Thinking Beyond The Kitchen: Outside the Box Ways to Add Granite To Your Home Décor

Granite is a sophisticated and durable material. It adds value to your home. It’s easy to clean. It looks great. Its potential is realized in kitchens and bathrooms all over the country. These applications, stunning though they so often are, maybe selling granite short, lets look beyond the kitchen.

Why put your favorite building material in a box it doesn’t belong in? There are lots of ways to add granite to your home design and décor in a way that wows while setting your home apart.

Why granite?

Granite simply isn’t like other building materials. It’s a rare case in which beauty is exceeded by durability. Granite is:

Resistant: Moisture, heat, and wear and tear pose little risk to this tough stone material. This is why granite is so popular in kitchens. A granite countertop will look just as good twenty years in as it did the day it was installed.
Appealing: Granite surfaces increase the appeal and value of your home. Few building materials provide a comparable return on investment.
Natural: Granite surfaces do require a synthetic sealing treatment to avoid staining. Aside from that, they are minimally processed and completely natural.
Unique: It’s because granite is natural that no two surfaces are ever exactly the same. The materials you weave throughout your home décor will be unique.

Granite is a luxury building material. While pricier than more common building materials, the benefits are realized both in performance and value. Below, examine a few ways you can use granite to elevate your home design.

Drinks, anyone? Granite-Topped Bars

Do you enjoy opening your home up to friends and family? Entertaining guests can be a great joy but it also motivates many homeowners to push their home design and décor to the next level. Granite-topped bar counters are a great way to do that.

They look great. They are easy to maintain. Your guests can set glasses down directly on the granite. Stone-topped counters are extremely resistant to staining. At the end of a long night, your granite-topped bar counter will need only a light wipe down with a duly appointed cloth to bring bag its luster.

Outdoor Living Spaces

Granite is an incredible material for transitional spaces that blend the comfort of indoors with the beauty of your exterior property. If you are thinking beyond the kitchen and about an outdoor remodeling project, granite is an ideal material for tables, countertops, and even chairs.

Some materials will degrade over time with exposure to the elements. Granite’s durability and moisture resistance make it perfect for standing the test of time in your outdoor living space.

Furniture

Granite can be set into furniture to create striking and original pieces. For example, are you looking for a way to elevate your family room? Consider a granite-topped coffee table. Not only will it be the center of attention but it will outperform wood-topped coffee tables. Its moisture-resistant surface will make it immune to rings caused by misplaced glasses.

Maybe you’d like to do something special in your garden. A granite bench will be similarly stunning. Not only will it look great but it won’t take a beating from torrential rain or constant sun exposure the way wooden or synthetic materials do.

Walls

Open-concept spaces are very popular. Some homeowners still want to delineate where one room ends and the next begins. Half-walls accomplish this by marking borders without making your home feel closed in and cramped.

Granite half walls are an attractive way to separate spaces. They are also uniquely capable of complimenting your existing theme. A half-wall that matches your kitchen counters will look great and impress your guests.

Fireplace

Another way to to think beyond the kitchen is with fireplaces. Stone fireplace mantles are a classic choice for homeowners who don’t want to limit granite to their bathrooms and kitchens. Not only do granite fireplace fixtures look great but they are also functionally appropriate.

Remember: granite is heat and stain-resistant. Your stone-topped fireplace will be a durable, easy-to-clean addition to your entertainment space.

Windowsills

Granite windowsills look nice and are one of the more affordable ways to introduce stone into your home décor. They are also more practical than wood windowsills. Windows are a prime source of moisture intrusion.

Windows allow small but consistent quantities of water vapors. As the glass ages, this effect becomes more pronounced. Over time, water droplets can degrade the paint job on your wooden windowsill and warp/rot out the material.

Stone windowsills are very moisture resistant and will not degrade the same way.

Granite Shelves

Granite shelves can be custom-made for your home bar, pantry, or even built-in shelving units. It’s an attractive and durable material that will catch the eye and accentuate your décor. It’s also easier to clean and maintain than traditional wooden shelves.

Misc. Granite

Little touches can make a big difference. You don’t always need to spend thousands of dollars to spruce up your home décor. There are lots of small and affordable ways to get granite into your house.

How about a stone-topped cutting board? Impress your guests with the most elegant-looking cheese plate they’ve ever seen. You can do the same with coasters or serving boards. And because granite is great at retaining its temperature, you can even chill the plate before serving cold items to prefer their ideal temperature.

If you are planning a larger granite-based remodeling project, talk to your contractors about this. They may be able to make accessories using leftover materials. It will save you money and match your existing décor theme.

Conclusion

Granite earns its sticker price many times over. Few materials can match its combination of natural beauty and durability. Why limit it to the kitchen or bathroom? Implementing granite throughout your property will not only elevate your décor but boost your home value.