It’s the one feature in your bathroom or kitchen that could make or break the finished look: the countertop.

But choosing a countertop that is both stylish and practical can be a bit overwhelming. First, you have to pick out a color scheme that complements the kitchen’s overall look. And deciding which type to choose also can be overwhelming. Marble? Quartz? Granite?

While the above are important, there are three areas critical to any decision regarding countertops. Here are some tips on how to select the best countertop for your needs.

Three Tips for Buying Countertops

1. Durability

Perhaps there is nothing worse than investing in a prominent home feature only to have to replace it in a short period of time. You can avoid making this mistake with stone countertops by researching which material will hold up best over time. For example, marble countertops look stunning but may not stand up as well as granite. Overall, choose resilience over fashion for this stand out attribute in your kitchen.

2. Maintenance

When choosing a stone countertop, it may be helpful to consider your lifestyle. Do you live alone and rarely cook? Go ahead and splurge on that marble slab. But if you have a family or just a generally busier lifestyle that involves lots of action in the kitchen area, consider going with granite, quartz, or even stainless steel countertops. Granite, for example, is both stain and chip resistant, giving you the most value over time. But it requires resealing every so often, a minor maintenance issue. By comparison, quartz isn’t as porous as granite and doesn’t require resealing.

3. Cost

Typically, the price of stone countertops can range from under $10 to $200 a square foot, making it an affordable option at any price point. Costs can fluctuate depending on the grade or treatment of the material, color, and size. Another factor to consider is the cost of the labor for installation. The best way to ensure you can get the stone countertop you want is to research different stones styles and materials and incorporate that into the total budget for your kitchen or bathroom.