From accents to countertops, granite has been an all-star material of interior design for decades. How has this elegant, yet simplistic, stone stayed in vogue for all these years? Granite is a great way to show off elegance and a refined sense of style, as well as to add an element to your space that has an iconic history. However, this just scratches the surface of why granite has had such rock-solid popularity for so long. Read on to learn why granite countertops are so trendy today and will definitely remain popular for years to come.

1. Granite Is Durable

The best place to start when we're talking about the advantages of granite as a material is to look at its durability. Granite is a heavy stone option that can withstand just about anything. It's a great choice for countertops, table surfaces, and decorative accents throughout your home. There's a reason why we have granite relics dating back thousands of years.

Other surfaces can very easily chip, crack, and be damaged through regular use. Granite helps you build long-lasting value in your home by giving you a material that's going to weather this daily wear much more effectively than artificial materials. When you're investing in new surfaces for your home, you want to select materials that will last for many years to avoid making unnecessary replacements. With granite, you know you're choosing a material you can count on long-term.

Granite countertops are especially popular for their durability. One of the biggest risks for countertops is heat damage. Hot pots from the stove or food fresh out of the oven can damage plastic and artificial countertops, but granite can stand up to this heat.

Granite countertops can be slightly susceptible to staining, but this is only due to the porous nature of this natural material. A quick cleanup job will ensure that your granite countertop can last for generations.

2. Granite Is Luxurious

Granite is one of the most luxurious building materials that you can find. This luxury goes back hundreds of years and is a testament to the long lifespan of this stone. There's a reason why there are so many granite imitations on the market today. You can find artificial granite in just about every home goods store, but the real deal has a luxury that just can't be faked.

Granite is synonymous with opulence and living the high life. You can find granite accents in some of the most luxurious homes, not only in our modern age but also throughout history. Accenting your home with granite, such as having granite countertops in your kitchen, is a sign of refined taste as well as an elegant lifestyle.

3. Granite Is Naturally Beautiful

When cut and polished, granite is one of the most beautiful naturally occurring stones. It has a speckled design that is captivating to the eye, and no two pieces of granite are identical, meaning granite countertops can add uniqueness to your home.

We're always drawn to natural beauty when it comes to decorating our home environments. According to Kitchen & Bath Design News, 62% of homeowners prefer subtle countertop designs. A granite countertop is a perfect accent whether you have a sleek, modern design defined by metal architecture or you're going for something much more rugged with vintage wood flooring. Any way you decide to decorate your home, the natural beauty of granite is going to stand out and add beauty and depth to your living space.

You can find granite in a wide variety of colors. You'll be able to choose from red, black, white, and even green or multicolored granite. There are granite options out there no matter what interior design scheme you're working with.

4. Granite Has History

Humans have been using granite for thousands of years, and it has long captivated people for its luxurious qualities. Artisans of the ancient world loved granite because it was nearly indestructible by their standards. It could easily withstand fire, weathering, and even the damage that came with warfare. There's a reason why we have so many granite structures that have survived the ancient world to the modern day.

The Red Pyramids of Egypt, constructed around 2,500 B.C.E., are some of the earliest granite structures, and they were built nearly 4,000 years ago! The ancient Egyptians preferred granite for its durability as well as its beautiful appearance. The Great Pyramid of Giza features one of the most impressive granite sarcophagi ever discovered. Cleopatra's Needle, now found in London, is also entirely made out of granite. The ancient Egyptians' use of granite in their monoliths also inspired British artisans to find new ways to refine and craft granite.

While people throughout the ancient world loved incorporating granite in their monuments and temples, it wasn't until the invention of steam power that granite became a household building material.

A Scottish engineer developed a way to use a steam-powered saw blade to quickly and efficiently manipulate granite. This resulted in the smooth, beautiful granite surfaces we are familiar with in modern times. It wasn't until the 1800s that we started to see the polished, smooth granite that we know and love today. This was much rarer in the ancient world as it took incredible levels of skill to refine granite to that level.

Granite also stands out in some of the most astounding natural wonders of the world. Half Dome in Yosemite is one of the most stunning natural wonders in the United States, and it's composed almost entirely of granite. If you have granite countertops in your kitchen, they contain some of the wonder, beauty, and luxury that granite shares throughout the world.

5. Granite Is Highly Sought After

One of the reasons that we associate granite with luxury is that it used to be incredibly difficult to acquire. In fact, granite can still be difficult to access today even though the process has been simplified thanks to industrial technology. Selecting an exclusive material for your home design can add a special element to its aesthetic.

Skilled artisans using specialty tools are needed to carve granite into its final form, whether as a structural building material or part of an intricate monument. The fact that all of this labor could only be done by hand in the past made granite incredibly rare.

Industrial technology has made granite much more readily available. However, it's still an incredibly heavy material that requires specialized gear to carve and distribute. Even though it's easier to access today, granite still maintains a sense of luxury that comes from exclusivity.

Luckily, it's easier than ever to install a granite countertop or to put granite accents in your home. Advancing technology has made getting granite and transporting this heavy stone material easier than ever before. You can now move granite all around the world with a fraction of the effort that this used to take. This means that you can get granite surfaces in your home without having to break the bank.

Why not add a little granite to your kitchen? Granite countertops go a long way when it comes to increasing the value of your home as well as how much you enjoy spending time in your space. To learn more or to get started with an estimate, contact our team at Zaso Stone Group today. We would love to assist you!