16/12/2009 - Granite: The Natural Choice for Your Office or Home
The beautiful gloss finish of granite which is enhanced by the mineral patterns on the stone is an asset to any home.
Granite is a naturally occurring stone, durable and hard-wearing. It comes in many different colours including black, brown, grey, green, yellow and pink.
Many people love the appearance of black granite worktops but think that it may make their kitchen space look smaller. However black granite is finished with a polished surface that acts like a mirror. The light reflects around the room ensuring a light, spacious ambience.
As a material found naturally, granite has many variations and no two stones will look the same. How the rock is polished affects the finished product, so that the appearance of the unfinished piece can be different from the eventual result. There may be marks and imperfections, but this is what makes each slab unique and should not be seen as a defect.
Granite in the Kitchen or Commercial Premises
Granite is not a porous material, so when fitted correctly there are very few nooks and crannies where bacteria can breed. It makes an ideal kitchen worktop because it is important to keep work surfaces clean and free from germs. It does not stain easily, and it is difficult to scratch.
Although it is a tough material, it is still advisable to use trivets or pan rests for hot pans and chopping boards when using kitchen knives. This not only protects your granite worktop, it will also keep your kitchen knives sharper for longer.
Granite can also be used as a top for freestanding kitchen furniture such as kitchen islands or breakfast bars. It makes an attractive surround and draining board for the sink. The variety of colours of granite makes it easy to match the worktop to the colour scheme of the room.
Granite is easy to clean and this means that it is an excellent choice as a bar counter in commercial premises. The tough nature of the stone ensures that it can cope with a lot of use while maintaining the original look of the bar. It will last many years if properly cared for.
Granite in the Bathroom
Although the kitchen is more usually the place where a customer considers buying granite, it is also a beautiful material to use in the bathroom.
It can be used as decoration in mosaics and tiles, or it can be used as a hard-wearing and waterproof floor. It will need sealing to maintain the original gloss. It can also be used as wall tiles, or to decorate the room completely as a shower room. The lack of breeding space for bacteria is an asset and the look of the finished product will ensure that the bathroom is the envy of your neighbours. The gloss of granite enhances the furniture of a bathroom and the different tones can be matched to your own tastes exactly.
Granite can be used to surround baths and to make vanity unit counters to ensure a unified decoration scheme in your bathroom. The material provides a beautiful piece of furniture that will give many years of service.
Granite floors are becoming more popular in the work place and in public places too. The gloss finish can give a luxury feel to any office or entrance hall. The wide choices of colours can set off most schemes. The hard-wearing and scratch-resistant nature of granite makes it a perfect choice as a floor.
The versatile and practical nature of granite makes it a wise choice for those customers who want a quality product that will give them many years of excellent service and enhance the decor of their homes or work places.
