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Serving 31 counties across Illinois, Indiana
Chicago Metro, Northern Illinois & Northwest Indiana
Our own crew sets your slab level, seamed tight, and sealed — most kitchens in a single day.
We cut, profile, and polish your slab in-house so the piece that shows up is the piece we made for your kitchen.
A precise laser template of your actual cabinets — no guesswork, no gaps, no "close enough."
Low-maintenance engineered quartz in every look from crisp white to deep-veined marble-alike.
Natural granite with the kind of movement no two slabs share — sealed and ready for real cooking.
Show-stopping natural marble and hard-wearing quartzite for the kitchens that want the real thing.
Natural marble and quartzite countertops
Glass, ceramic, and stacked-stone backsplashes that finish the wall your new countertop deserves.
Undermount sinks cut and polished into the stone, faucets set and plumbed while we're already there.
A real measure and a real number, at your kitchen, at no charge. You keep your money until there's a countertop to trade it for.
Book a full kitchen in quartz or granite and the undermount sink cutout and a stainless sink are on us.
How to read a countertop quote — ours or anybody else's
Where your seams will go, and why we say so before you sign
Template day: the decisions to make before we bring the laser
Thirteen edge profiles, and what each one actually changes
Sealing: who needs it, how often, and the twenty-minute test that decides
Choosing a countertop color you will still like in ten years
Undermount gives you wipe-straight-into-the-bowl cleanup and a cleaner look, but it needs a solid-surface countertop, costs more to install ($500-$1,400 vs $300-$900), and is clamped and bonded to the slab, which makes future replacement harder. Drop-in is cheaper, works on laminate, and swaps out easily later, but the rim collects grime and its caulk line needs renewing every few years. If you are buying stone counters anyway, undermount is usually worth it; on a budget laminate refresh, drop-in is the honest answer.
Undermount or drop-in - which sink style should I choose?
Common fabricator guidance is about 10-12 inches of unsupported overhang for 3cm granite or quartz, only about 6 inches for 2cm granite, and never more than one-third of the total countertop depth cantilevered. Seating overhangs usually run 10-16 inches deep, which is exactly the range where hidden steel brackets — typically spaced every 18-24 inches — earn their keep. This is not fussiness: an unsupported stone overhang is fine until a guest leans on it or a kid climbs it, and then it snaps at the weakest point. Brackets are cheap; a cracked island top is not.
How far can my island top overhang for stools before it needs brackets or legs?
Usually, yes - do the counters first or accept that some tile work gets redone. Replacing a countertop later disturbs the bottom of the backsplash: old 4-inch splash strips come off with the counter and leave a bare band, new counters often differ in thickness or overhang, and prying out the old top can crack the lowest tile course, which rarely meets the new counter line cleanly. If you truly cannot wait, use a removable or low-cost interim option - paint, peel-and-stick, or an inexpensive field tile you will not mourn - and save the tile you love for after the counters. Sequencing is the cheapest design decision you will make.
I want a new backsplash now but new countertops in a few years. Is that a mistake?
Pick the countertop first if it is patterned stone, because slabs are far less flexible than paint: there are thousands of paint colors and only a few hundred slabs in any local inventory. Choose the slab you love, then pull cabinet and wall colors from its undertones — a warm-veined white quartz wants warmer whites and woods, a cool gray granite wants cooler paint. Doing it backwards is how undertone clashes happen: counters and cabinets that each look fine alone and subtly wrong together.
Should I pick the countertop color or the cabinet color first?
Let one surface talk. If the countertop has bold veining or heavy movement, quiet the backsplash - a plain field tile or a slab of the same stone reads calm and intentional; if the counter is quiet, the backsplash is your chance for pattern, color, or handmade texture. Matching everything exactly can flatten a kitchen, and two competing patterns is the most common regret designers see. A practical test: set your actual countertop sample against tile samples in daylight and again under warm evening light before committing - undertones that clash in person often looked fine online.
Should the backsplash match the countertop or contrast with it?
No - mixing edges is standard practice, not a compromise. A common approach is a decorative or mitered edge on the island, where hands and eyes land, with a plain eased or pencil edge on the perimeter, which saves several hundred dollars and creates deliberate visual hierarchy. Just keep one profile per continuous run of countertop so the transition never happens mid-counter.
Do all my counters need the same edge profile?
The reveal is how the countertop edge meets an undermount bowl. Positive leaves a sliver of sink rim showing - forgiving to fabricate, easy to clean, the common default. Zero (flush) aligns counter and bowl perfectly - the sleekest and easiest to keep clean, but precision work that costs more. Negative overhangs the bowl - streamlined, but the thin lip can chip and the hidden rim under it can harbor grime and mold. Most fabricators follow the sink manufacturer template unless you request otherwise; confirm the choice in writing before fabrication, because it cannot be changed after the cutout is made.
What is a sink "reveal," and which one should I ask for?
They care, but less than the condition of the whole room. Zillow listing analysis found homes mentioning quartzite sold about 5.3% above expectations and quartz about 3% - yet the minor-remodel spec that recoups the most in Cost vs. Value uses laminate counters. In most Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana mid-market listings, quartz or granite is the expected standard for an updated kitchen, and going a tier above your neighborhood rarely returns the difference. Clean, current, and consistent with nearby comps beats material one-upmanship.
Do buyers around here care whether my counters are quartz, granite, or laminate?
You can, but somebody loses either way. On quartz and granite the counter usually wins — the surface is harder than knife steel, so you dull your knives quickly while occasionally leaving fine scratches in the resin or risking a small edge chip. On marble, soapstone, solid surface, and wood, the counter loses and the marks are yours to keep. There is also a mundane reason cooks use boards: countertops near the sink and stove carry cleaning-product residue, and seams and caulk lines harbor what boards do not. Cutting boards are cheaper than either new knives or professional re-polishing.
Can I just cut on the countertop instead of a cutting board?
Granite tolerates brief contact with hot cookware better than almost any counter, but repeated heat can degrade the sealer and a very hot pan on a cold slab risks thermal shock — so a trivet is still the smart habit. Quartz is a harder no: its resin binder scorches and can crack from sudden temperature change, and manufacturers explicitly exclude heat damage from their warranties. One trivet by the stove protects a four-figure counter; it is not a hard trade.
Can I set hot pans directly on granite or quartz?
The slab usually outlives the style: granite, quartz, and quartzite routinely serve for decades, and the Natural Stone Institute notes that both resined and unresined granite slabs "will outlast most of our lifetimes." What actually ends a countertop is usually everything around it — a failed sink seam, water-swollen cabinets below, a chipped edge, or the finish simply falling out of fashion after 15-20 years. Laminate and butcher block are the exceptions: their lifespan is set by water management at the seams and sink, often 10-20 years unless meticulously maintained.
How long will new countertops actually last?
It can be the whole kitchen if you go in with the right expectations. Wood is the most affordable path to warmth — roughly $35-$120 per square foot installed as of 2026 — but it demands a relationship: regular oiling or a film finish, immediate wiping around the sink so end grain never sits wet, and acceptance that knife marks, dings, and stains become either patina or a weekend sanding project. Many households compromise by putting wood on a low-water zone like an island or baking counter and stone or laminate around the sink, which is exactly where wood counters tend to fail.
Can butcher block work as the main countertop, or only as an island accent?
Ordinary ceramic and porcelain tile are fired in a kiln at well over 1,000 degrees - your range cannot hurt them, so no special product is needed for heat. What actually suffers behind a cooktop is everything around the tile: cement grout absorbs grease and discolors, natural stone like marble can etch and darken from splatter and aggressive cleaners, and quartz slab has resin binders that manufacturers protect with required clearances from burners. Choose the tile for looks and cleanability - glossy glazes wipe down easiest - and put the worry into grout choice and sealing instead. A stainless or glass-and-metal mosaic accent behind the range is a style decision, not a safety requirement.
Do I need special heat-resistant tile behind the range?
No — and this is the single most common regret reported by quartz owners. The stone content is heat-tolerant but the resin binder is not: Caesarstone’s own guidance says the resin withstands only about 150C/300F, that cookware straight from the oven "will burn the countertop," and that even moderately hot pots left sitting can discolor the surface. The resulting brown or yellow scorch ring is a resin burn that professionals can sometimes — not always — polish out, and virtually every manufacturer (Caesarstone, Cambria, Silestone) excludes heat damage from warranty. Keep trivets within arm’s reach of the range; the habit matters more than the material.
Can I put a hot pan on a quartz countertop?
Ordinary indoor daylight is generally fine — manufacturers say fading is rare inside and mostly a problem when indoor-grade quartz is installed outdoors. The risk zone is a countertop that sits in direct, unfiltered sun for hours every day, where UV can slowly yellow the resins or soften dark pigments over the years. If your slab will live in a sunroom or under a big south- or west-facing window, consider UV-filtering window film or blinds during peak sun, or look at porcelain, granite, or quartzite, which are fully colorfast. And never spec standard quartz for an outdoor kitchen — UV damage there is excluded from warranties.
My kitchen gets strong afternoon sun. Will quartz fade by the window?
There is no single winner — each top performer has one weak spot. Porcelain and quartzite lead on heat and scratch resistance; quartz leads on stain resistance and zero upkeep but cannot take hot pans; granite is the best all-rounder with no rating below 4 once sealed. Porcelain's caveat is brittleness: a heavy pot dropped on an edge can chip it. If your household is hard on surfaces in every way at once, sealed granite or true quartzite gives you the fewest rules to remember; if your main risks are spills and stains rather than heat, quartz is easier to live with.
Which countertop material is the most durable overall for a busy family kitchen?
It is one fabricated panel - usually the same quartz as your countertop - covering the wall with zero grout lines, and it is the easiest-to-clean backsplash that exists: cooking splatter wipes off a nonporous sheet with no joints to scrub. Expect $50-$120+ per square foot installed, and order it when the countertop is templated so both come from coordinated slabs and one fabricator trip. Skip it if the budget is tight (tile delivers more look per dollar), if you like changing style every few years, or behind a pro-style range where prolonged direct heat can scorch quartz resin - full-height porcelain slab handles heat better.
What is a slab backsplash, and is it worth the money?
Modern laminate is the honest budget answer: $15-$40/sq ft installed (2026 guides) — a fifth the cost of stone — with convincing stone-look prints and respectable scratch performance. Its real weaknesses are water and heat: the particleboard core swells permanently if water gets into a seam or the sink perimeter (the most common laminate death in homeowner issue data), and a hot pan scorches it with no repair path. It is a strong choice for rentals, flips, tight budgets, and low-traffic kitchens; it is the wrong choice around heavy sink use, or if you want an undermount sink, which most laminate cannot support.
Is laminate still a legitimate choice, or is it just "cheap"?
There is no countertop-only line in the industry benchmark, but the closest proxy is strong: the 2025 Cost vs. Value report (Zonda) put the midrange minor kitchen refresh — new counters, refaced fronts, updated appliances — at roughly full payback (about 107% of cost recouped nationally, per trade-press summaries), while major kitchen remodels recoup only 35-50%. The realtor consensus is that dated counters suppress offers more than premium ones raise them, because buyers screen listings by kitchen photos first. If you are selling within a couple of years, choose neutral mid-price quartz or granite over exotic materials — you are buying listing photos, not a decade of living.
Will new countertops pay off when I sell?
Usually less than you would hope, and the risk lands on you. Tear-out is typically a small line item on a countertop quote because crews do it fast and haul the debris away. DIY removal risks cracking the tile backsplash you planned to keep, gouging cabinet frames, and wrestling a cast-iron sink or heavy stone sections that do not go out with curbside trash. If you do it anyway, confirm the fabricator will still take responsibility for cabinet condition at template, and figure out stone disposal before demo day — a ten-foot run of granite is a genuinely awkward thing to own.
Can I save money by tearing out the old countertops myself?
The gap is bigger than most people expect. A bottle of stone sealer is $15-30 and a tube of caulk is about $10; on the other side of the ledger (as of 2026 cost guides), professionally restoring an etched and stained marble counter typically runs $1,200-3,500, regrouting a stained backsplash costs roughly $150-400, and water sneaking through a failed caulk joint can mean mold and cabinet repairs well beyond that. Almost every expensive kitchen-surface repair starts as a skipped ten-minute task.
Is skipping countertop and grout maintenance really that expensive?
For a typical 30-40 sqft kitchen backsplash, national data puts most tile projects at $500-$1,500 installed, with $1,000 a fair planning number - and Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana metro labor generally tracks those national norms. Material moves the number most: ceramic runs roughly $12-30/sqft installed, porcelain $13-35, glass $18-43, marble tile $30-150, and a quartz slab $50-120+. Add 10-20% if you want a herringbone, chevron, or mosaic layout, and budget separately for tearing out an existing backsplash and patching drywall.
How much should I budget for a kitchen backsplash?
At $15-40/sq ft installed it is the only counter that comes in under four figures for a whole kitchen, and modern large-scale prints like Formica 180fx read far better than the laminate of the 1990s. The honest trade-offs: damage is permanent (no sanding or re-polishing), hot pans scorch it, seam water swells the core, and undermount sinks are usually off the table. It is a smart choice for rentals, short-horizon flips, and tight budgets — and a poor choice if you plan to stay 15 years and cook daily.
Is laminate worth considering, or is it a waste of money?
A galley delivers the most usable counter per square foot because both walls work and there are no corners; a U-shape delivers the most total counter but pays for two blind-corner cabinets and a corner seam or two in the countertop. Single-wall kitchens are cheapest to build but almost never reach the roughly 158 inches of counter frontage a fully equipped kitchen wants. Corners are the hidden cost driver: every blind corner adds specialty hardware and countertop fabrication charges, which is money a straight run does not spend.
Which layout gives the most counter space for the money?
Because the opening is cut to your exact sink, not to a spec sheet. Fireclay in particular can vary up to 2% in size out of the kiln, and the reveal - how the counter edge meets the bowl - is set permanently by that cut. If template day arrives without the physical sink, you risk a re-template fee (commonly $75-$150) or, far worse, a cutout that does not fit. Have the sink delivered to the house before the template appointment, along with the faucet spec sheet.
Why does my countertop fabricator insist on having the sink before templating?
After - always. The tile needs to die into the finished counter surface, and the counter-to-wall joint gets flexible caulk rather than grout so seasonal movement (a real factor in Midwest freeze-thaw humidity swings) does not crack the line. Slab backsplashes are the exception in scheduling: they are templated together with the countertop and installed by the same fabricator, often the same day. Tile typically follows countertop installation by a few days and takes one to two days including grout cure.
Does the backsplash go in before or after the new countertop?
Partly, yes. Solid materials — quartz, granite, quartzite, porcelain, solid surface — take undermount sinks happily. Traditional laminate generally cannot, because the exposed particleboard core at the cutout would swell with water, so laminate almost always means a drop-in (rim-on-top) sink. Undermount looks cleaner and lets you sweep crumbs straight into the basin, but it adds cutout-polishing cost and the sink must be on site at template. Drop-ins are cheaper and far easier to swap later. Whichever you choose, the sink model must be final before fabrication — the cutout is custom to it.
Undermount or drop-in sink — and does my countertop choice make that decision for me?
For any veined natural stone or premium quartz, yes — and a good shop will offer it before you ask. Slabs with the same name vary lot to lot, and where the fabricator places your countertop pieces on the slab decides which veins land on the island, where the pattern breaks at seams, and what gets wasted. Ask for a slab viewing and a layout approval; many shops send photos with your pieces drawn on the slab. It costs you an hour and prevents the single most common countertop dispute: "that is not what I picked out in the showroom."
Should I insist on seeing my actual slab and approving the layout before they cut?
Countertop-only replacement is one of the most common kitchen projects precisely because it works: if your cabinet boxes are sound, level, and firmly anchored, a fabricator can template and install new tops without touching the rest of the room — typically $2,000-$10,000 all-in versus $25,000+ for a broader remodel (2026 national pricing guides). The honest caveats: stone is far heavier than the laminate it usually replaces, so water-damaged or wobbly cabinets need repair or bracing first, and a crisp new counter will make tired doors and a dated backsplash more noticeable. Many homeowners pair the counter swap with a backsplash refresh or cabinet paint for exactly that reason.
Is it worth replacing just the countertops, or does it only make sense as part of a full remodel?
Countertop first, always. The tile needs a finished, level surface to sit flush against; setting tile first risks cracked tile during counter installation and visible gaps if the counter edge is not perfectly level. Standard practice is a thin flexible caulk joint - not grout - where tile meets counter, so the two surfaces can move independently without cracking.
Which goes in first - the countertop or the backsplash?
Yes — the physical sink (or at minimum its exact spec sheet) must be on site at template day, because the cutout is traced from it and an undermount rim cannot be guessed. This is the single most common last-minute ambush in homeowner project timelines: the templater arrives, there is no sink, and the whole schedule slips 3-7 days. Buy the sink and faucet when you order the counters, and confirm the mounting style — undermount, drop-in, or farmhouse each changes the cutout, the price, and in the farmhouse case the cabinet itself.
Do I really need to buy my sink before the countertop is ordered?
Cabinets first, countertops second, backsplash last. Countertop fabricators will only template after the cabinets are set, level, and permanent, and tile needs to sit down on the finished counter. If cabinet painting is part of the plan instead of replacement, paint before the new backsplash goes in, so tape lines and overspray risk land on the old wall rather than new tile. Running these out of order is one of the most common scheduling mistakes in kitchen refreshes.
I am doing cabinets, countertops, and a backsplash - what order should they happen in?
Water, not knives, is what kills wood counters. Standing water at the sink rim, seams, or dishwasher edge swells the wood, turns it black, and can eventually fail the glue joints. Three habits prevent nearly all of it: wipe up standing water promptly instead of letting it sit, keep the finish maintained (oil at least monthly, more often near the sink — when water stops beading, it is overdue), and make sure the sink cutout edges were sealed at installation. Many designers simply put stone or solid surface on the sink run and reserve wood for the island, which is the lowest-stress arrangement of all.
How do I keep a butcher block countertop from being destroyed around the sink?
A properly installed undermount is held by mechanical clips or anchors plus silicone - not adhesive alone - and does not simply fall. The failures you read about almost always trace to caulk-only installs or a heavy cast iron bowl hung without support brackets. Ask your installer what physically carries the load, and do not store heavy items pressing on the bowl. If a sink ever starts to sag or the rim seam opens, water is reaching the seam and the cabinet below - have it re-supported promptly, not just re-caulked.
Can an undermount sink really fall off the countertop?
Yes - plan on one to three applications a year, with the zone behind the range needing it most; travertine, being more porous, wants it more often than marble. Know what sealer does and does not do: it slows staining from grease and splatter, but it cannot stop etching - the dull marks acids like lemon juice, vinegar, and wine leave on contact. Clean only with pH-neutral stone cleaners (no vinegar, ammonia, or bleach) and a stone backsplash stays beautiful with far less drama than a stone countertop.
Do I really have to seal a marble or travertine backsplash?
No — concrete is one of the highest-maintenance counters despite its industrial toughness. It needs resealing at least yearly (plus waxing in between), acids etch both the sealer and the cement paste, and hairline cracks from curing and settling are considered normal, not defects. Budget-wise it is also not a shortcut: at $65-135/sq ft installed you are paying artisan labor rates. Choose it for the custom look, not to save money or effort — or get the same aesthetic in a concrete-look quartz.
Are concrete countertops as low-maintenance as they look?
Those are etch marks, not stains — a chemical reaction where acids (lemon, wine, tomato, vinegar, even some cleaners) dissolve a microscopic layer of the marble itself. Sealer only slows liquids from soaking in; it cannot stop a surface reaction, which is why sealed marble still etches. Light etching on polished marble can be buffed out with marble polishing powder; deep or widespread etching needs professional re-honing. If you are still choosing your finish, honed marble hides etching far better than polished.
Why does my marble counter have dull rings and spots even though I sealed it?
Black marks are water stains — standing water reacting with the wood. Three habits prevent them: towel-dry the area around the sink every time (never let water pool), oil the wood monthly with food-grade mineral oil including the sink cutout edges, and top with a beeswax board cream so water beads instead of soaking in. If black spots have already formed, oxalic-acid wood bleach followed by sanding and heavy re-oiling can reset the surface — a repair no stone counter offers.
How do I keep the butcher block near my sink from turning black?
Almost certainly not — those are metal marks, a thin transfer of aluminum or steel left when a pot or utensil dragged across the hard quartz surface, and they sit on top of the finish rather than in it. A white plastic eraser or a damp melamine sponge used gently in circles usually lifts them; for stubborn spots, a drop of nonabrasive cleaner helps. Avoid dry melamine sponges or heavy pressure, which can dull the finish, and never attack the marks with abrasive powder. If one truly will not budge, call your fabricator — quartz polishing compounds exist, but that is a pro job.
My quartz has gray pencil-like marks that soap will not remove. Are my counters scratched?
It is possible. The resin binder in engineered quartz is UV-sensitive; ordinary window glass filters a lot of UV, so indoor discoloration is uncommon, but a countertop that takes hours of direct sun every day for years can fade or yellow — white and pale slabs show it most. Existing yellowing does not sand or polish out the way surface damage might. Prevention: blinds or curtains during peak sun, or UV-blocking window film, which lets daylight in while stopping most UV. This same resin sensitivity is why standard quartz is not warranted outdoors — for patios and outdoor kitchens, use porcelain or a specifically outdoor-rated line.
The quartz near my sunny window looks slightly yellowed. Is that possible, and can I stop it?
A properly fabricated miter is joined with color-matched epoxy and lasts decades on a horizontal countertop, so seam failure is rare. The realistic risk is a hard knock directly on the mitered corner, which can chip the joint - and a repair at a seam is more visible than one in the field of the stone. Softer stones like marble are more vulnerable than granite, quartzite, or quartz; use pH-neutral cleaners and do not let acidic liquids sit on the seam.
Will a mitered edge seam split or chip over time?
Do not — chips are for narrowing, never for deciding. A 3-inch square cannot show veining movement, pattern repeats (printed quartz veins do repeat), or how a color shifts across ten feet of counter, and homeowner research consistently finds the chip-to-slab leap the single scariest decision of the project. Visit the stone yard and view your actual slab upright in daylight, take a sample home to check it against your cabinets in both morning and evening light, and for veined stone ask the fabricator for a slab-layout preview showing exactly which part of the slab lands on which counter.
How am I supposed to choose from a tiny sample chip?
Bigger than it looks: the sink perimeter is the universal countertop killer in homeowner issue data, and dark, soft, or lifting caulk means water is already getting through. On laminate and butcher block, moisture swells the substrate permanently; on stone, it works at the seam adhesive and the cabinet below — in replacement timelines, recaulking bought about a year once swelling had started, and untreated sink-edge leaks progressed to rotted sink-cabinet floors within 2-3 years. Strip and recaulk at the first darkening (a $15 DIY job with silicone rated for kitchens), and treat a soft or spongy substrate as a replacement conversation, not a caulk conversation.
The caulk at my sink is dark and the seam looks swollen — how big a deal is this?
Repair is real and underused: stone chips fill with color-matched epoxy or UV resin (a $150-$400 service call is typical), granite and marble can be re-polished or re-honed in place, marble etch marks respond to polishing powder on gloss finishes and mostly disappear into honed ones, and butcher block sands back to new. The hard cases: quartz heat scorch (resin damage is usually permanent), laminate (no good repair — damage generally means replacement), and any crack that crosses a sink corner or a seam, which is structural and tends to spread. Rule of thumb: cosmetic damage is repairable; anything that moves, leaks, or grows is not.
Can chips, scratches, and etch marks be repaired, or do I need a new counter?
Rounded profiles - full bullnose, half bullnose, demi bullnose, and to a slightly lesser degree eased and pencil - resist chips best because there is no sharp corner to act as a stress point. A dead-square edge chips most easily, especially on softer stones like marble; granite, quartzite, and engineered quartz tolerate crisper edges much better. No edge is chip-proof, so if your household is hard on counters, pick a rounded profile in a harder material rather than counting on the edge shape alone.
You are not imagining the effect: in homeowner-interview research, the most common trigger for replacement is not failure but the moment a freshly cleaned counter still reads as dirty — hazy polish, etch rings, a thicket of knife marks, grout that never comes clean. Countertops are the surface you touch and look at more than any other in the house, and replacing them is a bounded few-week project rather than a gut renovation, so the payoff-per-disruption is unusually high. The honest test: if what actually bothers you is the cabinets or the layout, new counters alone will not fix that feeling — better to admit it before you spend.
My counters still work fine — they are just worn and dated. Is it frivolous to replace something that is not broken?
Quartz vs. Granite: the honest pick for a working kitchen
What a countertop really costs (and where the mystery fees hide)
Countertop Edge Profiles: Shapes, Costs, and Trade-Offs Explained
Countertop Questions Homeowners Actually Ask — Honest Answers
Cabinet Door Styles, Explained: Shaker, Slab, Raised Panel, and What They Really Cost
The 9 Mainstream Countertop Materials, Compared Honestly
Quartz vs. Granite vs. Quartzite: What Actually Matters
Budget Countertops, Honestly: Laminate, Butcher Block, and Solid Surface
Backsplash Materials Compared: Ceramic, Porcelain, Glass, Stone, and Slab
Backsplash Patterns and Grout: The Choices That Change Your Quote
Should You Paint Your Cabinets or Replace Them? An Honest Guide
What a Professional Cabinet Paint Job Actually Involves
Choosing a Kitchen Sink When You Are Replacing Countertops
Sink Reveals, Cutouts, and Faucet Holes: What to Settle Before Stone Gets Cut
What Your Home's Era Says About Your Kitchen Remodel (Midwest Edition)
Remodeling a Chicago Bungalow Kitchen: Constraints, Costs, and Smart Moves
Opening Up a Postwar Kitchen: Ranch, Split-Level, and Cape Cod Playbooks
Remodeling a Chicago Bungalow or Galley Kitchen: A Practical Guide
When to Remodel a Kitchen in Illinois: Seasonality, Scheduling, and What Winter Does to Cabinets
LRV, Undertones, and Light: How to Read a Kitchen Color Before You Commit
The 60-30-10 Kitchen: Proportion and Contrast Rules That Keep Bold Choices Livable
Paint, Reface, or Replace? How to Choose the Right Cabinet Upgrade
Framed vs. Frameless Cabinets: What Actually Changes
How to Judge Cabinet Quality: Boxes, Doors, and Drawers
Stock, Semi-Custom, or Custom: Which Cabinet Tier Fits Your Project
A Field Guide to Kitchen Design Styles: What Each Name Really Means
Is Modern Farmhouse Over? What the Numbers Say — and What Comes Next
Kitchen Layouts Compared: Real Minimum Dimensions for L, U, G, Galley, Single-Wall, Island, and Peninsula
The Work Triangle, Work Zones, and the Clearances That Make a Kitchen Work
Undertones First: How to Build a Kitchen Color Combination That Lasts
Proven Kitchen Color Combos by Design Style: Countertop, Cabinets, Backsplash, Hardware
Paint, Replace, or Retile? Honest Answers to the Kitchen Questions Homeowners Actually Ask
How Durable Is Each Countertop, Really? The 8-Factor Matrix
Five Countertop Durability Myths That Cost Homeowners Money
What Kitchen Updates Actually Cost in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs (2026)
How to Budget a Kitchen Remodel: A Framework That Survives Real Quotes
Light Your Kitchen in Layers: Task, Ambient, and Accent Done Right
Kelvin, CRI, and Why Your Countertop Looks Different at Home
Make a Small Kitchen Live Large: Color, Light, and Scale
Bungalow, Condo, Ranch: A Layout and Storage Playbook for Compact Midwest Kitchens
The Forever-Home Kitchen: Counter Heights and Clearances That Work at Any Age
Pulls, Light, and Low-Glare Finishes: The Small Choices That Decide Whether a Kitchen Ages With You
Kitchen Trends 2025-2026: What's In, What's Out, and What Actually Lasts
Trend-Proofing a Midwest Kitchen: Which 2026 Trends to Follow — and Which to Skip
Cabinet Hardware, Explained: Sizing Rules, Finish Families, and Mixing Metals
Round Two: The Questions Homeowners Ask Once the Quotes Come In
Countertop Questions Nobody Answers Until You Ask
Countertop Care by Material: The Honest Owner's Manual
What Skipping Kitchen Maintenance Actually Costs
Backsplash Grout Care: Sealing, Cleaning, and Knowing When to Regrout
Countertop Replacement, Start to Finish: The Timeline Nobody Hands You
Paint, Counters, Backsplash: The Right Order for a Kitchen Refresh
What New Cabinet Boxes Unlock That Paint Never Will: A Storage Reality Check
Corner Cabinet Storage, Compared: Lazy Susans, Pull-Outs, and Honest Prices
Pantry Storage That Works: Roll-Outs, Pull-Outs, Drawer Towers, and Walk-Ins
How Long Kitchen Projects Really Take, Phase by Phase
Cabinets, Then Countertops, Then Backsplash: Why the Order Matters
The Midwest Kitchen Remodel Calendar: When to Book, Start, and Finish
What a Kitchen Remodel Really Returns at Resale in Chicagoland
The Resale Math on Surface-Level Kitchen Updates: Countertops, Cabinet Fronts, and Paint
The Countertop Mistakes That Cost Homeowners the Most
Backsplash and Cabinet Mistakes That Show Up After the Crew Leaves
Why Kitchen Remodel Budgets Blow Up: Five Money Mistakes
A Greener Kitchen Remodel: What Actually Reduces Waste (and What Is Mostly Marketing)
Green Labels Decoded: GREENGUARD, FSC, KCMA ESP, and Low-VOC Claims
Low-VOC Cabinet Finishes: Healthier Air Without Giving Up Durability
How to Choose a Kitchen Remodeler in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs
Kitchen Remodel Permits in Chicago's Suburbs: When You Actually Need One
A full open-plan kitchen in navy base cabinets and white uppers, with a white quartz island long enough to seat five.
Long white quartz island seating five, navy base cabinets below and white uppers beyond
The kitchen from the stair end, quartz island with a cooktop set into it
Wide view along the island toward the range wall and the windows
Quartz island and perimeter counter under a stainless range hood
The island from the far corner, navy cabinetry and a wine fridge built into the end
The finished kitchen looking toward the patio doors, stools tucked under the quartz
The perimeter run in white quartz, navy base cabinets and a subway tile backsplash
Open-plan view with the dining table in front of the navy and white kitchen
White quartz countertop material, fabricated and installed by Ace Countertops.
One stone, two rooms: a white kitchen with an island and a gray double vanity, both in a heavily veined marble-look quartz.
Wide finished view of the kitchen with the island and its quartz top under the ceiling fan
White kitchen with a marble-look quartz island, wall ovens to the left and windows along the back
The same kitchen before, with plain white counters and an oval island
Stainless double sink set into the new quartz under a corner window
The original molded triple-bowl sink and white counter at the same window
The finished run along the window wall, quartz carrying past the dishwasher
Gray double vanity in the same marble-look quartz, twin mirrors above
The finished bathroom vanity from the doorway, quartz top and matte black taps
The vanity from the other end, the quartz vein carrying between the two basins
Walkthrough of the finished kitchen and the matching bathroom vanity
Marble-look quartz countertop material, fabricated and installed by Ace Countertops.
Pickled oak and brown granite replaced entirely — new light maple cabinetry, new flooring, and a long cream quartz island with seating.
The island from the range end, quartz overhang above two stools
Long cream quartz island with seating, in a newly built light maple kitchen
The old pickled oak kitchen with its brown granite peninsula and two black stools
Wide view of the finished kitchen, maple cabinetry running wall to wall past the island
The same room before, pickled oak cabinets and granite counters under a dropped bulkhead
New maple cabinets and cream quartz turning the corner beside the refrigerator
The finished range wall, cream quartz either side of a stainless slide-in range
Before: the old granite counters at the sink, pickled oak cabinets and a dark tile floor
Walkthrough of the completed maple kitchen and its cream quartz island
Cream quartz countertop material, fabricated and installed by Ace Countertops.
A gray marbled laminate gave way to a dramatic black quartz — the high-contrast option, in a kitchen built around open shelving and matte black hardware.
Black quartz turning the corner past the refrigerator, its white vein catching the light
Black quartz with a single white vein running the length of a white shaker kitchen, under industrial open shelving
The same run before, topped in a gray marbled laminate that matched neither the cabinets nor the hardware
The new black quartz at the sink, water running from a matte black faucet
The kitchen before, looking down the length of the old gray laminate toward the back door
Before: the gray laminate run beside the blue back door and the black refrigerator
Black quartz countertop material, fabricated and installed by Ace Countertops.
A walnut slab-front condo kitchen with a long breakfast bar, taken from a flat dark counter to a bold-veined white quartz.
The finished bar from the living-room side, two stools tucked under the quartz overhang
Finished calacatta-look quartz breakfast bar running the length of a walnut condo kitchen
The same breakfast bar before, in a flat dark counter that swallowed the light
New white quartz either side of the range, against walnut slab cabinet fronts
The old dark counter at the range, with a toaster oven and knife block along it
Quartz bar and sink run seen down the length of the galley toward the window wall
Close view of the vein traveling across the quartz bar top
Before: the galley at night, dark counters running past the refrigerator to the balcony door
Walkthrough of the finished condo kitchen along the length of the quartz bar
Calacatta-look quartz countertop material, fabricated and installed by Ace Countertops.
Get a free quote for Calacatta-look quartz
Brown granite and terracotta walls out; bold-veined white quartz and a quiet gray palette in, across an island and a seated peninsula.
Wide finished view down the kitchen toward the island and the seated peninsula
Finished kitchen with a bold-veined white quartz island and peninsula, cherry cabinets and repainted gray walls
The same kitchen before, with dull brown granite on the island and peninsula and terracotta walls
New quartz along the back run, the vein carrying the length of the counter under cherry uppers
The old granite peninsula seen from the seating side, dark against the terracotta wall
Close view of the quartz vein running off the counter edge onto the waterfall return
Finished quartz on the refrigerator-wall run, with the vein clearly visible across the length
The peninsula from the dining side, quartz overhang above the barstools
Before: the brown granite peninsula with the sink, looking toward the breakfast table
Walkthrough of the finished island and peninsula, following the vein along the quartz
A tan laminate peninsula replaced with a dramatically veined white quartz, against oak cabinets and a terracotta tile floor.
Wide finished view of the oak kitchen under its vaulted ceiling, quartz on every run
Veined white quartz beside the stainless range, oak cabinets above and terracotta tile below
The identical view before, the range flanked by tan laminate and a cluttered counter
The finished peninsula with three stools, its gray vein running out across the overhang
The same peninsula before, in tan laminate with a rounded front edge
New quartz at the sink and dishwasher, oak uppers and terracotta floor
The quartz counter running to the corner window, seen from the dining end
Before: the tan laminate U with the old sink and a paper-towel roll on the counter
Walkthrough of the finished oak kitchen and its veined quartz peninsula
Veined white quartz countertop material, fabricated and installed by Ace Countertops.
Get a free quote for Veined white quartz
Beige granite out, soft-veined white quartz in — across the kitchen run, the island and the long dining table, in a house with a pressed-tin ceiling and dark cherry cabinetry.
Cooktop run in finished white quartz, cherry uppers above and the corner turn to the right
Finished white quartz island with a soft gray vein, cherry cabinets behind it and a pressed-tin ceiling overhead
The same dining-room table before the work, topped in mottled beige granite
New white quartz counter running under the window to an undermount sink and gooseneck faucet
The old beige granite counter at the sink run, crowded with everyday kitchen clutter
Close view of the quartz corner where two runs meet, showing how faint the veining reads at arm's length
Quartz counter meeting the dishwasher and the cherry base cabinets on the sink wall
Before: double wall ovens set into cherry cabinetry with the original granite alongside
Dark counters replaced with white quartz, plus a stacked stone backsplash — photographed the evening the job finished.
Finished white quartz and a new stacked stone backsplash at the sink, maple cabinets either side
The kitchen before, dark counters on the peninsula and a bare wall behind the run
New quartz and stone backsplash carried up behind the stainless range
The same range wall before, with the old dark counter and plants on the windowsill
Before: the U of the kitchen in dark counters, maple cabinets and a black floor mat
Before: the peninsula from the living room side, dark counter running toward the refrigerator
Evening walkthrough of the finished maple kitchen, quartz and new stone backsplash
Dark speckled granite out, bright white quartz in — on a peninsula, a sink run and a cooktop wall, all set against deep navy paint.
Wide finished view across the peninsula to the cooktop wall beyond
Finished white quartz peninsula seating four, oak cabinets and deep navy walls behind
The same peninsula before, in dark speckled granite crowded with mail and school papers
New white quartz either side of the stainless range, under oak uppers and a white subway backsplash
The old dark granite along the sink and dishwasher run, oak cabinets above
Finished quartz at the sink under a double window, dishwasher panel to the left
Quartz corner beside the refrigerator, showing the counter depth against the oak
Before: the range wall in dark granite, with the old counter running to the corner
Walkthrough of the finished kitchen, from the peninsula around to the range wall
Tan speckled counters replaced with white quartz, finished with a black composite undermount sink and matching matte black tap.
The finished kitchen from the far end, quartz and black sink against oak window trim
Black composite undermount sink and matte black faucet set into new white quartz under the window
The old tan speckled counter at the sink, with a molded basin and a dish mat alongside
Finished white quartz running the length of the galley past the range and dishwasher
The same galley before, its tan counter running past a black range under white cabinets
Quartz turning into the corner beside the range, white cabinets below
The new counter at the dishwasher, a towel over the door and the black tap beyond
Walkthrough of the finished galley kitchen and its black undermount sink
An integrated almond sink and a laminate top gave way to white quartz with a stainless undermount, keeping the oak cabinets and the mosaic backsplash.
Wide finished view of the oak kitchen with quartz on both runs and tile flooring
New stainless undermount sink set into white quartz, with the mosaic backsplash and plate rail above
The original almond laminate top with its molded-in double sink and a coffee cup in the basin
Finished white quartz wrapping the L of the oak kitchen, from the range to the sink
The same L before, in almond laminate with the dishwasher door standing open
Quartz meeting the stainless range, showing the counter's light movement up close
The finished sink run seen from the range end, dishwasher to the right
Walkthrough of the finished oak kitchen and its new undermount sink
A period kitchen kept its mint-green wall tile and red floor and got new white counters, photographed part-way through with the cabinet doors off.
Finished counter and sink from the far end, the red floor running the length of the room
Finished white counter running under the window to a new stainless sink, mint tile behind and red floor below
The same corner mid-job: the old apron sink still in place, cabinet doors off and the floor under drop cloths
The finished galley with white counters both sides, refinished cabinets and the original mint wall tile
The same galley stripped back, cabinet boxes open and everything sheeted for the work
The completed kitchen with its chrome-legged dinette set back in place
Mid-job: the refrigerator pulled clear and the counters stripped ready for templating
Walkthrough of the finished vintage kitchen, mint tile and red floor intact
Granite out, white quartz in — on a raised peninsula with stools, a sink run and a range wall, all in warm cherry cabinetry.
Wide finished view down the kitchen, quartz peninsula in front and range wall beyond
Finished white quartz peninsula with two stools, cherry cabinets and a tiled floor
The same peninsula before, in speckled granite with a microwave sitting on the counter
New quartz at the sink under a glass-block window, dishwasher to the right
The old granite at the sink, crowded with dishes, fruit and a dish rack
Quartz either side of the stainless range under cherry uppers
Close view of the new counter and undermount sink at the window
Before: the range and refrigerator wall in granite, cherry cabinets above
Walkthrough of the finished cherry kitchen and its quartz peninsula
Speckled dark granite came out of a two-level cherry kitchen; a clean white quartz went in on the island, the perimeter and the raised bar.
Finished quartz running past the wall ovens and gas cooktop
The finished kitchen in white quartz, island and perimeter, with cherry cabinets and oak floors
The same view before, with dark green speckled granite on the island and every run
New white quartz at the sink and dishwasher, with the window run beyond
The old granite at the sink, its dark speckle set against a light tile backsplash
Quartz turning the corner into the window bay, cherry base cabinets below
Before: the double wall ovens with dark granite counters either side
Walkthrough of the finished cherry kitchen and its new white quartz surfaces
White cabinets that had been paired with a beige counter and a mosaic backsplash, brought back to a single clean white with new quartz throughout.
Wide finished view down the kitchen toward the patio doors, quartz on both sides
Finished white quartz peninsula and runs in an all-white kitchen with a tiled floor
The same kitchen before, its beige counter and brown mosaic backsplash pulling warm against white cabinets
New quartz at the sink with a stainless double bowl and the run continuing past the dishwasher
The old tan counter at the range, mosaic tile behind and a bowl left on the counter
The finished peninsula end, quartz edge above white cabinets and tile
Quartz meeting the slide-in range, the counter running to the corner window
Before: the beige peninsula seen from the dining side with a wooden chair alongside
Walkthrough of the finished white kitchen and its new quartz surfaces
A big U-shaped oak kitchen with a cooktop island — cream laminate replaced with white quartz on every run.
Wide view of the finished U-shaped oak kitchen with quartz on all three runs
Finished white quartz along the sink run of a dark oak kitchen, with a drop-in stainless sink
The same sink run before the work, in worn cream laminate with canisters crowding the corner
The cooktop island in new white quartz, seen from the far side of the kitchen
The island before, its cream laminate top wrapping a black cooktop
Corner of the finished counter where the run turns toward the refrigerator
Before: the island cooktop and the doorway through to the dining room
Walkthrough of the finished oak kitchen, panning across the island and the sink run
A U-shaped kitchen in dark espresso cabinetry, its beige laminate replaced with a white quartz carrying a fine gray fleck.
The finished kitchen from the breakfast table, quartz on all three runs
Finished white quartz running the U of an espresso-cabinet kitchen, sink under the window
The same kitchen before, in beige laminate with the range wall crowded with jars and canisters
New quartz at the sink with a stainless double bowl and the dishwasher to the right
The old beige laminate at the sink, a coffee maker and bottles along the window ledge
Close view of the quartz beside the range, showing the fine gray fleck through the white
Quartz turning past the range toward the refrigerator wall
Before: the old counter at the corner turn, with a fruit bowl on the laminate
Walkthrough of the finished espresso kitchen and its new quartz counters
Book a full kitchen this summer and the undermount sink is included.
A finished kitchen with new stone countertops by Ace Countertops
Spread a full kitchen over a year with no interest for qualified buyers.
Trained and accredited in natural-stone fabrication and installation.
Factory-certified fabricator for premium engineered-quartz surfaces.
Fully licensed and insured home-improvement contractor.
How to keep quartz, granite, and marble looking new.
Join the install crew setting countertops across the northwest suburbs. Reliable, careful, and clean.
Cut, profile, and polish quartz and natural stone in our Elk Grove Village shop. Experience preferred, craftsmanship required.
Our workmanship — seams, level, and fit — is warranted for the life of the countertop.
Engineered-quartz surfaces carry manufacturer warranties up to a lifetime residential term; we register yours.
GCs and remodelers who need reliable countertop fabrication and on-time installs for their projects.
Northwest-suburb homeowners updating a kitchen or bath who want an honest number and a clean install.
Many of our engineered-quartz surfaces are GREENGUARD Gold certified for low emissions.
We use low-VOC adhesives and sealers so your kitchen is safe to use the day we finish.
Usable offcuts become vanities, shelves, and cutting boards instead of landfill.