I have not seen laminate counters with an undermount sink. Are you doing laminate to keep costs down? The last time that I priced laminate vs. a level 1 granite, the laminate was more expensive!

The image I used is laminate with an undermount sink. Yes, I was thinking laminate to keep costs down but admittedly, I have not started pricing anything yet...still in the "idea phase." Thank you!

You can find loads of nice ,fun, beautiful laminate, but I don't think you can have a undercounter sink with that, hope Someone else comes along with more experience.

Apparently, you can have an undermount sink with laminate...

"Gone are the days of those ugly brown, unfinished looking edges. Now, formica offers an “ideal edge”, and the option for an undermount sink. Combining those two elements with their “calacatta marble” gave us our vision for our kitchen at a fraction of the cost."

Take a look at this kitchen, they really did a nice job.

http://www.loveandbellinis.com/2014/10/final-kitchen-makeover-reveal.html?crlt.pid=camp.1BCnmXtAHRDa#.VEe8tyldXBE

You can have that. But it will cost you more than a Group A granite or a Group A basic white solid surface. Specialty laminate and specialty sinks are not cheap. At all. Granite is these days.

My husband keeps talking about replacing our laminate with granite because everybody else has it. But after reading about the fusterclucks on granite installs on Houzz, I'm not enthusiastic. Yes, I know that you need to be sure that you have a great installer, but it sounds like you need to do more due diligence on choosing your granite installer, than I did choosing my husband. Seems like a lot of work.

Thanks for sharing, Sandy! Looks great!

^^^That is not at all how an undermount with laminate should be done. That is water damage waiting to happen. Two years tops, and you’ll have to rip it out.

I have the Wilsonart 3-D too, but mine is a blackish color. My Inlaws have it too in a color similar to Sandy's. It's really quite nice. I used a normal surface mount sink though.

See the difference? Yours has laminate seams in direct contact with water. That weird buildup reveal is wrong. That is a complete redo.

http://www.kibdirect.com/wp-content/themes/kib/brochures/Laminate-Integrated-Sink-Brochure.pdf

Link to Integrated Sinks from Wilsonart. OK it can be done, but it's hardly comparable to an undermounted sink, and it appears you are limited to their sink options.

Just do granite. It's less expensive, more durable, no issues with an under-mount. Get a recommendation from your neighbors or co-workers for an installer, not online.

You might want to check out Karran sinks and see how they work with laminate. Though, if it were me, and the prices were similar, I would use granite or preferably white Corian.

In my area, laminate is way cheaper than granite, absolutely no comparison. If you like laminate and that's what you can afford, I think I would forget the undermount sink. I think laminate has come a long way in looks and it is easy to care for.

Laminates and undermounts can definitely be done together successfully. My sister used laminates in her remodel because she didn't feel that her area would support the extra expense of solid surface.

Group A granites are $32 a square here all day long. A white solid surface is $34. A specialty laminate like the Wilsonart Aeon, with a bullnose or ogee edge, and an Karran sink will run you $40-44. Plain stock laminate blanks off the shelf at a box store with zero fabrication run $12-$15. With you doing all the labor for everything. Double that price for a basic laminate fabricated and installed. Add even more for specialty laminate and specialty details.

Thanks everyone for your ideas and input! I really appreciate it since this project is still very much in the "idea" phase. I will definitely take all this into consideration. If granite ends up being cheaper (I just never considered it would) I would of course rather have that! I have a small "starter" type home and I wouldn't want to put a crazy amount of money into it if it wouldn't pay off in the long run when I resell. Fortunately, since it is a small home with a narrow kitchen, there is not a ton of counter top to replace anyway!

Whatever you decide to use for countertops, I wish you good luck with your project!

Warren, that is beautiful!

Warren, I was so excited to see your laminate. Is it 180fx Cafe Azul or Classic Crystal Granite? I have my eye on one of these for my future kitchen project but have not found many pictures online.

I wonder if you would be kind enough to post some more pictures of you counters please?

Not everyone likes granite.

Vive la différence.

Thank you Warren, your kitchen is lovely. I will look forward to your full reveal.

Warren...this is awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Just to say something about price of "non-Laminate":
Quartz does not equal Granite. From all of what I got pricing wise from my fabricator, quartz is much more expensive these days (at least in the high sought after "marble" replicas).
I have a 80sqft of counters, 40 of those will get soapstone and 40 viscont white granite (if I understood that right, this granite is one of the staples, so not overly expensive, but a beautiful stone). All in with slabs, edges and install, it will cost me $52 per sqft.
When looking at the big box stores that's pretty much where their level A granite started per sqft and that didn't even include the edges.

So if you go price shopping to see if granite would be affordable instead of laminate, please go not by the big box store prices, they seem to be totally over the top. Also, with granite you can get your one of a kind counter, no other will be the same.