White Kitchen Countertops

A Guide To White Kitchen Countertops

If you are looking for new countertops for your home, white countertops are a timeless addition that will never go out of style

A few years ago I went through quite the countertop adventure. It was more of an adventure than I had planned or hoped for

I had no idea when I convinced my husband that we should get new countertops what I had coming.

I won’t go into too many details and I have written plenty about my experience already but let’s just say it’ll be a while before I decide to ever change any counters in our home again.

The one good thing that came out of this experience was how much I learned about countertops

And I now have counters that I love in my kitchen.

Are White Countertops For Kitchens Trending

Trending or not trending, white counters are timeless.

It doesn’t matter what design style you have in your house, white counters are so versatile that they will look great in any kitchen .

Since they are white and reflect light, white countertops can make a dark kitchen look brighter and bigger.

And they go with any style of home from modern to traditional.

Different Types of White Countertops

White Quartz Countertops

White quartz countertops are one of the most popular choices for countertops right now due to their durability and low maintenance. White quartz counters can mimic the look of marble without the maintenance of marble.

Quartz counters are non-porous, meaning they do not absorb liquids making them resistant to bacteria and mold growth.

Most quartz counters do not stain but not all quartz countertops are created equal. Some quartz counters can stain and since quartz counters are man made they are not heat resistant.

Some popular brands of white quartz countertops include Caesarstone, Silestone, Cambria and Calacatta.

I have Calcatta Alpha quartz in my bathroom and it is holding up well. I do worry a tiny bit about curling irons and/or flat irons being placed directly on the counter but so far so good.

You can see more about my kids bathroom makeover here

If you are curious, this is what a heat stain will look on your quartz counter.

(I did a whole post about the pros and cons of white quartz counters if you want more info)

White Granite Countertops

Granite counters are the most durable natural stone counters you will find. They are also heat resistant and easy to clean.

Because granite counters are a natural stone, they are porous and need to be sealed.

White granite counters seem to be more porous than darker granite so you might need to take extra precaution with staining if not properly sealed.

I’ll be honest, finding a simple white granite is like finding a unicorn. Most granite has a busier pattern to it and that goes for white granite too. You will not find a super white or a pure white granite.

I had colonial cream granite in our first home and I remember that being the least busy granite counter I was able to find.

There is also a Colonial White granite that has more grays in it than my Colonial Cream granite.

Similar to Colonial White is River White granite.

Since granite is a natural stone, no two slabs will look identical. One you find a slab of granite you like, grab it.

White Marble Counters

Oh marble counters, you will always have my heart.

I know marble counters can cause a heated debate for some but I think marble is the most gorgeous countertop.

Yes, it can be high maintenance. It’s definitely a countertop that only certain people should have in their homes.

If you are someone that is fine with stains and etching, then marble counters are perfect for you.

Honed marble tends to show less etching than polished marble. But I do think that honed marble can stain a bit easier than polished marble so it’s a gamble either way.

I found so many beautiful slabs of marble when I was looking for my kitchen. I was on the wait list for the next shipment of Shadow White marble

But things changed…we will get into that later.

The most popular marble is white cararra marble and surprisingly (to me anyways) it is the most affordable marble and possibly more affordable than other counter materials.

I actually found most (not all) marbles to be more affordable than most other counter choices.

The most expensive marble I looked at was Danby Marble from Vermont. I wasn’t in the mood to sell one of my appendages to afford this countertop so I passed on it.

It was stunning though

Marble will always be timeless and you can never go wrong with a pretty marble countertop

White Quartzite Countertops

If you love the look of marble and want something more family friendly and easier to take care, quartzite might be your new friend

But…read this blog post I wrote of the pros and cons of quartzite and it’s dirty little secret.

Not all quartzite countertops are created equal. I had an awful experience with my quartzite countertops and had to have them ripped out.

Some stone fabricators will classify some marble slabs as a “soft quartzite”. Be weary of those counters. They can easily be marble.

Quartzite is the most porous stone counter out there. Some quartzites are extra extra porous and will absorb e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g

And some quartzites are near perfect and will withstand everything and anything

You just never know.

I will say with what I went through and learned, most white quartzites are the ones you need to watch out for…especially if it is labeled as a “soft quartzite”

My old counter was called Luce Di Luna and it is very similar to Mont Blanc. It was labeled as a regular quartzite so I thought I was safe. But I was not.

Taj Mahal quartzite is one of the most popular quartzites and the one that I would recommend.

I hear this stuff is indestructible….and likely a pretty penny…but oh so pretty

It’s hard to find a true white quartzite countertop. Most quartzites will have a gray or beige undertone to them.

White Dolomite Countertops

When I was on my search for counters I found a new countertop that was a new one for me. This counter is the counter that I replaced my quartzite with and the counter that I currently have in my house…and it did not need to be replaced like my quartzite counters did.

I was on my way to pick out my slab of marble (because that was my plan B after my quartzite debacle) and walked right by this slab of dolomite

And the rest was history

White dolomite countertops are a great choice when looking for a natural stone countertop that has that classic and timeless look.

One advantage of dolomite countertops is that they are relatively durable and resistant to scratches and stains. However, they should still be sealed regularly to preserve their appearance and protect against damage.

I had my counters professionally sealed the week after they were installed and so far I do not have one stain on these counters

One potential negative of dolomite countertops is that they can be vulnerable to etching, which can occur when acidic substances like citrus juice or vinegar come into contact with the stone.

I’m only telling you this as a precaution. There is not one etch on my counter and I have spilled everything you can spill on this counter…including lemon and vinegar.

Dolomite is a softer stone so it can chip easier than granite. I do have a few small nicks by the sink area from cleaning pots and pans.

I will take all of the chips though. It comes with the territory and I love my counters

White Solid Surface Countertops

If you are not interested in natural stone counters or don’t want the maintenance of caring for a stone, solid surface counters are a great choice.

We previously had Corian countertops in our kitchen and while they were not white (they were hunter green), they were very easy to maintain.

No need to seal them, no need to worry about stains or etching and supposedly no need to worry about them chipping (but there was a chip in ours)

Young House Love put in white Corian countertops into their home many years ago and I remember thinking it was a genius idea.

There are many solid surface counters that can mimic the look of marble.

Laminate and Formica have a few options that look so much like real marble.

The one disadvantage of solid surface counters is that they are not heat resistant so you must be careful with hot pans

Kitchen Countertops at Home Depot and Lowes

You can find solid surface and stone counters at Home Depot and Lowes. I actually started looking at Home Depot first to get an idea.

Sometimes they are offering specials on install too.

We had our laminate floors in our old house completely done by Lowes and it was a great experience.

I would hope I could say the same about countertop installation

Some Frequently Asked Questions

(When I am doing research to prepare my blog posts I always look at the most asked questions and these are them..so here you go)

Do White Countertops Stain

It depends on what your countertops you have.

Most stone counters will need to be sealed to prevent staining.

White quartz counters supposedly do not stain, but mine have stained in my kid’s bathroom

White solid surface counters also should not stain but I had cream Corian counters in our first house and they did stain.

There is potential for everything light to stain.

I guess I also really didn’t answer your question.

Do White Countertops Show Dirt

Do you plan on standing on your counters with muddy shoes?

Kidding

A solid white counter will show more crumbs and messes. Busier counters (granite) will hide the crumbs better.

Would you rather see that your counters are clean or dirty or would you prefer to pretend they are clean?

If you are the latter, find a white counter with some pattern or movement to it. It’ll hide the crumbs better.

Do White Countertops Go With Cherry Cabinets

They definitely do. White counters go with everything. They are so versatile.

But I love the contrast of the darker cabinets and white counters.

I say it’s a win.

We have cream and cherry cabinets and I’m pretty happy with how the white countertops look

How to Style your Kitchen with White Countertops

Choose the right backsplash tiles

This should be a blog post all itself.

Lucky for you I have a blog post on kitchen backsplash ideas with white cabinets. I also included a few ideas if you have white counters (and white cabinets)

Since white is so versatile, the sky is the limit.

I would definitely get a sample of whatever backsplash you might like to see how it looks in your space with your white counters.

Some white counters are a bit creamier than others and you might want a backsplash that goes with your counters.

If you are getting new counters and a new backsplash, I would recommend getting the counter first and then adding the backsplash

I have this backsplash with my countertops and they go well together.

You can also had a backsplash with some color, especially if you have white countertops and white cabinets.

Incorporate different textures and colors

If your kitchen is feeling a bit flat and sterile with white counters, adding some different textures and pops of color will give your kitchen some interest and warm it up a bit.

Wooden spoons, rattan planters and even cutting boards are easy things you can use to warm up your space.

Not only do white counters make your space look brighter, but they also provide a blank canvas for you to experiment with different color schemes and textures.