When we moved into our new home, I knew that the first thing I wanted to replace was the kitchen island countertop. The rest of the counters were finished in a beautiful dark granite but, for some reason, the previous home owners had opted for a cheap laminate finish for the island. We already had this gorgeous white butcher block table so that actually inspired my to finish our island in a similar way. Rather than replacing the laminate with matching granite or even another solid surface option, we decided to mimic the finish of our table and add this gorgeous butcher block countertop. We had our contractor mimic the planking on our inspiration piece and match the stain and varnish exactly. The finished product became the focal point of the entire kitchen, and I am so happy with how it turned out.

I have been wanting to add a butcher block countertop to our kitchen for the longest time, but I am concerned about its long term durability. They are such a perfect accent to country kitchen decor because they give a refined yet rustic-inspired feel. In a beauty chic cottage like these, they give the kitchen a very warm and homey look just like I want to create in my own space. For those of you that have butcher block countertops, what is your opinion on their durability and maintenance? I figured that since that are wood, I wouldn't be able to use my standard cleaners on them which lead me to fear that the kitchen would never really be super clean. Also, do the ding and scratch like a cutting board? Perhaps that would be part of their charm, but I don't want to make the investment until I know for sure that I won't regret it later.

We visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina this winter and I was so inspired by their grand butlers pantry that I wanted to replicate a similar design in our kitchen complete with the gorgeous wood countertops and subway tile backsplash. The kitchen area that we toured had beautiful so many stunning features like an original butcher block countertop, dumbwaiter system to transport food, and beautiful painted cabinets. Obviously we could not incorporate all of these luxurious features in our contemporary home, but one of the things highest on my list was replicating their use of wood surfaces rather than marble or granite. The easiest solution was to add this lovely butcher block island to the center of the space completed with a few swivel stools for dining or just chatting in the kitchen. Next we installed the classic subway tile backsplash for a bit more of that Biltmore flare. The final step will be to paint the cabinets, but we haven't had the time to do that yet.

How cool is this butcher block countertop combined with the old industrial warehouse lights hung above as pendents. I will admit that this is totally not my normal style, but something about the combination is just so awesome to me. I have seen a lot of wood kitchen countertops in my favorite home decor magazines but worry about the durability and maintenance especially compared to your standard solid surface countertops like granite and corion. After seeing this though, I am strongly considering adding one to our house. I'm just not really sure what type of wood you use or where you purchase it. I've seen some DIYers talk about how you can actually use the best flooring for kitchen as an option to cover your countertops so that it matches perfectly. But that seems a little sketchy to me -- let me know what you all think.

Our contractors just left after installing this gorgeous butcher block countertop and I could not wait to share some pictures of it. I could not be more thrilled with how awesome the stain looks against our creamy kitchen island cabinets and the natural wood of the rest of the units. I was going for a rustic yet chic French country style for the space, and I definitely think we were able to achieve it between the butcher block accents, stunning stone hearth surrounding the range, and beautiful dark wood pieces used throughout. A lot of people warned me that butcher block is one of the hardest countertop materials to work with because of maintenance and such, but our contractor told us that that is actually a myth. If you know how to care for it properly, it can be just as durable as your other solid surface alternatives.