Natural stone countertops like soapstone, granite and marble work particularly well in dramatic kitchen designs, it has been suggested.Writing for Living Lake Country.com, handyman Nick Kerzner said that granite countertops are suited to designs that require a lot of what we call motion. He noted that granite surfaces tend to have small flecks of colour which reveal themselves in different types of light.Marble can also have beautiful veins of colour, he added. Mr Kerzner suggested that quartz is a good choice for designs that require a more consistent pattern in the food preparation and kitchen sink area. He said that because quartz countertops are extremely hard, they will not require regular sealing.For people looking for cheaper countertops, Mr Kerzner advised using laminate, noting that it can mimic the look of granite at a third of the cost.Last week, professional builder Rov Dosanjh told the Times Colonist that homeowners risk creating poorly designed rooms if they take on too much during a DIY renovation.