Does anyone have stainless steel counters? They have now entered into my design choices as someone told me that getting them fabricated may not be as expensive as I once thought. What are the pros and cons. I think they will work esthetically with either adel white or nexus brown black but am a little worried they will be too clinical.
They're sturdy, utilitarian and can work really well to modernize a more traditional look. If you're fussy about keeping them pristine, you'll be frustrated because they will scratch. Eventually, all the scratches will run together and soften the whole surface look at which point you can call it "patina". Cost is probably comparable to granite including fabrication and installation, unless you know someone. One nice thing about stainless is you can get it fabricated in relatively long seamless runs, and you can seamlessly have a sink and backsplash incorporated as well.
I think whether they look "clinical" or not largely depends on the way they're designed. If you have a marine edge, and a 1" thick surface, it will look like the counter in a commercial dishroom. If you have it made with a 3" thick flat edge or even a slight roundover, it will look more like some of the old counters you see in vintage kitchens. I know I've seen a few old pewter/zinc counters that are gorgeous! I think you could get the same sort of look with stainless if you choose the right treatment.
You do have to be able to live with the scratches though. Think of any older stainless sink you've seen. It's not bright and shiny, is it? Your counters will be the same - but it will take time...and in that time, it will look a little more mottled. If you can't live with that, don't bother -- it will make you crazy!
The kitchen in my daughter's Montessori school has stainless counters (it isn't an industrial kitchen, but rather one like you'd find in a house...well, because it is a house) - the patina is gorgeous, but again - like everyone said, you can't be a pristine type person.
I have the VARDE worktop sink and while I have some scratches, it's not really as bad as I thought.
We havea stainless counter in our (pre-remodel) kitchen. Its our primary prep surface, and Ilove that itsa very clean, smooth surface and thatits heat proof (I can probably never go back to laminate becuase I wouldn't think twice about plopping a hot pan down on the counter).
I agree with the other posters that you have to be ok with it scratching. Finecircular marks have built up on mycounter from where I've wiped it with a rag (I just use a cotton dishrag) -- there's an obvious difference in the 'patina'between the part of the counter that gets wiped all the time and the spots I often miss under/around fruit bowls/coffe maker/etc.
I'm getting a stainless counter for my island, which will be my main prep area. Somewhere I read a recommendation to get a bit of a lip at the edge to keep drips from running off - specifically Edge E on the attached site. That's what I plan to do, though with the counter edge a bit wider than shown, probably 2".
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