I work with both commercial and residential clients, and I’ve noticed over the years that there seems to be an aversion to certain products. This has certainly been the case when dealing with laminates. Many of us remember the laminate looks we grew up with, featuring the lovely solid-color options of gold and avocado, along with exposed and square-edge seams. I am here to tell you that your grandmother’s laminate is a thing of the past. Sorry, Grandma!

Here are 10 things I love about using laminate for myself and my clients, and why you should consider giving it a second look.

1.  It’s eco-friendly!

Partially made of recycled content, laminate is fantastic for people with green living on their mind. Instead of running the risk of over-mining our natural resources, recycled paper comes together to create the look of this countertop option. Another great feature with this product is the limitless upcycling possibilities. That old countertop can easily be salvaged to create a new writing surface, frame, chalkboard, magnet board, or decorative box! Plus, laminate companies such as Wilsonart offer dozens of resources when changing out your old countertops so that others have the opportunity to make them into something great too.

2.  Easy on the wallet as well as the eyes.

For me, budget is always a major factor in whether or not I can pull off the room of my dreams. And, when it comes to replacing our surfaces, dreams can quickly turn into nightmares when you start to price out items. Because of that, laminate has become one of my go-to products for me as well as my clients. Not only is it beautiful, but it costs a fraction of what the big stone companies charge, and you’re getting the same look!

3.  Tons of choices!

As a designer, I get really frustrated with how “standard” surface options start to seem when I’m looking for inspiration or shopping around. Kitchen after kitchen and bathroom after bathroom, choices can get pretty generic and safe. That’s not to say that the stone look isn’t beautiful and elegant, but it is nice to spice things up every once in a while with a metal look or a bright pop of color. Plus, if I want to have the look of stone on my counter, I have still have hundreds of laminate options at my fingertips.

4.  Great in any room.

You don’t need surfaces in just your kitchen and bath. There are garage workshops, offices, built-ins, and playrooms to consider. This is also where you can get crazy with the funkier color and pattern choices. Go retro with a bright orange, turquoise, or green. You can even look for boomerang or confetti patterns reminiscent of the 1960’s—perfect for a workspace area or a themed room!

5.  Totally customizable.

There are literally hundreds of choices when you’re talking about working with a laminate. Compare that to only dozens when it comes to other synthetics or even your local stone yard. I myself really enjoy experimenting with my surfaces and I love the look of mixing stone and wood or solids with patterns. When you’re dealing with certain natural materials, that becomes very costly, and sometimes you just can’t find the options you found in one of your inspirational magazines. The extra options and easy price with laminate frees you up to have a little fun! Also, when you’re dealing with a laminate, there are great edge choices, as well as options for integrated splashes and sinks that you just won’t get with other materials.

6.  You can dress it up or down.

A few of the greatest misperceptions about laminate are that it’s dowdy, cheap, or old-fashioned. That may have been true 50 years ago, but that certainly isn’t the case now! Laminate options range from solids to patterns with stone looks, metals, and woods in between. If you can dream it, you can pretty much find it in a laminate option. One of my favorite things to do with a nice laminate is to mix and match the styles to get a transitional look. This enables me to dress the look up or down to achieve something a little more formal or maybe fun and relaxed. My favorite is a beautiful stone-style laminate on the main countertops with a gorgeous wood laminate for the center island. Looking for some inspiration? Try mixing Wilsonart’s “Old Mill Oak” with their “Tuscan Limestone.” Gorgeous!

7.  Incredibly durable.

As a mother of an 8-year old boy and a lover of dogs, heels, and DIY, this is an important one for me. I don’t just want to look at my house; I want to LIVE in it. I want my guests and my family to live in it, too. Durability is essential for my household, especially since my son isn’t the only tornado running through it. One of the awesome things about laminate is that if there is any damage, it’s far less to repair or replace than if you were dealing with a natural stone.

8.  It’s wonderfully versatile.

People seem to think that laminate is only for the counters. In fact, we’re seeing it all over the place now…for your floors, sinks, splashes, walls…even your accessories. As I mentioned before, laminate can be upcycled, too, and is great for dozens of DIY projects!

9.  Seamless Looks.

Nothing ruins a high-end look quicker than the patchwork pattern effect you achieve when your stone doesn’t quite go together. When you go to your local stone yard to pick out a stone, you have to go in knowing that every piece is different. That means if you’re looking for the pattern to line up or the veining to continue, you have to get “book-matched” pieces. Also, you have to know that you may like one end of the slab, but not the other, and your fabricator will have to work around that. This can be maddening when you think you’ve found the perfect slab but can’t find the companion. Not so when you’re dealing with laminates. Every piece is made to be consistent and can be custom-manufactured for your home so all veins and patterns move perfectly from one end of your surface to the other.

10.  It’s a safe surface. 

Bacteria and stains are not the accessories we desire for our kitchens and bathrooms. And, the more porous the surface, the more likely you are to have a build-up of these little guys. Stone surfaces need to be sealed and then resealed every six months to help combat this issue, but since laminate is a solid surface, porousness isn’t a problem. Not only does this help keep your counters bacteria-free, but wine and tomato sauce spills no longer need to cause a panic attack. For those of you who have been dreaming of your baker’s kitchen with wall-to-wall Carrera marble, you can now have this look for a fraction of the cost—and without the stains and bacteria that can come along with it!