Recycled countertops can absolutely make a room. There are almost too many to choose from these days. I love granite and I saw an onyx slab that was so unique, I almost scrapped the eco-friendly bathroom remodel idea. Granite and most natural stone slabs for a number of reasons, don’t totally fit the eco-friendly profile. Those are out. So is engineered quartz, at least for my purposes.
My attention turned to recycled glass countertops. If you’ve ever been to Cups La Jolla for a cupcake, their countertops are recycled glass. You can even see writing on the glass shards in some places. Very cool. I saw online that the pricing was roughly the same as granite. I know about what granite costs so…ok fine.
Vetrazzo: This is by far, my absolute favorite recycled glass countertop for La Jolla Girl’s eco-friendly bathroom remodel. It’s unique, very durable, beautiful and a little bit weird all wrapped into one. It’s 85% recycled glass and there is a story behind every countertop.
The pattern Cobalt Skyy is made from blue recycled Skyy Vodka glass bottles. Cubist Clear, my favorite for our purposes, has prisms that reflect light in a cool way. That’s because it’s made from tempered glass from windows, windshields and shower doors. It’s the post photo above and I’m so sorry that I couldn’t capture the awesomeness of it.
Vetrazzo recycled countertops are expensive. I was quoted about $6000 for one slab (not including installation) and it wasn’t even the most expensive pattern. I would need almost two slabs for La Jolla Girl’s bathroom. Do the math, that’s expensive.
IceStone: The chunks of recycled glass in IceStone slabs are smaller and less vibrant than Vetrazzo. It’s a more muted effect. I didn’t “speak” to me and the sales rep told me it’s about the same price as Vetrazzo.
IceStone comes in 29 different colors and is made from 100% recycled glass and concrete. The surfaces do not contain petrochemicals which means it won’t fade in direct sunlight. It’s an award winning product and definitely worth a look.
Paperstone: This countertop is made from 100% post consumer recycled paper. I could not figure out where I could take a look at Paperstone near my house.
So I called someone that I saw online that installs it. I’m very enthusiastic about the zen look and thought my husband would like it. It reminds me of Caesarstone. Well, the installer said that he actually hates it. He doesn’t feel that it’s appropriate for wet surfaces, which knocks out a kitchen or bathroom application. It’s very prone to water rings. He would consider putting it in an office where water isn’t likely to touch it.
Eco by Cosentino: Cosentino is the same company that manufactures Silestone. Eco is 75% recyled content composed of post-industrial or post-consumer materials and is bound by an environmentally friendly resin which comes in part from corn oil.
I saw on their website that it’s sold at Home Depot so was prepared mentally to not like it. Which would have been a bummer, since I was frustrated by the cost of the Vetrazzo and IceStone and trying to figure out how to make one of those two options work.
La Jolla Dad was with me at Home Depot. We both loved (seriously) the Eco. I asked the price including installation, of one color I liked. $60 per square foot installed. Say what? That seems practically free.
Then I discovered La Jolla Dad would actually not like the Vetrazzo very much as it’s too busy. So it worked out in the end. At least our bathroom will likely have Eco by Cosentino. I still will see if I can make the Vetrazzo work in La Jolla Girl’s! Better shop around.
Caesarstone has a few recycled options also but they aren’t the right color for me. I’m happy to see there are so many eco-friendly options and I ordered a ton of samples. But when it comes time to put it all together I’m going to need some help with the colors. I’m terrible at that.
Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).
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