On Tuesday, I will be working with Sarah on her family's new home. They are renovating a mid-century ranch in West Seattle and have very clear priorities and end-vision: function and sustainability at the top of the list! While she has gathered beautiful and complementary samples and has made some decisions, she is now panic-stricken on making the final decisions...my dream job!

The original cabinets are being retained, while the flooring, countertop, backsplash, and paint will be changed. Forbo Marmoleum will certainly be the flooring. Whether or not to use it as the countertop as well is a question that I brought up, when Sarah told me her contractor had suggested it.

So, today I spent some time speaking with my SPACE: A Design Build Collective team members, Scott Rockwell of Rockwell Construction and Jake Sausman of Beyond Coverings, about the application of Forbo Marmoleum as a kitchen countertop material. While I have seen it used in Starbuck's and even Poppy located on Capitol Hill, commercial use as tables and countertops does not seem that it would have the same risks as a young family's main kitchen surface.

I reached consensus with both Scott and Jake that, indeed, while we absolutely love the look and feel of it on the countertop, the risk of staining and not being able to clean with an abrasive cleanser is the main drawback. Bathrooms and commercial application as bars and tables are much better suited in terms of wear and tear for Forbo's Marmoleum.