# How do you really feel about the trends in homes - granite counters, open concept, etc? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 16, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709 "2012-01-16T17:34:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/101 "2012-01-17T21:50:36Z")
You know what else I hate? Colored walls. I don’t want a wall in my house to be a light green, or a light blue. I don’t want a wall in my house to be pink, or have purple polka dots. Walls should be white. Or so lightly colored, I have to try very, very hard to tell that they’re not white. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/102 "2012-01-17T22:15:59Z")
Well, another thing this thread is showing that there definitely are different strokes for different folks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/103 "2012-01-17T22:21:37Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > The other that strikes me really stupid is the sink that looks like a bowl mounted on top of the counter. They look like they’d take at least three times as long to clean as the under the counter sinks AND you can’t just brush splashed water back into the sink. > > Whoever came up with those obviously never cleaned a bath room in his life. I am 100% with you my friend. “Vessel sinks” are so stupid-looking and pointless. A trend I love and wish I had is upstairs laundry room. hate having my laundry in the garage. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/104 "2012-01-17T22:22:03Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > You know what else I hate? Colored walls. I’m rather partial to white/near white myself, but hey, it’s a LOT easier to change the paint than the granite counter tops or how many sinks are in the master bath. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/105 "2012-01-17T23:12:44Z")
Trends I like: Granite in kitchens. I have granite countertops, and I love that I can put hot pots on them, not worry about damaging them with knives, and generally abuse them with impunity. I’ve never resealed mine, and I don’t think they have any stains (but I probably wouldn’t be able to tell anyways because of the colour). I haven’t had an issue with chipped plates and glasses - are you guys juggling them? Hardwood floors, but these aren’t really a trend. Crown mouldings, assuming they’re appropriate to the style of the house and the height of the ceilings. If you have a craftsman house with eight foot ceilings, they’d look ridiculous. Main floor laundry. I’m tired of traipsing down to the basement to wash my clothes that I take off two levels up. Trends I’m meh about: Open concept. I’m moving from my open concept house to a house with more discrete rooms. I’m looking forward to not having to keep the entire main floor of my house immaculately clean all of the time. The great thing about open concept is you can see everything from everywhere. The worst thing about open concept is you can see everything from everywhere. Travertine flooring. I think it’s beautiful, but it’s porous, it stains, and needs constant resealing. I considered putting it in my bathroom for about ten seconds before I decided I didn’t want the maintenance. Double sinks. They might be good for some people, but not necessary for me. My husband and I get ready at different times in the morning, so I’d rather have extra counter space than a second sink. Apron sinks in kitchens. They look nice if you have the right kind of house, but most of them are enormous. How many people really need a sink that huge and deep? Giant jetted tubs. Very few people I know that have one ever use it, and if they do, they rarely turn the jets on. It seems a bit unsanitary to me - I like a plain old soaker tub. Trends I dislike: Vessel sinks. They’re ugly and I’m pretty sure they’re going to date quickly. I’m also guessing they’re a bitch to clean. Pedestal sinks. I saw a bathroom with pedestal sinks in a design magazine that was beautiful, but I have no idea how it could possibly be functional. There was no under sink storage and the mirrors over the vanity had no cabinets behind them. There seriously wasn’t anywhere to set a toothbrush or a bar of soap, never mind a blowdryer or razor. Giant showers. I get that it’s nice to have a bit of elbow room, but do you really need to be able to do cartwheels in there? And have water shooting at you from every conceivable direction? Concrete counters and floors in kitchens. They always seem cold and ugly to me. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/106 "2012-01-17T23:14:13Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > I hate open concept. Hate it. I like clearly defined rooms. That said, I live alone. When I go to friends’ houses with families, I can see the benefit of having open concept rooms. I still don’t like it, but I understand it. Ha! That’s funny – I **love** open concept, but because I live alone, so I know there wouldn’t be other people in the other “room” bothering me with noise or demands for attention. I love how it feels bright and airy. This probably comes at least in part from kinda hating my current apartment. It’s too small, and good lord if there were actual walls between the kitchen-dining area and the living room, there wouldn’t be enough room to MOVE. I think it’s technically an “eat-in kitchen” but what it amounts to is a sink and stove crammed against one wall, the dining table shoved all the way against the opposite wall, the fridge shoved into the narrow space between the table and the barn door to the living area, and NO counter space, at all, with a narrow galley to walk between everything. I’d **love** something that was big, open, and unrestricted. My dream home is a loft space with huge windows. It’s easy enough to demarcate rooms with furniture and bookshelves. But if there were kids underfoot, not being able to shut them in the living room and me in my office would drive me absolutely batty. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/107 "2012-01-17T23:14:32Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > You know what else I hate? Colored walls. Mine are unstained pine – a nice natural colour that neither offends your senses nor reminds you of bad sex. To keep things from getting repetitive, the bedroom planks are laid horizontally, while the main room planks are laid diagonally, and of course with wood being wood, there is a nice variety of shades and textures in each plank. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/108 "2012-01-17T23:29:42Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Mine are unstained pine – a nice natural colour that neither offends your senses nor reminds you of bad sex. To keep things from getting repetitive, the bedroom planks are laid horizontally, while the main room planks are laid diagonally, and of course with wood being wood, there is a nice variety of shades and textures in each plank. I think that would look great! ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/109 "2012-01-18T23:34:16Z")
My biggest hate is cheap appliances picked out because “HEY, it’s stainless.” We bought a house 4 years ago, and the previous owners spent money on the kitchen, trying to get the house to sell. So I have granite countertops laid on 40 year old cupboards (that are falling apart) and ALL NEW SS APPLIANCES, that must have been bought at rock bottom prices. The oven won’t hold an even temp, the microwave is under powered, the ice maker/dispenser in the fridge has been a bit wonky since we moved it, and the dishwasher is loud and badly designed. So what I really hate is following trends just to be trendy. Give me durable and solid over trendy any day. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/110 "2012-01-18T23:50:22Z")
When a leaky faucet led us to getting new countertops, we looked at and rejected granite. I think we got Corian, in any case it has been great. We don’t put hot stuff on it, being paranoid, but they gave us a left over piece as a tile which we do put stuff on, with never a problem. As for open rooms, friends had to build a new house after they had a fire, and they used an open kitchen/living room arrangement. They did not like it. You can’t have people watching TV and also cooking and listening to the radio at the same time, let alone having a conversation. They wound getting remote headphones for the TV which seems a waste. Our house, which is almost 60 years old, has pocket doors, which allows you to keep things connected when you want to or seal rooms off when necessary, and not have the door getting in the way. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/111 "2012-01-19T00:26:02Z")
That’s a great point, too, **Tastes of Chocolate.** In some ways, I’d almost like to have ancient appliances and furniture because they’d be built when things were built to last, instead of built to be replaced like so much modern stuff. I’ve just finished painting inside most of my kitchen cupboards, and I’m thinking about replacing them now - they’re very old and starting to wear out, getting warped and such. They’re not great cupboards to start with (made of cheap and flimsy stuff) but I don’t think I’ll be getting granite countertops. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/112 "2012-01-19T00:43:09Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I don’t know, but when my ex and I were looking at houses, the realtor kept showing us open-concept, kitchen/living/dining area houses. When we protested that such houses were not what we wanted, we were told, “Well, you can keep an eye on the kids from the kitchen.” > > When we told her that we have no kids, and no plans to have any, we were told, “Well, you’ll change your mind.” > > We ended up buying the one that she reluctantly showed us, and didn’t think we’d like. But it had a separate kitchen, just like we wanted. I think I want Laura and Rob Petrie’s old house. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/113 "2012-01-19T00:45:07Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > … > I’ve just finished painting inside most of my kitchen cupboards, and I’m thinking about replacing them now - they’re very old and starting to wear out, getting warped and such. They’re not great cupboards to start with (made of cheap and flimsy stuff) but I don’t think I’ll be getting granite countertops. Speaking of which - not an issue for you, BUT: neighbors of ours were remodelling their kitchen. They chose granite. When the granite came, they found that the cabinets that had already been ordered were not rated as being strong enough for granite. Mad last-minute scrambling to, I think, order new cabinets ensued. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/114 "2012-01-19T01:08:56Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Boy, I don’t understand all the hate towards open floor plans. To me, they perfectly compliment my lifestyle. I don’t want to be stuck away in the kitchen when Mr. Athena is in the living room. I don’t know about other dopers, but if I’m in the kitchen cooking or cleaning _my_ Mr. had damned well better NOT be chillin’ his heels in the living room (unless it’s only going to be a few minutes while I throw something together really quickly). He’d better be doing his share of the housework until such time as we’re both able to sit down and relax. And as I said in my previous post, when I have guests the food is pretty much done before they arrive. Other reasons for hate are the same as fellow dopers have mentioned above, cooking smells, visible cooking mess, having to have your decor be all purpose and blend (like someone else mentioned, I like for my rooms to have their own character). And again, there’s just something that really irritates me about the dining table being visible from the couch. I like the … well for lack of a better word, the PURPOSEFULNESS of a room being the room it’s supposed to be. I just thought of another trend that (and I’ve shared my hatred for this here before) bugs me. “Earth tones”. I hate…HATE what I call body fluid colors. Bile green, baby poop yellow, diarrhea brown, crime scene dried blood red. Any color that’s muddy, I hate on sight. I like COLOR color, as in something light and airy that doesn’t look as if it may have once been food, or that it came from a tomb. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/115 "2012-01-19T01:49:59Z")
Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures may well be the Formica, harvest gold and brass of the new millenium. UT ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/116 "2012-01-19T02:49:30Z")
> [@UntouchedTakeaway](#): > > Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures may well be the Formica, harvest gold and brass of the new millenium. > > UT I don’t doubt it. Speaking of real estate porn, I have occasionally caught parts of “Selling L.A.” - is it just my imagination, or is everyone on that show massive douchebags? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/117 "2012-01-19T03:08:25Z")
How do you really feel about the trends in homes - granite counters, open concept, \*\*etc? \*\* I’m getting used to them. SWMBO wanted them when we remodeled. And what SWMBO wants, SWMBO gets… ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/118 "2012-01-19T03:24:09Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > My biggest hate is cheap appliances picked out because “HEY, it’s stainless.” > > We bought a house 4 years ago, and the previous owners spent money on the kitchen, trying to get the house to sell. So I have granite countertops laid on 40 year old cupboards (that are falling apart) and ALL NEW SS APPLIANCES, that must have been bought at rock bottom prices. The oven won’t hold an even temp, the microwave is under powered, the ice maker/dispenser in the fridge has been a bit wonky since we moved it, and the dishwasher is loud and badly designed. > > So what I really hate is following trends just to be trendy. Give me durable and solid over trendy any day. Maybe check out your electric. All that sounds like you are underpowered, not the appliances themselves. Just call an electrician, he’ll let you know. I’m pretty sure you are in the Cities, I’m in the Cities, too, if you need the name of a couple of good ones, PM me. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/119 "2012-01-19T03:39:20Z")
I spend the most time in the kitchen/dining area and living room. That’s where I want the most space. All I do in my bedroom is sleep and get dressed. A tiny “bed” area with a closet big enough that I don’t have to swap out clothes depending on the season is all I need there. I don’t like carpet, because my dog and kid will destroy it. I don’t care about crown molding, granite counter tops, what color the appliances are, or what flavor of not-carpeted floor it is. I’m six and a half feet tall, so I want a big tub. Biggest you can get. I also want walk-in shower somewhere in the house. I don’t want more than two bathrooms. I’d like a two car garage, but that isn’t a dealbreaker for me. ---
**Author:** ![Mongo\_Ponton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Mongo\_Ponton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mongo_Ponton)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/120 "2012-01-19T05:08:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Lastly, there are few things less suited to kitchen countertops than granite…ok, maybe cardboard, but not much else. Au contraire. Cardboard is coming into its own. [50% cardboard](http://www.richlite.com/northwest/) Richlite is doing lots of cool stuff with sustainable materials for countertops but their website kind of sucks. [paperstone](http://www.thenaturalabode.com/green_home/paperstone_countertop.htm) The recycled that Enipla got is indeed tough as nails as it is made from mirrors salvaged from houses, glass from windshields, windows and bottles, and porcelain from china, tiles, sinks, toilets. My favorite though is copper. Look at the crazy top down near the bottom of the thread. [http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/metal/msg1117184131743.html](http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/metal/msg1117184131743.html) I predict this will be the next trend for the crows. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709.md?page=7)