Personalizing your homestead is one of the joys of having your own place. You can make every detail exactly how you want it, right down to your kitchen countertops.
Renovating your countertops doesn’t have to clash with your eco-friendly homesteader life. There are several sustainable options you can easily install in your kitchen.
1. Purchase Recycled Glass
You’ve probably seen recycled glass countertops before and not even realized it. They can be both subtle and eye-catching, depending on how they’re designed.
The recycled glass is ground down into fine pieces to mimic the look of a traditional countertop. You can also choose to have the glass pieces arranged and even opt for colored glass.
One of the best things about recycled glass countertops is how easily personalized they can be. Check out businesses that offer this kind of countertop near you to get a better idea of what your options are.
2. Research Paper-stone Counters
Although many countertops are made of stone, that doesn’t have to be the case for your kitchen. Sometimes to live a more sustainable lifestyle, consumers have to start thinking outside the box.
That kind of thinking is what brought paper-stone into existence. It’s a material made from 100% recycled post-consumer paper. It’s compressed under high pressure and intense heat, making it a long-lasting countertop that’s nonporous.
3. Invest in Granite
Granite is another fantastic sustainable option for your kitchen, especially if you live in an area near a quarry where your purchase will support local businesses.
It’s a highly durable material that resists heat and repels bacteria. After a quick clean with a soapy washcloth, your counters will look good as new every time. Granite also has a classic look that will appeal to any homesteader’s interior design.
4. Buy Polyester Countertops
Any countertop you find that has a polyester base will be naturally sustainable. Polyester is made out of post-industrial scrap waste, so it’ll all be recycled materials.
Recycling these materials leaves little carbon footprint, so it balances out the CO2 emissions that will come from shipping it to your homestead. The only option similar to polyester is plastic laminate, which is a commercial material that isn’t sustainable.
5. Trust in Natural Stone
Natural stone slabs are the perfect way to bring modern, chic design into your homestead kitchen. The grain, colors and even the mineralization of the stone you get won’t look the same as any other countertop.
The key to buying natural stone countertops is to research the companies you’re thinking of purchasing from. They should have a dedicated eco-friendly mission statement and clearly describe their process for removing and chiseling the stone.
When you have stone countertops installed in your kitchen, you’ll find that it’s the perfect material if you deal with lots of spills. Stone won’t absorb any liquids or retain moisture from heated foods, decreasing the bacteria in your kitchen.
6. Check Out Quartz-Stone
Torn between how quartz and stone would look in your kitchen? Combine them with the equally environmentally friendly quartz-stone. It’s a minimal-maintenance option that has the nonporous benefits of both quartz and stone.
This material is typically made with the stone waste that’s crushed and leftover in quarries after mining. You’ll be helping the Earth and your own kitchen by using quartz-stone for your countertops.
7. Think About Bamboo
Wood countertops aren’t usually the greenest option to consider, but bamboo isn’t wood. It’s actually a grass that has similar properties, so it can be used in many of the same ways.
Bamboo countertops are quickly pressed and worked into the right countertop size for your kitchen. Talk with a contractor about having the grain patterns made to your preference, as it can be adjusted with each order.
8. Go With Locally-Sourced Materials
Anything locally sourced will always be more of an eco-friendly choice than having materials shipped from far away. If you have a tight budget, getting something close to home is a great option. You’ll support local businesses and keep your environmental impact to a minimum.
No matter where you look for countertops, you should be able to find sustainable materials easily. Talk with each company you speak with about their greener products, and they’ll help you decide which ones are right for your homestead.
