6 Popular Colors for Quartz Kitchen Countertops

Granite has long been the countertop material of choice for new home builders and remodelers alike, but quartz is catching up fast for a number of good reasons. Unlike natural stone like granite or marble, quartz is an engineered material made up of more than 90 percent natural quartz aggregate, with the remaining compounds being resins, polymers and pigments. This not only gives you many more options in terms of looks, but that makes quartz a lower-maintenance building material, as it doesn't require sealing like many natural stone surfaces do. This means you have more flexibility in your overall kitchen design aesthetic, opening up possibilities that are more likely limited by your imagination than constraints of sourcing the right stone to match your vision.

 

Let's take a look at 6 of the most popular quartz color options:

1) Sparkling Black Quartz

How does "black tie optional" sound as a kitchen color aesthetic? Like James Bond's suit, Sparkling Black quartz is a timeless look that pairs well with white cabinets for contrast. With scattered highlights and bright sparkles sitting distinct from the surrounding deep black, this is a color scheme that offers a brightly reflective surface while adding depth and light to your countertops. This is a very modern feeling choice, fitting in nicely with bare stainless appliances, clean white lighting and a contemporary design layout. Make sure to use a cleaner that is formulated for use on quartz and natural stone for a streak-free shine that is safe for use on food-prep surfaces.

 

2) Carrara Grigio Quartz

Speaking of timeless, you think the Greeks and Romans were onto something with their use of marble as a building material? We certainly do. Well, with Carrara Grigio quartz you can bring that classic white plus blue/grey look to your countertops without the maintenance concerns of actual marble. The issue with marble and other natural stone is that it is more susceptible to chemical damage from acidic chemicals such as those found in vinegar, citrus and red wine. Also, being such a classic look, Carrara Grigio quartz pairs well with many different cabinet face choices, back splashes and flooring. From light colored natural wood, to solid color painted cabinets and even accenting natural-stone tile.

3) Uba Tuba Quartz

Being one of the most popular choices of color for granite buyers, it's no surprise that it's also a popular pick for quartz. Being an engineered material, quartz countertops can be designed to mimic natural-stone patterns without the natural-stone maintenance and inconsistency. With a dark green base accented by flecks of gold, black and blue in a tight grain pattern, Uba Tuba pairs well with light brown, cream and white cabinets and back splashes. This is a color that opens you up to a lot of possibilities in terms of cabinet materials, colors and finishing.

 

4: Coronado Gold Quartz

Sharing a name with the beautiful Coronado Island in our home county of San Diego, Coronado Gold is a bright style of quartz that accents a creamy, khaki base with gleaming gold, saffron, merlot and rust accenting tones. Upscale refinement is the name of the game here, pairing well with natural medium to light brown wooden cabinets, and cream accents. No matter what you pair the countertop with, you can guarantee a surface with plenty of depth for those looking for it, but is never distracting or ostentatious.

 

5: Calacatta Quartz

With dramatic veining and a luxurious feel that brings the classic look of Carrara Grigio but with a more modern and pure white to contrast the blue-ish grey streaks. Perfect for large slabs, spanning not only countertops, but backsplashes and cabinet sides as well. Calacatta quartz matches best with dark brown, black or otherwise monochrome cabinet choices. Some of our favorite combinations feature a dark grey stain over wood cabinetry, allowing the white of the countertop to accent the darker cabinets, and contribute to a lighter, more open feeling kitchen space.

 

6: Pacific Salt Quartz

Speaking of Coronado, here is a quartz color that really evokes a natural beach cottage kind of feel, while still being able to find itself right at home in a high-rise urban loft. With black, grey and even some blue-ish veining, the combinations with various cabinet material and color tones is close to endless. The beauty of Pacific Salt quartz is its ability to either be the highlight against black or dark earth tone cabinetry, or to be the accent to light cabinets to add depth and texture to your light, breezy kitchen aesthetic. It's neutral, it's inviting and it's not busy enough to be a major distraction or wear out its welcome.

 

Caring for Your Quartz:

Use a cleaner that is formulated for use on quartz

Many typical household cleaning products you have rely on harsh chemicals or high acidity to get the job done. The issue here is that unlike ceramic and metal fixtures, the surface of your quartz counters can be damaged by these chemicals. The resin that binds all that quartz aggregate together can be weakened and broken down over time by cleaning products like these, leading to a dulled, hazy finish and opening you up to hard-to-remove stains. Instead you can use a cleaner like Granite Gold Quartz Brite®, which is formulated specifically for use on quartz surfaces that is pH-balanced, streak free and is safe for food-prep surfaces. Plus, on top of cleaning your quartz, it also acts as a polishing agent, allowing you to buff a brilliant shine from your countertops as you clean them.

Avoid abrasive cleaning implements

While the surface and sleek finish of your quartz is pretty tough, it can still be abraded and dulled by overly aggressive scrubbing and materials that are too rough to be safe on the binding resin. With things like steel wool, scouring pads and gritty cleaners, you might not notice it at first, but after enough use, you'll end up with a dulled surface that lacks the shine your counters once had. This can lead to some expensive bills from stone restoration experts.

Want to know more, or there is something you're still unsure of when it comes to taking care of your stone? Check out other helpful articles like this one in our resources section, and you can always call our stone-care experts at 1-800-475-STONE! And for other helpful products like Granite Gold Quartz Brite®, check out our full line of stone care products to make maintaining a beautiful kitchen just that much easier.