Granite countertops make your home look elegant and increase its value. Use granite to update a renovation project: in kitchens, in bathrooms, on wet bars, in wine cellars and fireplace surrounds. In addition to countertops, granite works beautifully on kitchen islands and table tops. Granite is a natural substance which Mother Nature created over centuries, therefore, no two slabs are alike, unlike manmade material.
Granite slabs are fabricated – meaning cut and polished – to fit the specific space for which it will be used. Viewing the slab in a showroom will require an appointment in advance, as the granite is extremely heavy to move and display. When I go with a client to choose granite, I know the dimensions that we need and can work around any flaws in the stone. In addition, I have a color palette in mind and budget.
In choosing your granite, keep these factors in mind:
- Make sure you view the exact slab that will be used to fabricate your specific project.
- If a large amount of granite is being used – multiple slabs – it is crucial to know where the seams will be so you can camouflage them. The goal is for the granite to appear seamless and smooth.
- Understand the pattern in the granite because it can have a repetitive design or it can have movement. Movement means there is a larger, wavelike design.
- There are a variety of price points and colors from which to choose. However, as a natural product there can be erratic sections within a slab which the fabricator should be able to work around.
- In addition to colors and patterns, sheen and edging are important choices to make. Polished or unpolished finishes are most common, although there are textured selections available as well. Each fabricator has choices on edging styles.
Monique St. Germain views a granite slab with a flaw that the fabricator will work around.
