Why Choose Natural Stones for Your Kitchen Renovation

GBC offers a free in-home estimate. Design drawings follow a signed contract; discuss the proposed design and installation scope with the showroom.

Our countertop selection team can show slab samples and explain the care each stone needs.

Why Choose Natural Stones for Your Kitchen Renovation

Advances in technology has opened up quite a few options when it comes to kitchen renovations. Engineered wood for cabinets and engineered stone for countertops are just a few of them. Some people swear these alternatives are better than natural materials for the kitchen.
This may be a reaction to how very popular they were once they became much more affordable to many more people with regular means. However, natural materials remain a practical choice for many kitchens in terms of function and value. Here are some reasons why you should choose natural stones for your kitchen renovation.

Toughness

Ask the stone supplier about scratch, stain and heat precautions for the particular slab and finish. Compare the recommended care with the way you cook and clean rather than treating all natural stone as equally durable.

Confirm the material’s identification with the supplier. A trade name or a light or dark color alone does not establish the stone’s composition or performance.

Follow the supplier’s care and sealing instructions for the actual stone and finish. Ask which cleaners are suitable and what maintenance the selection requires before placing an order.

Individuality

Natural stones have been the favorite of interior designers for many years, but that is no longer true. Many have switched over to engineered quartz because any model is readily available on demand, which is not true for natural stones. The rise of contemporary kitchen designs also requires materials with more consistency than you would find in natural stones, especially with granite.

That said, kitchens with granite countertops tend to be distinctive, because no two slabs are the same, even slabs that come from the same block. Some granite slabs have unexpected streaks or splashes of color that expresses an individuality that most homeowners love. This is the reason why granite and marble are always going to be in the running for top banana in the kitchen remodeling industry even as the hottest trends come and go.

Good looks

Whatever industry experts and designers may say, it doesn’t take any heavy thinking at all to see that marble and granite are beautiful in their own way. Marble is delicate and elegant, subtly suggesting gracious living. Granite is equally beautiful in a more robust way. Some people prefer marble because it ages w ell and goes with almost any kitchen style. Others prefer granite because it has a bolder look and there is a wider range of color options and designs with which you can design around.

Flexibility

Designers like natural stones, especially granite, because they are flexible. They trigger a whole vista of creativity for combining textures and colors. Granite countertops, for example, have rich patterns and colors, so you can use it as a springboard for the rest of the room. Despite being rather bold, you can always find granite that will go well with any type of personality, from traditional to modern.

Compare stone samples with adjacent cabinetry, flooring and wall finishes. If you want to use a material outdoors or in another room, confirm its suitability for that application with the supplier rather than assuming the same product works everywhere.

Return on investment

One of the things you want to consider when choosing materials for your kitchen remodeling is value for your money. Kitchen renovations are expensive, so you want to make sure anything you choose will give you good returns.

Choose natural stone for its appearance and suitability for your plans. A countertop or kitchen remodel does not guarantee that its cost will be recovered in your home’s value.

Conclusion

Natural stone can be a strong choice for a kitchen renovation when it suits the way you cook and clean. However, it is not something you can do on your own. You want to get a reliable contractor to handle all of that for you, and GBC Kitchen and Bath is just the company you need. We have the experience, skill, and products from the top manufacturers and suppliers in the country to do the job right.

Discuss your project scope, material selections and schedule with the remodeling team. Ask for the written proposal and review any exclusions before agreeing to the work.

For natural stone selections, bring your priorities and product questions to GBC Kitchen & Bath. Discuss the proposed work at a showroom in Alexandria, Ashburn, Rockville or Columbia, and ask which written warranty terms apply to the selected products and installation.

Further reading

The Natural Stone Institute publishes care and selection guidance for stone surfaces, and the granite reference explains the stone's composition.