Granite Kitchen Countertops and Stainless Steel Appliances

As i though that It is depend on your installer that How they install it and How long they experienced with their job. I have installed this counter-top just two days ago and I have done it as well.

Amen Brother!

I would love more attention paid to the recycled glass products (e.g., http://www.vetrazzo.com/produc... or polished concrete, both of which look great and different...

Love this topic. Well, we've certainly seen it for years. I have to be careful, because as a designer, I sure am tired of granite, yet, there ARE stunning granites that, used well, or combined, can make the look more interesting.

I frequently recommend wood countertops (yes wood!) and slate, which I find to have better durability properties than granite. The unfading slate is the only type which does not need to be sealed. It's beautiful, matte, and has a little color to it, it's just a great choice. And, wood is so warm and simplicity itself to refinish, yet, of course, burn marks are a problem. I love it nonetheless.

Thanks RebeccaZ and Susan for chiming in here. I've also heard great things about wood countertops. I think my favorite right now is concrete when it's done right which may resemble the unfading slate you mentioned. I'll have to check that out!

A lot also depends on the decor of the kitchen. Granite, for example, would look completely out of place in a farmhouse kitchen and it's awkwardness would be more of a deterrent than a selling point. On the Home Renovation Guide's blog, we suggested certified wood as a good option for cases like those (http://blog.homerenovationguid..., but I would love to hear about materials that are green and naturally beautiful for the countertops if they're out there.

For better or worse, so much of kitchen design decisions are driven by how they might affect resale value and the kitchen's appeal to future potential owners. Granite and stainless steel have undergone a "mainstreaming" effect; once they're even slightly more popular than other options, they pop up everywhere because they're a safe choice.

Very true, I'm curious as to how long this trend will last and is there any other kitchen countertop material that may surpass granite. A lot of the "greener" options are just as durable and look great.

Granite is nice but can be rather a pain to install yourself.