# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![highrollinwooded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71c47a/32.png) [@highrollinwooded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/highrollinwooded)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/121 "2012-01-19T10:46:06Z")
I don’t get the stainless steel concept. Reminds me of when I cooked in a nursing home all those years ago!As for keeping it clean and fingerprint free…I have a bitch of a time keeping my ss toaster and front of my microwave clean, to have to keep up on a stove and frig, forget it!! I opted for black appliances, IMHO the very classiest look!!! ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/122 "2012-01-19T13:09:23Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > 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. You have no idea how much I cook. It’s my hobby. I want to do it, and I don’t want anyone else in my fookin’ kitchen getting in the way and ruining my concentration with silly questions. Now, if we’re talking “throw a sandwich together for a quick dinner” that’s a different story. But when I decide to spend the afternoon cooking up a vat of chicken stock, homemade noodles, and baking bread, he doesn’t want/need to be there and I don’t want him there. He does plenty around the house; right now I’m sitting in my toasty office drinking coffee and he’s outside in 2 degree weather snowblowing the walkway and taking the garbage/recyclables out to the curb. > [@](#): > > 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. To each his own. I like food smells ranging through the house, my kitchen is never more than 15 minutes of work to be completely clean, and I really absolutely don’t care about decor. For what it’s worth, you can’t see our dining room table from the couch, cuz the couch faces the other way. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/123 "2012-01-19T14:23:31Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > 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? I caught a couple of episodes and couldn’t stomach it. Ergo, the answer is yes. ---
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/124 "2012-01-19T14:52:40Z")
I’m not a fan of stainless appliances, yet we have them, because most of our appliance purchases in the last couple years have been along the lines of “holy shit, the fridge has started shocking me” or “hey, the oven’s stopped working.” Stainless was what everyone had, so that’s what we got. My preference, given more time to shop, is appliances in either black or a fun color. With the fridge, we ended up going with a cheap one because of space constraints (and regret it already), but the new stove is very nice and will probably be around long enough to date the kitchen for a long, long time. Ah, well. It’s got a ton of features and I love it despite its ugliness. It’s also only somewhat stainless with a lot of black, which is my preferred standard appliance color. Granite: I’m not a huge fan. Our kitchen came with butcher block counters, and when we replace the kitchen, that’s what we’re getting. I love it, it’s not cold and hard, and it only takes occasional oiling to keep it looking good. Open Concept: Our house is pretty much the opposite of this, but it has largeish rooms and a lot of windows, so it doesn’t feel cramped. I wouldn’t mind opening up the wall between the kitchen and dining room, but I have no interest in a great room at all. Hardwood Floors: I don’t really see these as a trend, and I also don’t see myself ever living in a house without them. I loathe carpet, and tile is usually too cold and hard (though there are some that are okay). I’d put wood floors in the kitchen if my husband weren’t absolutely awful about getting water everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/125 "2012-01-19T15:57:20Z")
ooh yes copper, i like a mix of modern and vintage. also any natural material, wood, stone, copper, repurposed barn beams, rewired antique lighting… I replaced hollow core doors with solid oak six panel doors I found in an antique shop. We looked a long time, then suddenly there were 6 doors with beautiful hinges and knobs salvaged from an old 4 square. $80 apiece! yes they were slightly beat up but original finish and gorgeous. Good soundproofing too, but don’t slam your finger in the those babies,it will break them! ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/126 "2012-01-19T17:10:50Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > 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? Haven’t seen the show but, if the people on it are from L.A., they most likely are. ---
**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, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/127 "2012-01-19T17:43:27Z")
> [@Mongo\_Ponton](#): > > \ > > 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. There was a restaurant in town that had copper tabletops - I could barely eat at one of them for the smell. Copper _stinks_ - it smells like old blood. Maybe they didn’t seal them or something, but I’d have to be damned sure it wasn’t going to smell before I’d put copper in my house. The paper countertops sound interesting, though. I also watched a show with Mike Holmes where he put slate countertops into a house - they looked very nice when he was done. I like his perspective on design choices - it’s interesting to see a contractor’s perspective versus just designers who, let’s face it, aren’t know for living in the real world. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/128 "2012-01-19T18:10:28Z")
We have a stone floor in our kitchen. We didn’t put it in- we’re renters- and I would never, ever choose stone for a floor. We live in Canada, the kitchen opens onto the backyard, and the floor is fricking freezing all winter. And anything that gets dropped, unless it’s made of plastic, shatters or dents. The damn floor just broke my brand-new plastic cake carrier this morning- hard plastic, it fell, and shattered. Stupid thing for a kitchen floor. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/129 "2012-01-19T19:18:23Z")
> [@Lissla\_Lissar](#): > > We have a stone floor in our kitchen. We didn’t put it in- we’re renters- and I would never, ever choose stone for a floor. We live in Canada, the kitchen opens onto the backyard, and the floor is fricking freezing all winter. I don’t live anywhere cold, but my understanding is that it doesn’t cost too much extra to install underfloor heating for those types of floors. Your landlord probably just cheaped out. ---
**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, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/130 "2012-01-19T19:26:06Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I don’t live anywhere cold, but my understanding is that it doesn’t cost too much extra to install underfloor heating for those types of floors. Your landlord probably just cheaped out. Not really; underfloor heating is not common at all here (I don’t know about the price, but no landlord is going to retro-fit a house or apartment for underfloor heating). I would be extremely surprised to see a rental with underfloor heating. I can’t speak for home builders, but I wouldn’t really even consider it for anything but a basement floor, anyway. ---
**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, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/131 "2012-01-19T19:35:02Z")
> [@Lissla\_Lissar](#): > > We have a stone floor in our kitchen. We didn’t put it in- we’re renters- and I would never, ever choose stone for a floor. We live in Canada, the kitchen opens onto the backyard, and the floor is fricking freezing all winter. And anything that gets dropped, unless it’s made of plastic, shatters or dents. > > The damn floor just broke my brand-new plastic cake carrier this morning- hard plastic, it fell, and shattered. Stupid thing for a kitchen floor. I don’t love hardwood either - our house has this in the kitchen and entryway (builder-installed) - a downside of the open floorplan: there’d have been an unattractive changeover from the front entryway to the kitchen if they’d put a different material in the kitchen, and of course they HAD to put hardwood from the front door, so… hardwood / kitchen it was :rolleyes:. Any drips need to get cleaned up immediately, there’s always the worry that they’ll seep between the floorboards and cause rot, oh and there are quite a few uses for water in a kitchen so there’s plenty of opportunity for that. If I had my druthers, we’d definitely have a NICE laminate flooring in the kitchen, and hardwood everywhere else (which we are gradually doing - about halfway there). ---
**Author:** ![Breccia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Breccia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breccia)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/132 "2012-01-19T21:13:10Z")
Taste is a matter of taste, to quote a famous phrase. Granite’s decorative if you want that. It does work for me as far as; endures heat, easy clean up, pretty maintenance-free. All said and done I prefer the stain-less counter tops in the restaurants where I worked (years ago.) I just don’t need to be mixing a 12+ ingredient recipe on what visually equals a splotched carpet…and the ‘clean’ of clean-up isn’t as visually apparent on granite. [my undergrad degree’s in geo-technical engr so it’s not that I dislike rocks.] As far as stain-less appliances I’ve noted no difference in exterior clean-up time. What is important : energy efficiency, and temperature control. My Samsung frig is set on 37° f, -2°f (just checked, probably set it there when we got it after reading the manual.) Our food stays fresh longer! Frozen food’s never had that dreaded (in my youth and college apartment days) freezer-taste. I spend time cooking great food, I buy premium ingredients, my husband’s a picky eater. Samsung saves me time (no more shopping for produce daily, replacing not-so-aged ingredients–everything stays fresh) and $$s (the thing isn’t throwing off heat and humming- like the frigs my parents had, the freezer is positively -2° and stays there.) Just my $.02, and all that said, we’re re-doing our kitchen and will likely install granite. Why? in the deep South traditional is the in-demand style. I want contemporary style and formed concrete counter-tops [an IKEA look kitchen.] He’s afraid it won’t sell/ won’t rent as fast if we want to move. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/133 "2012-01-19T21:34:03Z")
We’ve got hardwood in the rest of the house, and I like it. It wouldn’t be great kitchen flooring, though. You’re right. Underfloor heating is wonderful but uncommon here, and this house is about eighty years old. I’d guess it would be a pain to retrofit. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/134 "2012-01-19T21:58:30Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Any drips need to get cleaned up immediately, there’s always the worry that they’ll seep between the floorboards and cause rot, oh and there are quite a few uses for water in a kitchen so there’s plenty of opportunity for that. My buddy who owns and runs a hardwood floor installation company swears that if hardwood is installed and sealed correctly that it’s no less durable than standard flooring. And I gotta say, I’ve been to his house and seen the 20+ year old floors in his kitchen and they look great. I wouldn’t say no dings at all, but my laminate has a few dings too. This is a guy with 3 grown kids, a grandkid, and a dog, who also does a ton of cooking and his wife cooks a ton too. So it’s not like they don’t use their kitchen. Of course, he’s not exactly objective, but I tend to believe him on this one. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/135 "2012-01-19T23:12:34Z")
Granite is passe’. Quartz is superior. Stay away from cement unless you like to look at stains that can’t ever be removed. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/136 "2012-01-19T23:20:40Z")
Granite countertops will soon be regarded as a bizarre fad, but they’re fine. There’s nothing wrong with them, they’re just overpriced for what you get. Stainless steel appliances will soon be passe. They’ll come back in about 2030. As for open concept houses, though, that’s here to stay. An open concept house is simply more enjoyable than a really subdivided house and truth be told, is was ALWAYS more enjoyable, but they weren’t the usual house design because they weren’t practical. Now they are. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/137 "2012-01-19T23:43:09Z")
I love my granite counter tops. I very much dislike stainless steel appliances. I have a semi-open floor plan. Kitchen and family room are open to each other but separate from dining and living room which are open. I don’t like completely open floor plans - one great room. Too noisy. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/138 "2012-01-20T00:32:56Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > But leave a few walls so there’s actually rooms to do different tasks in. I don’t want the tv interfering with my wife as she sews. Her sewing room needs to be… A ROOM! and Not a corner area in a 24x12 open space. I like rooms as well but I seldom sew anymore because the machine is the the corner of a room with no TV. If I could watch TV and sew at the same time, I’d sew more often. This would entail rearranging the whole house so it won’t happen. So I spend my leisure time on the sofa, surfing the 'net and glancing at the TV. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/139 "2012-01-20T00:46:28Z")
I have a deep abiding love for classic butchers block hardwood counter tops. I love the look of the cuts and dings in it if it is kept up with regular oiling. I love white or off white appliances, and wood cabinets. I want my house to look and be _lived in_ ---
**Author:** ![QuercusMax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/8baadc/32.png) [@QuercusMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuercusMax)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-really-feel-about-the-trends-in-homes-granite-counters-open-concept-etc/609709/140 "2012-01-20T02:44:21Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > I forgot my biggest annoyance with new homes today: master bathrooms. > > You know, the ones that are bigger than your childhood bedroom and have a bathtub big enough for four people and a standalone shower. The same homes typically feature multiple non-master ‘bedrooms’ that are smaller than the master bath and can just fit in a twin bed and a dresser. > > I don’t want to clean that bathroom TYVM and my kids are getting a good education in sharing because we only have one (gasp) shower/tub in the whole house. > > (It is actually second on the list of reasons I never want to move into a new home. The first is packing.) We just moved from a house with 3 bedrooms, 1.75 baths to a 4/5 bedroom 3.5 bath house, pretty much like you described. (The kids’ rooms aren’t _that_ small, tho. There is room for 2 beds in the bigger bedrooms, although one of the bedrooms is a little small.) We love our master bath - we have 4 kids (right now oldest is 7) and 2 housemates, and it’s very nice to have lots of room in the bathroom in the morning. The bathtub is a little big, I agree, but my wife uses it all the time. I guess this is one of tho things that’s a matter of taste, but we are really enjoying it now. [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=6) [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=8)