Countertops in Highland Park, CA

Countertops in Highland Park often go into houses built long before anyone planned a kitchen around a stone slab. The Highland Park tract was created in 1886 and annexed to the City of Los Angeles in 1895, and Arts and Crafts adherents settled here in the early 20th century. In the early 2000s the surviving Craftsman homes drew renewed interest, and many owners are now ready to redo the kitchen properly.

Living inside the Highland Park HPOZ

In 1992 the Highland Park Historic Preservation Overlay Zone became the sixth HPOZ in Los Angeles and, at the time, the largest. It covers most of Highland Park plus parts of Mount Washington and Montecito Heights, and takes in about 1,500 structures with historic value. HPOZ review is aimed at exterior work: alterations, additions, landscaping and new construction that can be seen from outside. A kitchen countertop replacement inside the house is interior work, so it is not the kind of project HPOZ design review is built around. Where it can come up is outdoors. If you are adding a built-in grill island, a counter along a side yard or anything else visible from the street, check with City Planning's HPOZ staff before you build. Any plumbing, gas or electrical permits for the project come from the City of Los Angeles.

Choosing a surface for a Craftsman or Victorian

• Quartz in warm whites, creams or soft grays with a honed finish is the most popular option. It looks calm next to stained wood trim and needs no sealing.
• Quartzite gives genuine stone veining and handles everyday use better than marble. It suits owners who want natural material without constant worry.
• Marble fits a Victorian kitchen or a period bath beautifully. Expect it to etch and patina over time.
• Granite in muted, low-contrast colors can work in a Craftsman kitchen. Busy, high-gloss patterns usually look newer than the house.

Edge profile matters as much as color. A small eased or pencil edge reads as period-appropriate; thick laminated edges and ornate ogees tend to look like a later remodel.

Fitting stone to a century-old room

Older Highland Park houses often have plaster walls that bow, floors that slope and original cabinets built on site. We template the real cabinet run so the slab can be scribed tight to the wall, and we look closely at whether original cabinets need reinforcement before carrying several hundred pounds of stone. Backsplash height can be set to line up with existing window sills or trim instead of a standard four inches.

Baths and butler's pantries

Many homes here have a small original bath and sometimes a butler's pantry or breakfast nook with its own counter. These are good spots for remnant pieces, which can bring natural stone or quartz into a small space with less waste. A white marble or marble-look quartz vanity top suits a hex-tile bath floor well.

Getting started

Highland Park is a short drive from Pasadena across the Arroyo Seco. Call (626) 654-3586 to set up a visit. We measure, bring samples to compare against your trim and cabinets, and follow up with a written, itemized quote.

Call (626) 654-3586