Question: I’m leaning towards quartz for my new kitchen and bath countertops. But is it too “trendy” a material that will soon look dated?

Answer: First, did you know that quartz has been around since the early 1960s? It’s true! It was engineered by an Italian company, first established in 1963. The company recognized the enormous potential for developing new techniques and manufacturing industrial plants for producing this sort of “compound stone” and it quickly caught on in European kitchens and baths.

However, it took the American market a bit more time to see the benefits and recognize the vast potential. It really wasn’t until the 1990s that US households began notably using quartz countertops. By 2004, HGTV reported that U.S. sales of quartz had increased by over 60-percent over the previous year.

That was 15 years ago. And for the first time in history, 2016 marks the point where industry experts say that quartz will be the most used countertop surface in the U.S., finally edging over the ever-popular granite.

So, if you study the history of quartz, it’s clear to see that it’s much more than a “trend.” It has simply taken time for Americans to “catch up” in the market. And now that they have, quartz is destined to be a material that just keeps improving as time goes on.

Thanks to technological improvements in quartz manufacturing, surfaces such as this Siberian White ColorQuartz appear more organic and natural.

Manufacturers have done much to develop the technology needed to improve engineering and production techniques. Advancements have led quartz to have a far more appealing aesthetic. Manufacturers can now avoid unnaturally uniform patterns and make it appear more “organic.” In fact, some quartz surfaces, such as those created by our favorite, ColorQuartz look so much like natural marble or granite that you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference!

Couple its good looks with its durability, and it’s easy to see why quartz is so much more than merely a design fad. Some of the most notable “pros” of quartz include:

• It contains actual quartz, which is the hardest mineral on earth.

• It’s naturally non-porous, making it stain repellent and impervious to acidic substances.

• It’s hygienic since it doesn’t trap germs and bacteria.

• It resists scratches and chips—perfect for those who want their countertop surface to always look perfect and brand new.

• It never needs sealing, unlike granite and marble, which must be sealed at least once a year.

• It’s priced right around the same as marble and granite.

• It comes in just about every color of the rainbow.

So, the short answer to your question is: no. You won’t be dating your kitchen and bath by choosing quartz. In fact, you’ll be choosing a material that’s designed to likely outlast your taste in decor!