of your decorating style. It is the most affordable grain style.
Edge Grain is the end result when full-length rails are bonded side by side giving the appearance of a solid tabletop. There is some color and grain variation, therefore it is well suited for matching with other woods or natural stone surfaces in your kitchen. Edge grain is moderately priced.
End Grain countertops provide lots of color and texture variation within the checkerboard pattern. It has a very upscale appearance and is pricier, but it is the traditional butcher block look that shouts professional gourmet chef!
