Granite: The Bedrock of Kitchen Remodeling

Last Updated on November 8, 2011

When I was getting my construction management degree we studied all of the materials used in high-class kitchen remodeling jobs. There are a number of choices to make when it comes to kitchen remodeling specifically, and each material brings something new and different to the table. Obviously, there are different physical properties to deal with, but there is also price, aesthetics, and more intangible collections of associations people bring with them towards certain materials (i.e. cardboard cabinets are cheap, marble countertops are ritzy).

WHAT DO SURFACES DO TO THE AESTHETIC OF A ROOM?

You don’t have to study Feng shui to observe how a room can come together based on its surfaces. Color plays an essential role, but so do textures. How do they feel? How do they bounce light and color around a room?

When it comes to cabinets, wood is the classic choice, but what kind? Oak is heavier and has an element of durability to it. Unstained, it has a nice color, though staining is usually necessary to complete a room’s look. Another popular option for cabinetry is Maplewood. Indeed, at least half of the kitchens I’ve been in over the past few months are members of the Maple club.

Each wood, its stain, and its finish contribute to the look, feel and aesthetics of a room. You’ll want countertops that reflect that look. In my experience, granite is a great complement to almost any kitchen design.

BENEFITS OF GRANITE

Granite is a great stone to remodel with for a lot of reasons: it’s affordable, it lends itself to many types of décor and it lasts forever.

As far as stoneware goes, granite for countertops is very affordable. Granite, like any other material, is subject to price fluctuations due to fashion and economic factors; some colors are more popular than others, and sometimes the granite market dries up. These things affect the price of granite and should factor into when and what you decide to go with.

Granite’s appearance is widely variable, and as such will fit into any kind of style you put together for your kitchen remodel. If you have a general color palette for the kitchen, it’s easy to find multiple styles of granite to complement it. One of the gifts (and curses) of granite is the pattern that’s found on the stone. Many people go for a more uniform look rather than the marble-esque static of minerals you get with granite. There are types that have a more uniform look to them, but more often than not you will get a patterned stone.

Granite has a history of being used by society’s elite. It gives off an air of quality without being as bourgeois as, say, marble. Personally, I think granite reflects its own qualities in the kitchen it’s in: timelessness, durability, and just a tad of luxury. Despite its history of use in the tombs of pharaohs and in the construction of thrones, granite has slowly dropped in price over the decades, centuries and millennia – making it an affordable option for homeowners looking to update or remodel their kitchens.

No matter what material choices you make when remodeling a kitchen, think in the long term and don’t subscribe to trends that will look silly in five years or else you’ll be spending more money on yet another remodel.