suefulton Granite already feels stale so a 50 year counter life isn't much incentive...

annoulaxeni Mmm, yeah, but you always have joins to be dealt with, not to mention what backsplash to use. And granite can be a bit 'aggressive' when used for both countertop and backsplash.

For me, seamless Corian countertop with a [slightly contrasting] Corian backsplash and a curved, seamless join. Lived with mine for 10 years so far, and couldn't be happier!

appytrails I redid my kitchen in stages. I initially put in laminate, as the cost of the total remodel couldn't handle anything else. I installed granite several years ago, and I am loving it. Going to the stone warehouse and choosing "my" particular slab was a fun shopping day! It's so unique and organic in feel, it cleans beautifully, I can put hot things down on it, I can roll out my dough directly on it...there's nothing I don't love about it.

needshave For me, granite is a wonderful and enticing material. However, we are creatures of change and I believe I will grow tired of it well before it needs to be replaced. Our kitchen has been revised several times over the last 7 years, looking back now, each time the counter top or a portion of it would have been affected. I don't feel the cost and design constraints from the initial build are worth the outlay.

vhershfield I refaced my kitchen a year ago and have granite countertops. It looks and feels elegant.
I put a glass backsplash and the colors work great. The only negative is I can't see the dirt, I have to run my hand on the counter to feel the dirt. It cleans beautifully too.

Stevie still not sold on granite. I will never install a "trendy" material again just because of it's beauty. I am leaning towards quartz......still researching.
Always good to learn more, thanks!

Your New Home LLC I admit I was a granite hater (hard on dishes, fingerprints, every uppity home has it, blah blah blah) but now I'm a evangelical convert. Be careful choosing granite because counters with a lot of "flash and action" can quickly overwhelm a design. Designers sometimes choose "virtuoso" counters and put them on "virtuoso" furniture looking cabinets with the "virtuoso" back-splash as the coup de gras. The net result is a kitchen that screams at you. I see those all the time and I think they cause a lot of people to dislike granite. The result sometimes says, "money without taste." (sorry, I'm being a reverse snob...)

In photo number two the granite is "virtuoso" but the cabinets have a super-clean geometry and the result is beautiful. In the last photo, the granite is understated and the cabinets have furniture detailing -- beautiful.

Wipe granite with a microfibre towel spritzed with distilled water. Spots and streaks disappear.

klauer Beware of buying granite. Ask questions! My granite does not wipe up nicely and almost needs polishing to look nice. The other granite I have, had to have grooves filled and no one told me that. I love the look, but where it's filled is rough.

marley123 We used black Quartz and are very happy with it no sealing needed.

jopadiet We remodeled our kitchen two years ago, and while I realize the "trend" was toward other counter top material, I chose a lovely Taupe granite. I LOVE it! You know you have good design when the kitchen looks good messy and in use! :) Go with what you love and makes you happy. You will see it often, even if you don't cook!! I also LOVED granite shopping. I felt like I was walking through an art gallery picking out fine art for everyday living. A true luxury I'll always appreciate. Loved the article.

smoore Love granite! I think it, like marble is a timeless material that will outlive us (and the homes built around it).

dmyhan We installed quartz countertops and are extremely happy. The pattern was more subtle than most granite choices, and it doesn't have to be sealed. Nothing stains it and it is as easy to clean and as elegant as granite. Extremely happy with this choice.

sclawson When we trade in our Formica it will be for quartz--Silestone probably. i don't want anything that has to be sealed periodically; plus, I like its anti-microbial properties. Many of the patterns mimic natural stone pretty well. A problem with granite not mentioned is the variability of color in a particular slab, hence the need to pick out your slab personally.

tradess2012 Actually, I was kicken and screaming not to have granite, but after I priced out the other alternatives, I had no choice to agree to it and I am happy with MY decision. Again, whether you believe its outdated, its this or that, in the end, its my money I am spending and I resent anybody telling me how to spend it.

wendellymax My kitchen island granite counter top is made up of 3 separate pieces, that were placed at separate times. I can imagine that the color is really the same, as I believe the pieces were all purchased together. Is it possible to do something like polishing or special cleaning to maybe succeed in bringing them all back to the same color? Is this (or something else) something you should do anyway prior to sealing as you suggest?

pmason100 I remodeled my kitchen two years ago, put in granite on the countertops and backsplash. It was beautiful!. But the hard water spots around the faucet were impossible to get rid of. I'm guessing it needed to be sealed more often than even recommended.
We recently moved and are anticipating another kitchen remodel, and am very learly of putting in granite again d/t the water stains. I'm finding that some quarts surfaces are even more expensive than granite now. Who would have thought?

Brenda Greer We are building a new home and the kitchen upgrades come with granite countertops which I don't want but will be stuck with. I didn't want tile floors through out either. Guess I am nuts I would have preferred a fancy linoleum that's out now, easier to clean with two dogs, and regular old laminate tops with a matte finish and fancy three step edging. With this builder it's a take this or I don't build. Unfortunately we love the house plan and location... And hubby loves the black ubba tuba granite and tile floors.

bbocking Sorry, but I'm not sold on granite. In my last house, the black granite showed every water spot and I was continually cleaning and polishing. So when we moved, I chose a light Giallo Ornamental granite with a polished finish. Within a month, the island countertop was badly stained after I rolled out pastry dough, and after 2 years, the rest of the countertops are showing stains as well. (The countertops were well sealed prior to installation, and twice since.)

Granite is a natural stone, and is stain RESISTANT, not PROOF. Next time, I'm going with quartz.

astraea I initially thought it was strange, when I bought my home 3 years ago, that that 10 year old kitchen had Corian on 2 sections of the countertops, but black granite on the large bar/buffet area. After a few years living with the kitchen, I am glad I don't have granite, where I do all of my prep work! I don't like the sound or feel of dishes, pots or glassware being put down on granite; the Corian has a "softer" sound & feel! I do like the granite on the other side of the room, where I've often set up a buffet, because it looks nicer.

I wouldn't hold to that "up to $100/sq ft" for granite though, because when I priced it for a bathroom vanity, the more exotic colors & patterns I liked - like blues & greens - ran up to $400/sq ft .. and that was 3 years ago!

CAROLE MEYER When we built our new home I picked granite for the kitchen and love it. The surface is honed not polished and is easy to take care of.

marshallalum Just put black granite in my bathroom. You have to be way too careful with it. It already has circles I can't get off. I will NOT be using it in my upcoming kitchen remodel. I think everyone has gone a little crazy on trying to find the most expensive materials to brag about in their homes, anyway. I'm over it. and glad I tried it in bathroom before I made a big mistake in my kitchen. I don't know what I'll use, but my current laminate ones have held up great (I'm sure some people's eyes are rolling at the thought lol).

LauraG I have screaming granite and am removing it to exchange for a Ceasarstone top. Much easier to live with and I can actually see the dirt for clean up.

denise44 I love my granite counters. After living with chipped corian for years, replacing the counters with granite was an great choice. Because of the cost I researched other counters, but none could stand the heat of hot pots or lids, like the granite could. I am very happy.

Jean Corey Granite is wonderful for candy making (putting hot candy on it to set), rolling out pastry dough, and doesn't show burn marks from hot pans. Man made products can't do all of these things. I chose a white and gray polished granite and have never had a stain. We don't seal it as often as recommended either, only every 2-5 years.

downsizing I put in black galaxy granite because it was the cheapest option at the time and what I dislike most about granite is there's way too much pattern. The black galaxy looks great with my white cabinets and the only pattern is the beautiful sparkle of the mica when the light moves across it. After a year, I love it. It's especially elegant at night.

Linda My first kitchen remodel chose white/gray quartz. Not a scratch on it after 10 years. No marks, just as nice as the day it was installed. No sealing, just wipe clean. That is now a rental property. My latest remodel I chose quartz again in a darker brown to offset the cream maple glazed cabinets. I roll out my dough, cut on it with pizza cutters, put down hot pots, without a concern for damage or extra maintenance. And it's not "busy". Love the contrast and the ease of decorating with quartz and NO maintenance.

William Shelton It amazes me how someone can say their material is better than someone else. I have Verde Butterfly Granite and I couldn't be any happier. But I can understand how other people can like different material for their counter tops. When it comes down to it, no material is better than any other. It just comes down to personal preference.

klfricke My black granite in a guest bath is nothing but a pain! Every drop of water leaves a spot, and calcium buildup from the water is a big problem. How can I remove this calcium easily? I've tried every product Stonetech makes, plus a razor blade, but cannot completely remove the calcium. Any suggestions out there?

calkelley Yes, granite can outlast anyone reading this. But it won't come close! Kitchens are redone more than any other part of the house it seems.
For me, natural materials of that ilk need to have more permanence. I cringe at all the granite mined, shipped and soon (compared to time needed to 'make' it) to be tossed when the next trend comes in for the IT kitchen.
Lived in a kitchen (for 18 years!) with miles of white Corian and loved it. Yes, you couldn't put hot things on it but we kept a supply of trivets handy. The sinks flowed effortlessly from the counter and didn't have a build up of caught crumbs. The stains, scratches buffed out. No seams. Great for pastry. Easy clean. Felt great. Never resealed it, worked it a ton with a large family!
And the white, soft material under beautiful cherry cabinets helped sell the house with multiple offers over asking. Only one wanted to redo the 21 year old kitchen.
And there are many other man made materials.
Maybe someone can come up with a 'what to do with all the long lasting granite that is/will soon be garbage' purpose. Then granite will be better sustainable.

This is my one, preachy, hot button! Not condemning anyone - just suggesting we look ahead a little.

nancyo My advice: Do what makes sense for your lifestyle and budget -- there are lots of good, attractive options out there. My daughter bought a small condo last year and re-did the kitchen. She's single and works long hours so she doesn't cook much. She also wanted to stay within a modest budget. She chose Wilsonart's high definition laminate in Crystalline Shell (a cream, gray, taupe quartz-like pattern) and used a glass mosaic backsplash in those colors. The materials for countertop and backsplash cost less than $500. The project turned out so well, her contractor featured a photo of it in his company's brochure. Everyone admires it and she's happy with how easy laminate is to maintain. The choices she made may not be the choices you would make, and that's my point. Shop around and make your own decisions -- don't feel pressured to follow the latest trends.

ladytenor One question I have not seen addressed. The granite may last forever, but cabinets often don't. I saw a kitchen at an open house with gorgeous granite counters, but the cabinets had been painted and needed to be repainted or otherwise refaced. How can you do that and not disturb the granite?

calkelley btw, I think whatever your material, a rounded or square edge is great. Let's you sweep crumbs, etc right off into your hand or garbage.
fancy granite kitchen has a triple, terraced edge and it's a bear to not make a mess after dinner ;-}

jillghai Some of the cheaper types of granite, I understand, come from India and a BBC radio programmes I heard a few years ago suggested that the working conditions of those dealing with the granite are very bad - health conditions from the dust from grinding as I recall.

diamondiva8 It would be great if you could add Pinterest!

mrsben I won't dispute the beauty of granite however prefer Quartz which is also a gift from Mother Nature but tweaked by man for more durability, less maintenance etc.

William Shelton It makes me laugh when people say that Quartz is "Less maintenance" than Granite. The only "Maintenance" I do on my Granite is sealing them. And that takes about 20 minutes for a large amount of counter space, an island; and breakfast bar; Big deal. I assume that people with Quartz still clean their counter tops. Quartz counter tops aren't self cleaning. So when I hear someone say that Quartz are "Less maintenance" I assume their are quoting their salesman or they watch way too much HGTV and DIY Network.

tpstutz I love my "Kashmire White" honed granite in my kitchen. I do need to re-seal it again but its not that big a deal. The "Butaccio" polished granite in my bathrooms has been a problem. A messy bottle of CLR was left on it and took off some of the "polish" that I now hide with a vanity mirror. We did a marble top on my baker's table and now I wish I had done maple wood block. Marble's is only function in cooking is for candy making or butter based doughs and its a pain to clean butter off of it. Marble is too cold for bread dough and slows rising. Its also too delicate for a kitchen, I already put spots on the polish spilling vinegar.

mrsben @William: In all due respect, I think most people are well aware that there is no countertop that cleans itself, whereas in the case of Quartz and many other selective products there is 'no necessity to seal them ever' as you MUST DO for Granite which comes under the subject of maintenance. No assumption, just fact!

tmms Wow, lots of pros and cons for granite and quartz. We are remodeling our 16 year old kitchen completely, and I thought I was sold on granite... but now am thinking about quartz. How about cut marks on either... do they buff out? Is the quartz finish as shiny as the granite? I would like the least amount of maintenance possible, with the most durability (don't we all).

mariahhassan I used garanite top for my kitchen ..its lovely and easy to clean

Colleen I'm with you Marshallalum! We sampled granite in our VRBO condo in Maui and didn't like the sound of the dishes on it either, I also tend to have oily skin and the finger prints were annoying as was the cleaning of anything else that was a little oily or greasy............so when we built our home we installed,GASP...................... Formica!!! and most of our guests believed it to be granite, slate or other natural products until they touched it! I love how easy it cleans, hides the prints and really is low maintenance and it's cheaper to replace when this restless soul gets tired of it. You can look up some pictures under "Greenskeeper"

William Shelton Mrsben, If you read my post I did say that you had to seal Granite. As a matter of fact, I said it takes me about 20 minutes to seal all of my granite tops in the kitchen. That is a fact! And If you read my earlier comment I said, it is personal preference. Just most people use the excuse of maintenance for not getting Granite. And if that is your preference, that's your preference. There are tons of people that don't get either because of price.

davisbj I do have some holes that have appeared in the granite where I work most often. I do use cutting boards all the time. I've been told that it should be filled in & polished. Also, it needs to be resurfaced every 10 years. Anybody heard of this?

Your New Home LLC Good comments and discussion! Corian is an awesome counter. It is durable and solves a lot of the problems that are intrinsic to granite. I love the look; some folks do not. Quartz is also an awesome counter. It is easier generally to clean and care for than granite, but it's more expensive and has a homogeneous look that is either to your liking or not. I love the quartz look also.

As to sustainability, Italian stone is a problem in my view. They are bombing little islands in the Mediterranean to extinction for use on American counters. That stone used to be used for statues sculpted by masters. That's a shame. There is a lot of granite mined in North America that is not remarkable enough for art and is less of an environmental issue (again, in my view). Stone quarries are dangerous. If you buy granite or diamonds or if your electric plant burns coal, then you are contributing to someones' demise (loss of digits, loss of life, mesothelioma etc.). That is an issue for a lot of folks.

I think it's not wise to put granite that will last easily 50 to 100 years on cabinets that are likely to be worn out in 10 years. If your cabinets are not of the highest quality (and a classic design), then use a synthetic counter top. Granite can be, however, re-used if the cabinets have to be replaced and there is a lot of used granite available for new projects. Granite is a classic look. It is absolutely ridiculous to argue otherwise. Don't worry for one minute that it is a trend that will go away. Granite was used on scullery counters in the 19th century and were highly prized in Victorian England. Granite has been used on laboratory work tables (at great expense) for a century and found its way into the homes of many doctors long before it was affordable to us common folk.

Finally, DISTILLED WATER (at $1.85/gallon) will clean hard water spots off of granite especially easy if you keep up with it and use a microfibre cloth. You need nothing else -- just distilled water.

davisbj Resealed! That's what I need to have done to my granite.

mildredarmato We had Corian installed five years ago. Yes there are scratches. I just consider it patina. I love it and wouldn't change a thing.

flopsycat1 We love our quartz kitchen countertops in two coordinating colors/patterns, one on the peninsula and another on the remaining surfaces. We chose Cambria , largely because it is the only quartz product manufactured in America.

Caterina Eltze When choosing granite, make sure you ask questions about the density of the stone. Only my installer told me that the "Kashmir white" we chose and loved for the look was a lot more porous and also a lot less heavy than a black granite. It looked great with the espresso stained cabinets, but we got a reddish stain even after sealing it 3 times before using it.

William Shelton Caterina, you are totally correct! Most people have no idea, that the darker the granite the more dense it is and less porous it is. We did take that into effect when building our new home and choosing our granite. Good luck with your granite.

alaskan47 My wife and I struggled with counter tops when I remodeled our kitchen. We both fell in love with Alaska White granite and we couldn't be happier! Now the backsplash is the struggle! It really is a fun project and we enjoy the hunt. Sooner or later it all comes together. Keep the stress level low and have fun.

Diana V. McLean Would love marble in the kitchen but I know it is soft and stains, so I will go with granite. Had granite in another home and loved it. Just no black granite as it shows everything. Also, I do not get the back splash in granite, as I think the back splash should be a different material. I shouldn't worry about what I pick as I hope this home is my toes up home.

nonnoa I can't wait to get my granite work tops in my new kitchen. It will be the star of the house. To us it is like a piece of artwork & you don't need much else. Granite is from simple to extreme in patterns & if it lasts 50 years it will still be in fashion as it never goes out.
I can't stand these bland bench tops, bland kitchens.
Also for making pasta, pizza etc like we do its the perfect surface. We are in our 50s & our children are inbetween 25 & 33 yrs old & they all love what we've picked. So do our friends to the point some are getting new kitchens just to get beautiful granite bench tops.
Can't wait

Deborah Ingersoll I have verde butterfly granite in my kitchen on cream glazed cabinets. I love the granite and found the most perfect color glass subway tile that matches like nothing else. Now I am putting in a new island but can't match the island cabinets to the wall cabinets and not sure what color and counter top to use. I was thinking either a dark brown cabinet or a moss green cabinet with a creamy countertop. Would love to know what countertop would go well with verde butterfly and not compete with the design.

richardparker How can this article say honed granite is not recommended? Honed granite is all over Houzz! Will these expensive kitchens have messed up granite in a few years or will sealers protect it?

William Shelton Deborah, You may want to look into a butcher block or maybe even a non-patterned, nice and light Quartz.

denise44 I have had granite counters in two kitchens so far, and am planning on using this material in the house we are building. The join I have right now is hardly noticeable, to me or to anyone else. I use cutting boards instead of chopping vegetables or meat on the counter, but for pie dough it cannot be improved upon. Besides granite's appeal, when I am cooking, if I put a pot or a lid on it, directly off the stove, I do not have to worry that it will melt or crack. When I was shopping for a counter I was told that all the other materials, including quartz, which is what I was looking at, could easily melt under high temperature. I like to cook and can plan to be very careful. However, invariably I do put a lid or a pot on the countertop, and have never had any problems.

tradess2012 denise....first time somebody actually made sense (no offence to anybody) but let's face it, it is a KITCHEN, not a showroom one, at least not in my house, where people cook, laugh and nourish themselves.

William Shelton Very good point Denise. Everyone who says they are choosing Quartz over Granite because quartz is "No maintenance" never mention the factor of high heat and the possibility of melting. I would rather take the time to seal my granite and not have to worry about setting a hot lid my counters. I also use cutting boards, that's what they are made for, ha ha ha.

leseek We installed granite countertops 10 years ago. A dark black/green color with gold flecks. Our backsplash is 4x4 textured tiles on the diagonal, and to date, we still get compliments. Easy to clean, I don't have problems with finger prints--. We did our kitchen on the conservative, but spent on the counters, and I think it was well worth it. We lived in this new kitchen for 10 years, and still today, feels like NEW.

kit4kent I had a complete kitchen remodel in January and knew granite and marble would be in the mix. I wanted a counter that I didn't have to pamper and granite fits perfectly--a hot pot leaves a luke warm feel to the surface. My designer selected St. Cecilia for my budget--which worked for me. I didn't have the fun of selecting my stone as I don't drive but I'm pleased with what I got. The professional installation was nothing short of perfection and no seams. St. Celilia is a common pattern so I won't get tired of it. No sign of wear at all--still gleaming. I love gliding my hands over every angle and clean up is fun!

Deborah Ingersoll I met with my cabinet contractor today and and my brother in law who owns a cabinet company. I discussed the pros and cons of granite vs. quartz and they both assured me that quartz will perform as well as granite in terms of handling any heat on the surface. Quartz will not stain, even the light color I chose. I'm not sure why quartz has the reputation of these things, but they both assured me that quartz is the new and improved counter top vs granite due to the seam issues, water spot issues and sealing requirement that granite has. I also found the quartz to be a nice accent with my existing granite since I'm changing my island and needed something simple so as not to compete with my verde butterfly granite. I think the two surfaces will compliment each other and I look forward to seeing how quartz performs.

William Shelton Congrats Deborah. I think you did a great job choosing your new counter top. I know your contractors said there is no heat issues with Quartz, but there is. The reason quartz has the reputation of not being able to handle extreme heat, is because it cannot (Depending on the temperature.) Tests in research kitchens have proven this. More than likely you probably won't reach the temperature needed to affect your Quartz. Just keep sealing your granite once a year (A really small price to pay to have granite, I think) and your granite will not get water spots or stains. I think maintenance on anything I pay large amounts of money for (Including quarts) is really not that big a deal. I think the people that don't want to maintain there things (No matter what it is) are just plain lazy.

pollyc1 We remodeled our kitchen last year and used granite on countertops, then made a deal with the dealer to put it on our small bathroom counters using remnants. I love, love love my granite! It always looks beautiful and shiny and elegant. I used Chrystal Brown in kitchen, with cream colored cabinets, with brown glaze to make them look antique. Gorgeous! It is a creamy colored background with brown, black,swirls, and amazing burgundy spots on it. In my bathrooms I used St. Cecilia, and Texas Star. I enjoyed shopping for the granite because it was like looking at God's awesome art!

Timothy Don't waste your money on granite. There is a lot that can be done with concrete these days.

Kevin Martin I represent and sell both counter top products; quartz and granite. We personally did a heat test and the only way we could damage the quartz product was with a blow torch at 2000 degrees for 10 minutes on the edge of a 1 cm sample. I do not think any pan even coming off a stove top or out of the oven comes close to this; so for me the heat question is settled as a non-issue on quartz. Laminate is great for cost reasons but it will need replaced just like carpet depending on use. Solid surface products like corian now cost every bit as much as granite and quartz but does not hold up to the harshness of the kitchen environment, bathrooms are better suited for this. I like both quartz and granite for most situations and most customers want to spend a little more to get the one that works best for them.

William Shelton Kevin, I appreciate that you are basically saying that it is up to the homeowner and what they want out of their countertops. Too many people say one is better than another without knowing the individual's taste, lifestyle or budget.

calkelley btw, Kevin, my Corian stood up for 20 plus years and still looked great when I sold the house. the soft white matte really allowed the cherry cabinets to star and I loved the feel of it. Used cutting boards (you can pick them up to move to the stove) and left a beautiful trivet on the counter for pots - not a hardship. Rolled pastry right on the counter.

We are a family of 5 and used it well for cooking, science projects, even cat baths in the dish sink! We did have to scrub out a few stains and surface nicks but they smoothed easily. As I mentioned, the only issue is that the island sink cracked (didn't leak), probably from 18 years of hot spaghetti water, but when they cut it out, the sink they put in looked like it had been there since the beginning. I think nothing beats the look and convenience of cleaning of integrated sinks.
Plus if something like questionable chicken ended up on the counter, I felt great about soaking a paper towel in bleach and running it over the surface.
So Corian will hold up in a heavy duty kitchen. Don't believe the naysayers!

rbthat Granite is a lovely choice! So is a quartz! It's truly what you like and works well with you decor! Granite has alot of movement and some people love that! Quartz is much simplier and some people like it simple and not to busy as granite can be. Granite is like art! Glass tile goes very nice with both options. Corian is not popular at all any more. I've been designing 20 years and granite has beem aroumd for along time so far it's still the trend! Every design comes and goes and history repeats it self or we repeat history. Trends are always revolving news things become available all the time! But what ever your chose I'm sure it will be beautiful in your kitchen since both are a GREAT choice! So enjoy!

jazmynstrydom Concrete is wonderful.. but has so many issues with cracking! You have to like a patina..

puddinpie I used to be a granite fabricator, best to seal every 6 mos. (spray-on, wipe-off with cotton cloth). Granite can only be scratched by diamonds or granite itself, so unless you're abusing your stone with a hammer, etc., it's highly unlikley to chip or scratch under normal conditions so no worries. I wouldn't advise anyone to use their good knives to cut on a granite surface, they'll ruin them. So, if you get the brilliant idea to have your fabricator make a beautiful cutting board from the remnants (they are a very pretty addition for your countertop) don't waste your money unless you are cutting cheese for your wine party. Granite is 2nd only to stainless steel for safety against bacterial contamination and has been proven to prevent food-borne pathogens from remaining on the countertop after cleaning. Mind you, use a non-acidic cleaner and one that is free of amonia. Yay Granite!

mattie We never have to seal our granite, as our manufacturer impregnates the granite with a sealer at the fabrication shop. We've had the counters for 4 years and they are still as shiny and perfect as new. We personally like the plainer patterns and love how much depth they have when you look down at them.

acarter09 Granite is timeless just like marble. Its been around since the beginning of time! Its used in multi million dollar homes, palaces! Whether its your preference or not is your choice, but there is no longer a such thing as a countertop being outdated! Any material that comes along will be called the "it" counter then when the new "it" material comes along the other one will be called out dated one in magazines. In fact some say quartz is now out dated with newer materials! Even high end formica has changed tremendously through the years (watch HGTV!). What makes a kitchen out dated is a person with no designing talent who uses backsplash that clashes with their counter, paint that clashes, using a kitchen table that doesnt coordinate with the theme of their kitchen, tacky pendant lights that dont match the theme of the kitchen. Old fashion curtains, hardware that doesnt match the kitchen, too many accessories, etc. Its not so much about using a granite countertop that has a lot of movement, its about remembering if you use a granite like that you have to tone down the blacksplash with a solid color, muted painted walls and something that coordinates with the color of the backsplash. People dont realize not all granite have large swirls with bright colors. That is just what was chosen and that seems to be in a lot of photos. I dont like a lot of movement and I am a minimilist and I found a beautiful granite. It has very small short consistent lines with a beige/white/specks of black background. It has no bright colors, no swirls, nothing. With the light color it doesnt show fingerprints, stains, etc. It doesnt look over polished because its a light color. The darker you go the more you will notice the high polish. Also, there is granite in almost solid colors and some with movement as small as pebbles that look like quartz. What I think is important is less is more. Dont get over excited in remodeling a kitchen and go with a crazy backsplash, counters, flooring, etc, its not necessary. I think the problem with most kitchens is not the busy counter but the awful blacksplash when you walk in the room and all you look at is a big blob of it staring at you, or backsplash that is nice but then too much trim is added on top of a busy counter.

jacksonbeth I love granite countertops...my friends have had it for several years and never an issue. When I redo my kitchen, I am going all granite-

William Shelton That's awesome jacksonbeth! I laugh when I here people say that granite is overused. Of sourse that is on HGTV and DIY shows. Granite is pretty expensive, and the majority of families just can't afford it!!!

calkelley I so agree with acarter. I probably said so earlier but when we sold the house last year, it was still the huge, 20+ryr old kitchen that shone. An incredibly efficient layout, Miele appliances (generally matching the cabinets) and Corian countertops. I buffed them until they gleamed. Pine Sol on the sold cherry cabinets until they looked band new. Upscale windows overlooked the great backyard and brought in tons of light. it was breathtaking. Everyone gasped..

Esp compared to the inefficient kitchen in my twice as big home with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. I'm waiting for the day I can afford to demolish it!