There’s a reason so many people fall in love with granite countertops. With their aesthetic appeal, durable structure and innate ability to last for years to come, it’s a wonder granite doesn’t end up in every home. When you’re looking to upgrade your home, installing granite countertops is a sure way to add both longevity and stunning quality to your interior design. Built to last and available in a rainbow of colors, hues and patterns, granite as a surfacing material is unsurpassed on the market.
What’s more, granite plays host to so many beautiful colors and patterns that it provides an amazing amount of flexibility when it comes to appearance. Certain colors within granite patterns can be highlighted or subdued under the right kind of lighting, or even accented with strategic accent pieces. Light and dark granites alike can be used as a sort of canvas for changing color palettes or décor themes in your home.
Similarly, nearly the entire look of the granite countertops can be altered by just adding the right finish for your home. While it might seem like a small thing, finishing your granite countertops gives each surface a unique look that brings out what you love best in your granite. Taking the time to add a great finish to your granite can add a dimension or texture to your countertops that you didn’t even know was possible! Here are a few of the favorites when it comes to granite finishes, and how they give your granite a brand new look and feel.
A polished finish brings out sheer perfection in granite
A polished finish is an extremely popular choice amongst homeowners as it tends to bring out the greatest amount of shine where granite countertops are concerned. Generally ultra glossy, a polished finish provides an extra smooth surface that makes for a more-than-easy clean up experience no matter what your friends or family throw your way…sometimes quite literally. Easy clean up is a time saver for a homeowner, but also ensures that your granite will be well-maintained. Small debris is easy to spot on a sleek surface, which is a built in guarantee that your granite countertops are going to be wiped down daily, preventing any chances for added surface wear and tear.
In addition, a polished finish on granite tends to bring out otherwise muted undertones. Granite is known for it’s hidden gems of color, but sometimes it takes the perfect finish to spot a unique strand or shade that you didn’t even know was there. Let the light do it’s reflective work on your polished granite countertops and you’ll be amazed to discover a number of undertones that you didn’t know where there before.
Make it matte for a more subtle appeal
If your interior design taste falls on the opposite end of the spectrum from shiny and reflective, a matte finish, otherwise known as a honed finish, could be the answer you’ve been looking for. A matt finish gives the appearance of a more muted final product that is often more earthy and less sleek. Without as much of a tendency to reflect light easily, a matte finish on your granite countertops would be an ideal solution if you’re going for a rustic feel. Smooth, yet not glossy, matt granite finish gives a bit of a tough look to beautiful granite countertops and adds a lot of unique dimension in the process.
Let a leather look give you a taste of texturing
Referred to as a leather finish in the business, this art of texturing a final slab of granite intended for a countertop involves running diamond- tipped pens over the surface of the stone. The final result is an almost feathered look that gives granite countertops a bold look and feel. This type of finish is a great choice if you have small children in your home. Prone to spills and splashes, a leather finish allows for a blending effect amongst colors in the granite, creating a built in defense mechanism against kids that will work and play hard on countertops in the home. This means there won’t be much room to decipher flaw from purpose. Leather finishes tend to blend lines, colors and patterns with ease in granite surfaces.
Make a little time for edging
While not technically a finish, the finish you choose for your granite countertops can be greatly affected by your choice in edges. Taking time to experiment with rounded, ogee or squared edges can give you a chance to see just how much the shape of edging plays with the type of finish your countertops have. An entirely new feel and dimension within your granite countertops can be achieved just by placing the right type of edge with the best finish for the granite in your home.
