Designers agree that granite is the overwhelming favorite in countertops in the Chicago area. "Quartz is also very popular," says Liz Bruckner, designer at Atria Kitchen Design, located in the River North area of Chicago. ?People like the quartz for maintenance.? Other materials, such as glass and wood, are used for island tops for a distinctive difference, she says.

Claudia Martin, interior designer at studio m interiors inc. in downtown Chicago, says that with the price of granite going down, it's a product getting more affordable to more people. People are finding more exotic colors within their price range, instead of just black, says Martin. The move now is to lighter and more natural colors in granite and other products.

A lot of people are asking about marble and soapstone countertops, says Martin. "I'm designing more kitchens with painted cabinets and the soapstone and honed granite complement it nicely." Martin says that concrete countertops are growing in popularity. Marble is sometimes used for specialized work areas in granite counters, she says.

Whether a designer deals in traditional or more contemporary kitchens, one thing is certain in New York - the use of granite is waning. Evelyn Benatar, of New York Interior Design Inc., says that granite is losing favor, primarily because it's been so overused.

Builders on the West Coast are playing it safe when it comes to the countertops they offer to new homebuyers: granite is still king. Centex Homes, one of the top 10 U.S. homebuilders, offers granite countertops as a key upgrade in many of its models, say Patty Boggs, design center manager in Valencia, Calif.

When looking at trends in countertops, it's not just about color. "For the last few years, the texture, the materiality has become as important, if not more, than color," says Ginguei Ebnesajjad, DuPont Surfaces director of product styling and development.

Although consumers in Europe often prefer a honed or brushed finish, in this country people tend towards the matte finish, says Ebnesajjad. Initially people sometimes want a highly textured surface but soon abandon that goal and opt for clean and smooth. Too much texture is just not practical. In the end, it all goes back to appearances.

A recent U.S. countertop demand study states that demand for residential and kitchen bathroom countertops is forecast to increase 1.3 percent annually to 540 million square feet in 2011.

In value terms, demand for countertops is expected to advance 2.4 percent per year to $14.3 billion in 2011. However, fierce competition among material suppliers and countertop fabricators will exert downward pricing pressure over the next decade.

Countertops made from engineered and natural stone will experience the strongest gains through 2011. Demand for natural stone will be aided by consumer interest in high-end, luxury materials; however, as these materials go down in price, middle-income consumers will boost demand. Laminate countertops will continue to account for the largest share of sales, but growth will be constrained by the rise in popularity of natural and engineered stone surfaces.