Tuesday, July 7, 2009

How to Know If Granite Is Right For You

Is granite right for your kitchen countertop or bath vanity top? It's not hard to find out. Take a look at your home, lifestyle, and style preferences to get a good idea if you should install granite. Here are a few things to consider to know if granite will work in your home.

Your Kitchen or Bathroom Gets a Lot of Use
If this is true of your home, then granite is an ideal countertop candidate. It's a durable material that holds up well under spilling and dropping and will sustain the pressure of use from both adults and children. You don't need to be afraid to use granite countertops, cook on them, or eat on them. While somewhat porous, they don't stain as easily as you might think. If taken care of, granite countertops will also be highly scratch resistant. Granite is also heat-resistant making it ideal for kitchens; and mildew and mold resistant making it perfect for bathrooms.

You Avoid Cleaning as Much as Possible
Granite countertops will understand if you don't enjoy spending all your time cleaning. They don't require a lot of special attention to stay beautiful. In fact, regular washing with mild dish detergent and water is all that's needed most of the time. You may want to apply stone cleaner to add extra shine and polish. Putty knives do the trick to remove bits of food that have gotten stuck on the surface. And once a year, you'll want to add a sealant to keep the granite waterproof and protect the finish. But that's all.

You Want a Material That Will Last
As you may notice on your own, granite countertops and bath vanity tops are not a fad. They've been in use for a while and make up one of the few household items that won't go out of style any time soon. Part of that is the stone's natural versatility. It's commonly a neutral but still has a lot of dimension and visual interest. If you want a material that can be both modern and classic at the same time and will survive beyond today's trends, then look to granite.

You Want a Countertop That Goes With Your Style
Granite is also versatile, working with a variety of design styles. For one thing, granite countertops literally come in hundreds of colors. There's variation even within color choices. You can go neutral with blacks and browns, or add a splash of color with reds, greens, and blues. Granite looks perfect with the modern designs so popular today, but also looks right at home in more traditional kitchens. The size of your kitchen doesn't matter either. Granite will pop in a large kitchen, and will make a big statement in a small galley. The limits are really only set by you.

You Want a Countertop That Adds Value to Your Home
Even a little bit of granite, such as in a bathroom or smaller kitchen, adds instant value to a home. It's a perk for buyers and will make your life in your kitchen more enjoyable.

Granite meets all these desires and beyond. It's durable and easy to maintain but is also an attractive addition to any home. So is a granite countertop right for you? If you answered yes to any of the above, then no doubt it will be a perfect fit.

No comments:

Post a Comment