Suppose you want to add a dash of richness, warmth, and sophistication to your kitchen. In that case, you cannot go wrong with granite countertops. Besides their aesthetic value, granite countertops give you a substantial presence with durability and permanence—and they are a breeze to clean and upkeep. However, you want to look at all angles to ensure that granite is the right fit for your room. We spill handy design tips to help you choose the best granite countertop for your kitchen.
17 Design Tips When Reviewing Granite Countertop Options
Use these design tips to find a countertop that ticks all the right “functionality boxes” and acts as a focal design point in your room. Before installing the countertop of choice in your kitchen, consider the following to narrow down your options:
General Aesthetic Tips
Do you want granite that makes a statement with a lot of movement and a heavily patterned stone that will be a showstopper? Or a quieter option that won’t limit your décor too much?
- Don’t just pick the first one you like in terms of appearance. Before you go to the showroom to see it, review your home and kitchen’s existing design qualities. Keep a list of key features in mind. Look at your room’s layout, spaciousness, flooring and décor, ambiance, and existing design. You either want something that perfectly complements this or one that provides a quirky contrast. Consult your contractor before finalizing your countertop, as professional input can help here.
- See the stone in person rather than from an online image or a picture that will not do it justice. When it comes to granite countertops, the texture and how it feels are as crucial as how it looks.
- Be mindful of your home lighting. Before picking your countertop, remember that what looks good under the specially curated store lights might look very different at home.
- Also, consider how your current paint job measures against various countertop options. Or, even if you’re open to changing the room color, ensure the new one works well with your countertop.
- You can pick between solid, speckled, and marbled options as far as design goes. Granite is a natural stone, and all granite slabs have variations that lend a unique character. Opt for stones from the same quarry to increase your chances of achieving a consistent look, but expect that there will still be variations between the slabs. Solid granite options are the most consistent and have fewer variations than speckled or marbled options. Solid granite is perfect for smaller kitchens, where the busier the surface, the smaller the room can look.
- Are you looking for a conversation starter? Add drama to your kitchen by selecting marbled granite, which comes in exotic colors with veins and swirls that make a style statement.
- If you want granite that perfectly sets off your solid cabinetry and one that has texture and color options, look for speckled granite countertops.
- If you want to reduce the sparkle and keep things classy but subdued, look at honed granite countertops with a matte finish.
- A glossy finish is the most popular granite countertop because it is one of the most affordable and low maintenance requiring very little upkeep over the years. The other advantage is that it can lend your kitchen a sense of spaciousness and airiness as its glossy surface reflects light beautifully.
Light Countertops
- Light-colored granite can make a space look larger and is especially good in rooms where there isn’t too much natural light.
- It’s hard to go wrong with just about any shade of white granite. Look for options with depth to avoid giving your kitchen a one-dimensional, lifeless feel, which can happen when white isn’t well thought out.
Dark Countertops
- If you’re opting for bold, vibrant hues, tone the rest of the look down with neutral cabinetry and floors.
- Be careful with dark shades in smaller rooms. For example, you might love the elegance a black granite countertop gives your kitchen, but if it’s a small room, it will serve to make it look even smaller. But there are ways to make it work; you can pair black granite with an all-white room to give it a classic sophistication.
- Ask yourself how much you will use your countertop. If you select a dark shade like black, thinking it will be perfect for hiding spills, marks, and stains, you may be surprised to learn that black shows as much damage and mess as a lighter color.
Countertop Details
- Slabs are perfect if you want to avoid prominent grout lines or seams, but you can also swap them for tiles, which can work beautifully.
- Pay attention to your edges and pick the one that offers the feel you want your kitchen to reflect. Do you want a classic beveled edge or an intricate triple waterfall? There are multiple options, so consider what works best for your room.
Contact Us Today
Picking the best granite countertops is almost like picking a classic pair of jeans, albeit it’s a far more extravagant investment. But just like jeans, you need to find one that’s the perfect fit for you and your home. It doesn’t matter if it appeals to others or how that countertop would look in another house. And just like your fave pair of jeans, it’s something that will last, and the older it gets, the more beautifully it ages and becomes an integral part of your kitchen. But picking out the right design is not an easy task, as you’ve seen. So put yourself in the best position you can be in by getting the right expertise on your side. GranitePro is here to help you take on this project from start to finish to give your kitchen that luxe and long-tasting touch the right countertop can provide. Contact us today to see how we can install a dependable, permanent, and stunning granite countertop.