When homeowners are undergoing renovations, especially in high traffic rooms like the kitchen, some want to avoid going for the most popular design element because it is trendy and will be in every home. The exception to this rule is granite. Granite countertops are an incredibly popular countertop material for kitchens, but homeowners flock to it rather than shy away from it because of its popularity. The stone slabs are taken straight from nature without modification, making the patterns and veining beautiful and varied. The many options of color and veining in the granite mean each home has a unique countertop design, something that is difficult to achieve with other countertop materials.
Part of ensuring your kitchen design is unique rests in the selection process of the granite. It is not as simple as painting a room where you take paint samples home, hold them against your wall, then buy a can of paint. When it comes to granite selection, taking samples home is not enough to decide if your choice will work with your design. The detail in granite and the mass amount of visual space it inhabits makes the selection process a little more specific to get your granite countertop design right the first time.
Visit A Showroom
When you visit a showroom, be sure to have a plan laid out for the rest of your kitchen design. You don’t have to know every detail, but have an idea of the style, theme, and coloring you are going for in your cabinets, walls, floor, appliance, and countertops. A granite expert at the showroom will be able to guide you in the right direction with these details. The showroom will have granite samples in small countertop form so you will start to get an idea of what it will look like, but that is not enough to make a decision. The design of the showroom is very different than the design of your kitchen. What looks great there may not look the same when installed in your kitchen. The showroom is meant to narrow down your selection to 3-5 design options.
Look at Full Granite Slabs
Once you have your choices narrowed down from the showroom, it is time for the most important step in your granite selection process – seeing the full slabs. Before you go to see the full slabs, take a measurement of how much granite you will need and a drawing of how your kitchen counters are laid out. This is done because what you saw in the showroom was only a small part of a full granite slab. The pattern for that one section might have been great, but the full slab might have a veining you don’t like. With measurements and lay out, you will be able to decide exactly what part of the slab will start and stop. A contractor will mark the sections of the slab you like for cutting. The contractor showing the full slabs will also be able to advise on seaming. Where seams will meet up in your kitchen will make a difference in the type of veining you will see. Some slabs will be smaller than your countertop space, such as an island, so you will need to work with your contractor to decide where the two different slabs should meet.
Remember Colors, Edges, and Finish
Besides making sure you choose slabs with a veining you enjoy and considering where seams will meet up, you also need to consider colors, edges, and finishes when making your slab selection. Choose a color that you are comfortable with in your kitchen design, but consider everyday use. Absolute black and white will show imperfections more easily than other colors. If you want one of these colors, try to get a larger veining to hide future imperfections. Granite is incredibly durable compared to other materials, but that does not mean it is indestructible. The edges should be considered the same way you considered seaming and cut points. Decide what kind of edges you want throughout your kitchen and see where in the slab there will be a fold or a cut to make the edge profile. Lastly, decide on the finish and consider how that will change the appearance of the natural slab.