Countertop Design Trends: West Coast builders

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Countertop Design Trends: West Coast builders

Builders on the West Coast are playing it safe when it comes to the
countertops they offer to new homebuyers: granite is still king.
Centex Homes, www.centex.com, one of the top 10 U.S. homebuilders,
offers granite countertops as a key upgrade in many of its models, say
Patty Boggs, design center manager in Valencia, Calif.

Models in the state also offer 6-inch-square tile countertops in
kitchens and laundry rooms and cultured marble counters for master
suites. "People do want a choice, and sometimes I find that even 800
tiles on the floor and multiple colors of granite aren’t enough," she
says. Large-scale builders usually have to offer a limited selection
to help cut costs and shorten construction times.

"The younger generation wants luxury design on a budget; it’s the Jet
Blue phenomenon," says Doug Sauder, of Shea Homes’ (www.sheahomes.com)
Northern California division. "Homebuyers are more savvy - they know
what they want, like natural stone counters and quartz."

"We have lots of granite counters in neutral colors in the kitchens
and cultured marble in the baths," says Deana Ronquillo, design
consultant for SaddleBrooke (www.robson.com), an active adult
community in Tucson, Ariz. She adds that engineered stone in 12- by 12-
inch size is a popular surface for countertops, backsplashes and
shower surrounds.


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