Our friend, kitchen expert, and network partner, Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS, kindly sent us her thoughts on the latest choices in kitchen and bath counters, including her current faves. Following are finds that she considers tops. –Erika Lenkert

Illuminations by Corian

Corian has always offered a sleek, seamless look, easy maintenance and reparability. Now it’s gotten sexier, too, with the translucent Illuminations series. Shown here in a master bath, Illuminations comes in five colors, including white, if you like to change things up a bit with variable color LED lighting.

Sync System by Stone Forest

It’s onyx and organically beautiful. The Sync System is also flexible, allowing you to customize your sink and countertop space for one or more users. That’s probably why it won the Innovative Product of the Year Award at a recent trade show, but that’s probably not why you’ll love it in your home. You’ll savor its contemporary elegance.

Recycled Glass Countertops

Look great while saving the planet. Typically made of recycled glass from used bottles, windshields, windows, even decommissioned traffic lights, recycled glass countertops offer a new option for going green with style. Tops this handsome will stop traffic in your kitchen or bath, too. The one shown here comes from Vetrazzo.

Concrete Countertops

Concrete offers a blend of refined and rough beauty that lends itself to many interiors, especially contemporary. In large installations, it gives the same seamless flow as acrylic tops like Corian, and it allows for integral sinks. Shown here is a model from Intrinsic Cast Stone Company.

Concetto by Caesarstone

I’ve long been a fan of engineered stone countertops. I love that they offer the same durability, heat and scratch resistance as granite. Even more, I love their no-seal-necessary easy maintenance. What engineered stone tops lacked in the past aesthetically, they have more than made up for here in Caesarstone’s new Concetto series. This material visually stopped me in my tracks at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show last April, and I’m delighted that it’s now available for client projects.

ThinkGlass

Glass shows its dramatic side here in a vanity top. Whenever you’re looking to make a strong statement, this look will rise to the occasion. Think master baths, bars, powder rooms. ThinkGlass says their tops are “tough as stone” and extremely heat resistant. It’s also non-porous, like engineered stone tops. So while it can go anywhere in your kitchen, I still like it as a focal point.

Style File Note:
This posting was inspired by Style File, a regular photo feature on Gold Notes: Nuggets from the World of Residential Design. You can see more Counter Intelligence images and links on that blog through the end of December.

Author Note:
Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS is a kitchen and bath designer in Tampa, FL, and writes regularly on design for local and national publications.