Granite Worktops - How to Choose the Perfect One for your Home

By David Faulkner

There is no question about it – granite worktops are the top choice of most interior designers and homeowners the world over. And it's really not that surprising. Granite is a very durable stone that can resist practically all kinds of damage. In addition, the appearance is one of luxury and elegance. worktops are practically the perfect choice.

If you are planning to install in your home, whether it will be a kitchen or bathroom countertop, or a piece of furniture, or something for your garden, there is sure to be that particular slab out there that is perfect for your purpose.

Granite worktops are made of natural rocks; hence, each piece of granite tile that you see in workshops or stores is unique. There are no two granite tiles that have exactly the same patterns. Even those that are cut from the same massive granite block will have variations in their 'veins' or even in their coloring.

When choosing a granite worktop to install in your home, several stores will show you swatches that you can choose from. You can even go to a website and take a look at samples of granite slabs. While this may be convenient for some, we do not recommend it when you want to choose the perfect granite worktop.

It might sometimes be difficult to discern what the entire slab will look like just by looking at a small sample. What we suggest is go to an actual workshop where they cut and polish large granite slabs. This way, you can see the actual appearance of each slab and you can imagine how they will look in your home.

There are several such workshops scattered all around the world. Once the blocks of granite are quarried from the mountains, they are sent to Verona, Italy where they are cut up into still large slabs. These are then shipped to workshops in many countries. If it is possible for you to head to Italy to choose your granite worktop, that's great. But for most people, this is not possible.

What you can do instead is search the Internet for a granite workshop that is near your area. This kind of shopping might require a bit more effort, but it is certainly more reliable than choosing from swatches and possibly ending up with a granite worktop that doesn’t match your interior design.