Countertops see it all: kneading, stirring, frosting, grating, paring, sifting, dicing, glazing. Choosing a material means balancing the right aesthetic look with a surface that can withstand abuse. Although a great deal of it comes down to good, old-fashioned personal opinion, there are a number of factors to keep in mind when choosing a countertop and backsplash to match.

Granite has so far retained its position as most popular counter surface. It's a durable material that will last a lifetime—but like any real rock, it's porous. Rick Bilides, the owner of Kitchen Evolution in North Branford, notes that any natural stone should be sealed to prevent staining.

"They have seals that are good for 15 years," he says, noting that backsplashes should be sealed, as well. "It may be money well-spent, especially if it's a natural stone."

According to Bilides, the prevailing styles of granite include New Venetian Gold, Black Pearl, Ubatuba, and Giallo Ornamental. Granites and other types of real stone vary not only in color, but also in finish.

"The most common way that you see real stone is with a polished fi nish," says Rick Gedney of Kitchens by Gedney in Madison. "However, it's becoming more popular to see stone in a variety of finishes: honed, leathered, sandblasted, and brushed. Those are all ways of texturing the surface to get a different look."

Other real stone surfaces, such as marble—particularly white marble, either polished or honed—are also appearing more often in the kitchen. According to Connie Harris at The Stone Company in Killingworth, Carrara and Calcutta marbles are in the forefront.

"They're both gorgeous Italian marbles," she says.

Harris notes that soapstone is another good natural choice, although it does require an occasional application of mineral oil.

"A lot of the soapstones are just beautiful; they have beautiful veining to them," she adds.

Another up-and-comer is quartzite, which combines the appearance of light marble with the durability of granite. This metamorphic rock often contains the white coloration that is a current trend.

Man-made surfaces such as quartz solid surface and Corian solid surface have one big advantage: these nonporous surfaces never need sealing. Denser than granite, engineered quartz such as Caesarstone or Cambria are favored for their ability to wear like granite and their lower price tags. Specialty add-ons such as cove backsplashes and drain boards can be tooled into Corian, something other materials wouldn't allow.

"Corian has the advantage of being very workable and refinishable," says Gedney. "It has a lot of colors and a soft look to it."

Plastic laminate is still the cheapest option, but it's improved in recent years with the appearance of HD formica such as Wilsonart HD.

"They have reinvented themselves with HD [high-definition] finishes, so the material has texture and some depth to it," says Gedney.

Metal is another possibility. While stainless steel is more common than other types of metals, "living surfaces" such as zinc or copper can lend a unique look to the kitchen.

"The counter is constantly changing with use," says Gedney. "It has a natural patina to it."

Sal Scurto, owner of New England Wood Countertops in Deep River, mentions that his customers love the look and environmentally-friendly practice of using reclaimed antique woods, like chestnut.

"We buy these boards that have knots in it, splits in it, wormholes—but it creates a look that's very beautiful, very natural," he says.

The Backsplash

When using real stone such as granite or marble for the countertops, one option is to use the same material to create a perfectly matching backsplash.

For counters made of materials other than real stone, it's becoming trendy to mix it up a little.

"You may see a quartz kitchen with a wood island top, or a top with marble counters that might have a stainlesssteel worktop," notes Gedney.

Tile no longer appears on countertops as often as it used to, but it's becoming a staple material for the backsplash. A tile backsplash—especially with an accent tile mixed in—is a great way to add color and texture to an area.

"Tile is probably the number-one choice for backsplashes," Gedney says. "You don't have the issues with grout."

The backsplash can also be made of specialty wood in a paneled or beaded wainscot, particularly to create a cottage or Tuscan look in a kitchen. With backsplashes, there's a bit of a "the-bigger-thebetter" attitude. "

We try to get people out of using that four-inch backsplash because it's so dated," says Harris. "If [the customer] fi nancially can do it, they'll take that material and go all the way up to meet the cabinet."

"Sometimes we'll do a large wood backsplash and the faucet will come out of the wall and through the backsplash," adds Scurto.

Regardless of what you choose, take your time and shop around—after all, today's counters will in many cases last a lifetime.