Summary: As more parts of the home improvement industry go online, consumers are increasingly choosing new kitchen and bath countertops without ever visiting a showroom. We think that this is a mistake. Visiting a countertop showroom offers advantages that buying online simply cannot replicate.
Upgrading the kitchen counters and bathroom vanity is easily one of the most exciting home improvement projects on your long-term list. A new stone countertop instantly transforms the heart of your home, elevating your daily routine and adding value to your property.
If you have been thinking of new countertops, perhaps you are wondering whether you should simply order them off the internet. After all, home design shopping is increasingly moving online. Families across the Wasatch Front are getting on board the online train.
It’s an Option, But…
Here at Bedrock Quartz, we would urge caution. While it is entirely possible to successfully order things like shoes and home decor items online, high-end stone surfaces are another matter. Marble, granite, quartzite, and quartz countertops are in a completely different category.
Stone is an organic, tactile material. Making a material selection based on text descriptions and low-resolution digital swatches can leave you both disappointed and having to deal with costly surprises. You are likely looking at mismatched undertones in the finished product. Fabrication headaches are a real possibility as well.
5 Reasons to Visit a Countertop Showroom in Salt Lake City
Bedrock Quartz specializes in stone countertops and vanities across the Wasatch Front region. Our showrooms are an ideal destination for seeing stone slabs in person. You can see them under simulated kitchen lighting, touch and feel them with your own hands, and pick the slab that is perfect for you. So before you click ‘add to cart’, consider the following five reasons we believe you are better off visiting a countertop showroom in Salt Lake City:
1. Digital Swatches Are Inadequate
Digital swatches are the kitchen countertop equivalent to the paint chip cards you pick up at the home improvement store. But they are not nearly as accurate for one simple reason: smartphone and computer screens render colors via RGB pixels. Display settings, brightness, and ambient lighting all impact on how images look on a screen.
This matters because a quartz sample that looks warm and creamy on your phone might actually look stark and cool under the ambient light of your kitchen. But there’s more. Digital swatches cannot effectively convey:
- Polish – How does the polished surface reflect natural Utah sunlight? How does it react to overhead recessed lighting?
- Texture – Honed and leathered textures are pretty popular in Salt Lake City right now. But they are tactile surfaces. No digital image lets you experience what a particular finish feels like.
- Veining – Both natural marble and high-end quartz are known for their intricate veining patterns. The patterns are complex, multilayered, and offer a depth and subtlety that no flat image can truly demonstrate.
Digital swatches may be good enough to give you a basic idea of what is out there, but they are no substitute for seeing stone countertops in person.
2. You Can Bring Kitchen Elements to a Showroom
One of the best things about visiting a countertop showroom in Salt Lake City is being able to bring a few kitchen elements with you. Let’s say you’re doing a complete remodel from the ground up. You could bring samples of your other finished materials, including:
- Cabinet door samples.
- Backsplash tiles.
- Paint chips.
- Hardware finishes.
By contrast, shopping for new kitchen countertops online comes with a trap so many homeowners fall into – silo design. In other words, shopping online means choosing a countertop surface without actually seeing how it interacts with the rest of the materials in the kitchen.
3. You Can Experience Full Slab Movement
Quartz and quartzite slabs tend to feature sweeping visual movements. They can be absolutely breathtaking the first time you see them. When you shop online, you might be able to obtain small sample blocks before you make a final decision. The blocks are fine for narrow reference, but they do not give you a complete picture of the full-scale stone surface.
Visiting a showroom means seeing the entire slab that could become your countertop. You are not limited to a small square that will give you absolutely no indication of the vein that runs across the entire slab surface.
In addition, the block samples you receive from an online seller may not be indicative of the actual slab your new countertops are fabricated from. But when you visit our countertop showroom in Salt Lake City, you get access to dozens of stone slabs in their complete, uninterrupted form.
4. You Get On-Site Guidance From Local Experts
Next up, consider the fact that buying online leaves you to navigate all the details alone. You will have to figure out for yourself if quartzite is durable enough for your busy family. You will have to do all the research on how easily marble stains and whether granite is heat-resistant enough for your needs.
Visiting a physical showroom gives you access to local experts capable of answering all your questions. You get on-site guidance from people who know both stone countertops and how they behave in Utah’s climate and natural environment. Our team can specifically advise you on:
- Material performance.
- Edge profile options.
- Seam placement strategies.
- Optimizing your budget.
Visiting our Salt Lake City showroom gives you the advantage of working with people who actually live here. Our team of experts is all local, so we understand what it takes to ensure your finished kitchen or bath is exactly what you want it to be.
5. Fabrication and Installation Are Locally Controlled
Finally, local countertop providers handle fabrication locally. When you work with Bedrock Quartz, you also get the peace of mind that comes with knowing that we install everything we sell. You deal with one company rather than a retailer and multiple contractors.
We buy all sorts of things online these days. That’s fine. But online shopping is not the right move for new stone countertops for kitchen and bath. Before you make any decisions that could end up costing you way too much time and money, stop by and visit our countertop showroom in Salt Lake City.
FAQs
Do I need an appointment to visit your Salt Lake City showroom?
No, appointments are not necessary. Feel free to stop by whenever a visit is most convenient for you, during our regular business hours.
Can I bring other kitchen samples with me to the showroom?
Absolutely. If you are remodeling from the ground up, we encourage you to bring things like cabinet door samples, backsplash tiles, flooring tiles, and paint chips.
Why is seeing a full slab better?
Small samples don’t tell the true story of how a countertop might look in your kitchen. Seeing a full slab under simulated kitchen lighting offers a much better understanding.
How do showroom and actual kitchen lighting differ?
In our showroom, we utilize high-grade commercial lighting systems that let you see everything. From subtle undertones to the surface depth, nothing will be hidden. Our experts will also help you evaluate how a slab will look under your home’s specific lighting environment.
