How To Pick The Perfect Granite Slab For Your Home

When it comes to decorating any home, most homeowners put a lot of time and effort into choosing their décor. When it comes to the granite slabs for your home if definitely means you are looking out for the right colors to accent your home. Granite has the potential to last a lifetime, and choosing the best slab for the design in your home is an important process.

Making the right selection will require the right eye for detail; just haphazardly ordering and hoping for the best is a risk that could be quite expensive. When you get ready to select your granite, take a sample of the cabinet finish, flooring, wall paint, and even kitchen appliances with you. If you don’t have a sample, take pictures of the item and make sure you have it with you. Next you want to place the photos or the samples around and on the granite so you can get an idea of what the combination will look like when assembled together.

Too many dark elements can overpower the room, so stay away from mixing – for example – a dark cherry wood and black granite. If you want, say,  a look that is old-world, go for a light to medium beige blended granite that has browns, yellows, and greens. If you want to go darker, select an emerald pearl granite. You will find this one has mostly darker greens, pinks, grays, and flecks of gold.

Shopping Online is Not a Replacement for Actually Seeing the Stone

While shopping online for your Granites slab may seem like a great idea, you really need to see the stone in person. Granite has many fine color patterns that often don’t photograph properly to pick up all the subtle hues. You may also miss different textures or shades. Color selection may also present some challenges when you’re in person. Even the same color run can have a variety of variances, and no cut piece will be the same.

Lighting is Also Another Important Consideration

Granite will definitely add value to your home, but if the lighting isn’t right any selection will be hard to appreciate. When you choose the color you want, make sure you factor in the lighting. If your kitchen doesn’t have any natural light then you want to make a selection in gold or white or a variety of light colored specks. If your kitchen has substantial light, darker colors such as mahogany, black, or a deep blue will look beautiful too. If you can add in some pendant and track lighting, this will really enhance the beauty of the slab, so make sure to take all of this into consideration before purchasing your stone.

Don’t be Overwhelmed by the Price

Granite is available in a variety of price points. It is one of the most durable, hardest stones available, making it very desirable for homeowners worldwide. Colors that are rare or hard to find, or slabs with special treatments might drive up the price. However, considering your return on investment and longevity of the stone, you should consider spending more for a perfect fit..

Make Sure You Check the Slab for Proper Light Reflection

When you go to view granite slabs in a showroom, it is likely that they will be standing upright. When viewing the stone you think you will purchase, request to lay it down flat so you can see how the light will be reflected. This will give you more of an accurate picture of how the stone will look in your home. You can also usually meet with the stone cutter and point out the area you want highlighted in the custom cut. This is a great way to inspect the granite for those harder-to-see fissures that you could miss when the stone is in an upright position.

Natural stone will give any room a look that is timeless and rich in character. Finding that perfect piece for your kitchen can be very tricky. Because it is a natural and organic material, no two cuts are ever the same. Each harvest will have characteristics that are unique in appearance. Granite also comes in a myriad of colors that are both muted and bold. It includes shades of gray, black. Green, white, blue, pink, red, tan, or yellow. Patterns range from veined, dotted, and evenly distributed. Each piece has its own mineral makeup, making each and every piece a complete work of art.

FInally, there are three basic finishes that you will need to decide on when you make your final stone selection:

Honed: This is also commonly referred to as a matte finish. It is achieved by a process of sanding that leaves the granite with a smooth surface that feels like satin. This type of stone has a finish that will require resealing, but it isn’t nearly as slippery and it will hide away the flaws better than other types of finish because there is no reflection. If you are looking for an ideal look for a casual, low traffic area this is a great choice.

Polish: This type of finish will hide fingerprints and smudges with a slippery, sleek surface that has a high-gloss finish. This look is achieved through a process of grinding and buffing, and it is most known for revealing the character and true color of the granite. The easiest way to maintain porosity and a polished finish is through this choice.

Leather: This is a textured finish that will hide fingerprints and smudges very well. This type of finish looks especially great on dark granite, but if you select this option the stone should be cleaned every day with a microfiber cloth and cleaner to reduce absorbency.