With any house renovation, determination fatigue is a really actual factor. In a kitchen reno alone, you’ll seemingly should make upwards of 150 particular person decisions: {hardware} sort, the place to place the {hardware}, format, cabinetry, home equipment, fixture type and end, lighting placement, countertop materials, and, for the sake of as we speak’s put up, even how the sting is completed on that countertop. (If you happen to missed our wonderful countertop materials information from a couple of years again, return and bookmark it right here for if you’ll want it!)
If you happen to’re working with a designer, they are going to information you on this course of, making their suggestions for what they imagine to be finest. However when you’re going at it alone, contemplate this your edge profile buddy, serving to you to get to the end line with out an excessive amount of sweat.
Similar to with the rest, there generally is a lot to contemplate, and the choices may really feel limitless, however let’s discuss via what you’re fabricator or GC may have the ability to give you, what issues value, what’s cool and customized you may ask for, and what works finest for what kitchen type and countertop sort.
What Are The Widespread Counter Edge Profiles?
On the subject of choosing your countertop edge, there are a couple of choices principally each fabricator goes to supply: eased, bullnose, bevel. (Bear in mind you might by no means truly converse on to your fabricator as your basic contractor and even stone yard retailer sometimes talk your must them.) These are normal and sometimes don’t include any further cost. From there, there are premium profiles which can be an improve, equivalent to miter, ogee, dupont, and cove (plus all their variations). And even past which can be customized edges which can be extra specialty and require particular instruments. Not all fabricators provide each edge varieties, and there are a number of elements that go into why they could or could not have the ability to offer you what you’re asking for, together with:
- Their gear and instruments: Extra advanced edges like specialty ogees and waterfall want specialised instruments and equipment that not each fabricator could have readily available.
- Your countertop materials: Some stone varieties have limitations, relying on how laborious or mushy mentioned stone is. One thing actually intricate like a double ogee or cove dupont may not be supported because of danger of chipping or cracking, and a few fabricators don’t need to take that type of danger. ($$$)
- Experience and expertise: If you happen to’re specing an intricate edge profile, guarantee that your fabricator has achieved it earlier than, as a result of they do require a excessive stage of ability and precision. Some fabricators concentrate on a sure type; as an illustration, your fabricator may provide extra fashionable designs which can be easier, like eased or bevel. Others may concentrate on conventional kinds. Discover somebody who has an experience in what you’re in search of.
I like to recommend you seek the advice of together with your fabricator (or GC) to see what edges can be found earlier than hiring them. Discover out about their very own restrictions. If you happen to’re after a extra customized design, ask for diagrams or a sketch to ensure you’re each on the identical web page with what you’re asking for as a result of not all fabricators use the identical names for a similar finishes. They’ll be comparable, however the actual names can fluctuate.
Let’s check out some profiles:
I broke these up into what they’re generally known as, by way of normal, premium or customized. Each fabricator is completely different and may not contemplate, say, a mitered edge customized, however reasonably normal or premium. I spoke with designer Alexandra Azat of Plaster & Patina (who did that attractive major suite within the Pasadena Showcase Home of Design) about this and she or he agreed: “Pricing is so depending on the fabricator. Some fabricators are really easy about it and others actually push again and cost quite a bit for customized designs. In the event that they’re already laminating the sting [more on that in a bit], it may not be an enormous up cost. All of it actually relies upon.” I do know that’s type of like saying “right here’s what this may cost…or in no way…everyone seems to be completely different,” however sadly, it’s fairly true.
I’m glad Alexandra talked about lamination. So, you might right here “laminate” with counter tops and instantly consider a Formica-like materials. Certain, that’s right, however via a “d” on the finish, and it turns into one thing very completely different. Laminated counter tops imply your stable stone or wooden is stacked on high of itself on the entrance edge to create a thicker look than the usual 2-3 cm.
Right here’s an instance I discovered on Instagram (remember to scroll to the second picture, as nicely).
As you may see, a number of items of stone are adhered to one another, however solely on the overhang. That means, the countertop isn’t double the thickness, however reasonably simply appears to be like it. Lamination makes creating thick or actually distinctive edging potential (like within the first slide above).
Countertop Profile Want-To-Is aware of (Together with Prices)
Beneath, I put collectively one more chart to interrupt down every edge profile by vary of value and what materials sort they work finest on, however with the caveat that your particular fabricator may simply do their very own factor:
It needs to be fairly clear however the important thing for the markings on the correct are as follows:
✓ = sensible choice | ! = warning, however doable | X = not suggested
Be suggested that simply since you see a verify mark doesn’t imply your particular fabricator will provide it or conform to do it on the marble or quartzite you selected, but it surely’s a superb information to go off of. And as I discussed, the identical goes for the worth proven right here. It’s helpful to know {that a} double ogee is greater than twice the price of say, a bullnose. Additionally take be aware that the price is by linear foot, so when you have a big kitchen, that may add up in a short time. (Aspect be aware: most customized, intricate or ornamental edge finishes are sometimes saved for use in bogs or small bar areas the place there’s a small piece of counter reasonably than in kitchens, each to protect price range but in addition for performance; crumbs and spills aren’t current in bogs the best way they’re in kitchens.)
If you happen to love the look of a double bullnose however not the worth, don’t neglect which you can choose a customized edge like that for simply your island so as to add some drama, however maintain the perimeter extra basic in a regular bullnose, eased or half spherical. I wouldn’t advocate mixing two specialty finishes in a single kitchen as it’s going to seemingly come off trying overdesigned. Must you be pairing up edges, simply ensure their kinds are appropriate. An excellent thick fashionable miter simply received’t work nicely with a conventional ogee.
Actual Kitchen Examples Of Counter Edges In Motion
A chart can solely get you to this point in envisioning what these edge profiles seem like. I dug via the archive to seek out some kitchens to indicate you, and full disclosure: many of the kitchens we’ve shot have a regular eased counter profile, like this one:
We love an eased profile. There’s nothing incorrect with choosing one thing normal like this, particularly contemplating it doesn’t add any prices to the fabrication of your stone. It really works nicely in fashionable kitchens, transitional kitchens, and yup, even conventional kitchens.
If you happen to can’t assist however need one thing a bit of extra ornamental, an ogee (or any of its variations like a flat ogee, bullnose ogee or double ogee), is a brilliant well-liked and delightful end. It’s not overly sharp in any spot—aside from the double ogee that does have a crisp transition—is comparatively straightforward to wash and preserve and works nicely in each conventional and heat fashionable kitchens. The ridge may catch crumbs, however they need to wipe away with out getting trapped.
Above are two examples of ogee finishes. The left shot is from Emily’s earlier kitchen in LA. She famous within the reveal put up that she chosen an ogee bullnose, which is actually a wedding of an ogee with extra of a bullnose on the backside. Sara’s kitchen has a extra normal ogee, the place the counter doesn’t curve across the backside, however reasonably falls straight down.
The mountain home kitchen has extra of a straight edge that I imagine was mitered to look thicker than normal. You possibly can see the sides are sharp and crisp, which speaks to the extra fashionable type of the kitchen. Designers love utilizing this edge profile with dramatically veined marble to essentially showcase the stone.
I dug round Instagram to seek out a couple of extra examples of each frequent and stylish profiles.
Beneath are visuals of bullnose counter tops. Whereas bullnose is pretty normal from a fabricator’s perspective, we don’t see it as a lot anymore. It was highly regarded within the early 2000s and has pulled again a bit, however you may see it’s nonetheless pretty and provides some good dimension and motion to charming areas. Utilized in a contemporary kitchen, it’d really feel dated rapidly.
Taking the pretty fundamental bullnose and laminating it to be double and even triple could be very thrilling proper now. I’ve been seeing it all over the place. And whereas lovely and dramatic, proceed with warning as it might expire stylistically as a result of it’s so area of interest. (Although when you like it, onward!)
Whereas an ogee is nice as-is, an eased or flat ogee just like the beneath from Mayfair Worktops is a good center floor for anybody who needs a contact of element, however doesn’t need to make their area seem overly basic. One phrase of warning: something with an extended slope, equivalent to this longe ogee or a dupont may not be proper for kitchens with restricted counter area because it renders the usable floor smaller.
As you’ll have picked up with a number of the naming conventions, you may create an edge that’s the lovechild of two profiles, such because the one beneath that appears to me to be a cove bullnose. It {couples} a pointy cove with a softened bullnose. The transition and slope of a cove is far more extreme then an ogee, in case you have been questioning.
Now, I admit that don’t discover myself drawn to bevel cuts as they learn extra fashionable than I like for kitchens, however on the butcher block end-grain island beneath, it’s marvelous because the wooden warms it up and retains it from feeling chilly and modern. That’s a testomony to how the fabric you’re utilizing can actually change the look of the profile. The perimeter edge appears to be like like a waterfall.
The 2 photos that comply with are from the identical kitchen, which additionally consists of some lovely wooden counter tops. Whereas I’m not sure, it appears to be like just like the wooden portion has a laminated (keep in mind, which means stacked, not fake), ogee edge and the marble island sports activities extra of an ogee bullnose. I wouldn’t have thought to combine these however (re) work Structure & Design pulls it off.
And at last, this magnificence from deVol, as a result of no kitchen roundup can be full with out one. Each the black and white stones function a dupont, which cuts in deeper than an ogee and has an extended slope on the sting. This edge profile is pretty conventional and high-end trying, however similar to a flat ogee, it occupies extra floor area so it’s finest left to giant counter-rich kitchens.
That brings us to the top of as we speak’s information. I hope that was useful and insightful. If you happen to’re in the course of planning for or residing via a kitchen renovation, tell us what questions you may have that might make your life simpler. We could have already got a useful resource for it, or prepared to construct some (you recognize I’m at all times recreation for that). In case you have something so as to add, the feedback are open.
Till the following time…
