This Ultra-Durable Countertop Material Is Redefining Modern Kitchens — And No, It's Not Quartz

While engineered quartz certainly made its impact on kitchen design — delivering consistent patterns and colorings at decent prices compared to its counterparts, granite and marble — there's a new kid on the block. And this kid is making waves not just in durability, longevity, and consistency in design, but in sustainability, eco-friendliness, hygiene, and a vast array of additional applications that are redefining modern kitchens. It's called sintered stone.

With the ability to be formed into fully customizable slabs made from 100% raw materials, this man-made engineered stone is taking modern kitchens to the next level. To learn more, we reached out to Artem Kropovinsky, founder of award-winning New York-based interior design firm, Arsight Studio. From countertops to drawer fronts, cabinetry, and even appliances to match the theme and design of your kitchen, sintered stone is "great for modern kitchens where performance and minimal seams matter," said Kropovinsky.

But the benefits go deeper than that. Kropovinsky shares, "Sintered stone is durable, heat and stain resistant, and comes in a wide range of looks." This is especially true compared to its compatriot, quartz. These properties develop during the production process, where the raw materials of natural quartz, silica, clay, and feldspar are exposed to extremely high temperatures and pressure that fuse the materials together so thoroughly that the solid end product can withstand high heat from steaming hot pots and pans, spills and stains from messy sauces and juices, and last far longer than its peers without regular maintenance. In addition to this package of benefits, sintered stone is created in hours with an end product that would take Mother Nature millenia to form.

The sintering process that binds the natural materials together is done at such a high heat (over 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit) and such high pressure (400 bars) that it bonds them together at a molecular level, making the final product so dense and compact that almost nothing can cause it to erode, as there's no space for anything to penetrate the material, including bacteria or mold — even more so than granite which is known to be pretty non-porous, thus more difficult to be infiltrated by bacteria.This elevates sintered stone into an extremely hygienic material.

Sintered stone is also UV-resistant, so its color won't fade or distort when exposed to direct sunlight on a daily basis. And its durability is enhanced by its resistance to chemicals, so if you happen to clean the surfaces with some harsh cleaners, your sintered stone will generally remain solid and intact. Because kitchens are one of the highest foot-traffic rooms in a home, installing a highly durable, resistant, and hygienic material like sintered stone is both practical and functional.

This also makes it pretty invulnerable to chipping or cracking if, for example, something heavy like an castiron pot is dropped onto it. But all these super powers do come with a price tag. "It can be more costly and harder to fabricate than quartz," advises Kropovinsky. So keep an eye on that when considering sintered stone for your modern kitchen theme.

Sintered stone is being hailed by some as a revolution in modern kitchen design. Its versatile aesthetic extends its use beyond just countertops and cabinetry. We are seeing sintered stone being used for full floor-to-ceiling applications, bringing a unified look to the entire contemporary kitchen. This is called monolithic design, which is making a big comeback as the minimalist theme gains momentum in modern homes.

A seamless flow in look and feel, from a powerful statement center island of exquisite sintered stone and gold design, flowing through the flooring, up the surrounding cabinetry, onto countertops, and rising up to the ceiling. Whether its concrete, metallic-infused wood-mimicking stone, or breathtaking backlit marble sintered stone slabs, this design trend is hot and happening — and it's making kitchens look next-level.

Even the environment is benefiting from sintered stone. In addition to it being made from 100% natural raw materials, many slabs are made from recycled materials using renewable energy in the production process. By using recycled material, manufacturers are lowering the impact of production on the environment and delivering products that support certifications like Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), and WELL Building Standard (WELL). This is the epitome of sustainable design and demonstrates how sintered stone is carving its way not only in modern kitchen design, but in modern world principles and values.