7 types of granites that are ideal for the kitchen and tips for choosing the right one

Planning the kitchen is not always an easy task, and the sink and countertop are usually the elements that generate the most doubts: which material to choose? What is the ideal color to make my kitchen beautiful? Can you bet on light tones or do they get dirty a lot?

“Today, on the market we have a wide variety of materials for choosing a countertop or kitchen sink, the most popular and with the best cost benefit is granite, a rock formation of Quartz, Mica and Feldspar, which guarantees strength and durability. ”, highlight the architects Alessandra Rodrigues and Philippe Veras, from Mangô Arquitetura.

Ideal for environments that require this attention (resistance and durability), granite, in addition to its impermeability and practicality, has the best cost/benefit ratio on the market, according to the architects.

The architects add that granite can be applied to sink countertops, table tops, flooring, sills, windowsills, stairs, niches and other surfaces. Learn more about granite and choose the one that best suits your home!

The architects explain that the most used colors in granite are dark tones (such as Preto São Gabriel, Preto Absoluto and Café Imperial) and also the lighter tones (such as White Siena, White Polar, Itaúnas and Cinza Andorinha). Below you know a little more about each of these types of granite:

1. Black São Gabriel

Widely used, it can be combined with several other colors of furniture and coatings (such as beige, light and dark wood tones), but it is usually next to white, forming a classic and elegant composition in the kitchen.

2. Absolute Black

The homogeneous color enchants and can meet different goals! This granite goes perfectly well with a more traditional kitchen if the counters are white, for example, and also with more modern kitchens, especially metallic ones (with stainless steel). It provides an elegant and differentiated finish.

3. Imperial Coffee

It is a color that “warms up the decor” and conveys sophistication and status. It matches very well with dark woods and metal pieces.

4. White Siena

Versatile, it combines with varied colors of furniture and coatings. A great option for those who want a “light” kitchen… But it’s good to know that cleaning care is redoubled, because this type of light granite stains more easily than those in dark tones.

5. Polar White

Despite having a whiter background, it has spaced black spots that appear along the stone. This type of granite enhances the countertop or floor and ensures a clean and/or minimalist effect in projects. It is worth remembering that care with cleaning is also great in this case!

6. Gray Swallow

In this type of granite, the gray tone is predominant with black pigments spread evenly on its surface. Good choice for those who want a classic kitchen, with a neutral and discreet look.

Remembering that there are many other granite options on the market, but these are the most used in the kitchen environment today.

Granite x Marble

When it comes to ornamental stones, one of the first questions is certainly: marble or granite?

According to Alessandra and Philippe, the difference for the choice of material is simple: marble is porous and granite is much more waterproof. “For example, you should never use any type of marble in combat areas of the house, such as kitchens and service areas… As it is porous, it will stain in the first few weeks of use”, they explain.

“Marbles are beautiful stones due to their veins, colors, pores, so they are suitable for covering internal areas (hall, living room, living room, fireplaces), any type of area that is not specifically a work area (kitchen, service area, garage)”, emphasize the architects.

Granite, with its more subtle beauty, is the ideal stone for these “raw” environments (kitchen, laundry area, garage), add the experts.

5 tips for choosing the ideal granite for your kitchen

Below you can see the main points that should be taken into account when choosing the granite that you will use in your kitchen.

1. Think about cleanliness: Alessandra and Philippe point out that one of the few pathological problems, especially in the case of light granites, is that in the medium term they tend to get stained and grimy. “In most cases, the situation is reversible, as it is a natural product and maintenance from time to time ensures the aesthetics of the material (such as polishing, application of waterproofing agents, acrylic putty to close cracks, etc.). For these granites, we usually choose environments such as bathrooms, washrooms, as they make the space lighter and cleaner”, they comment.

2. Think about the advantages of dark colors for your kitchen: of course, your personal taste must be taken into account. If you’re willing to use light granite in your kitchen, despite knowing that it will get dirty more easily, that’s fine. But it is worth remembering that dark colored granites do not suffer from the same problem, being great options.
“In addition to the dark color being a wild card in the decoration, combining with any type of environment, it does not appear to be stained and worn out even in a long time”, comment Alessandra and Philippe. “That’s why they are the most used for kitchens and places where we use hot, greasy materials, in addition to making the environment look more modern and practical”, they add.

3. Do not exaggerate: the architects emphasize that an important care is not to abuse granite, especially if it is dark. “A kitchen with black granite in the sink and on the floor can be heavy and lead to fatigue over time,” they explain.

4. Think about safety: “Be careful also when choosing these stones for the floor in places that can have water… Because the risk of being slippery is high”, warn Alessandra and Philippe.

5. Take samples home: when choosing granite, visit marble shops and, if possible, ask for samples of materials that interest you. So you can take it to your home and compare it with the existing furniture and coatings, or even go to a building materials store and compare it with the tiles and decorative strips you intend to use. After all, observing side by side, it is easier to perceive the harmony and beauty of the combination.

Always talk to an architect and explain your expectations regarding the kitchen so that he can help you make the best choices.

11 kitchens with granite to inspire you

Get inspired by beautiful kitchens with granite to choose the best option for your home:

Other options for your kitchen

Alessandra and Philippe point out that, in recent years, the market for quartz surface materials has been growing and setting trends in decoration. “In advance we have already stated that it is a material equivalent to granite in terms of strength, durability and practicality. The great advantage of this industrialized material is the enormous variation in colors: they range from solid colors such as red, white, black, brown, among others, to more sophisticated colors with different textures and pigments. There is a very wide range of color options, models, there is no variation in tone between batches and, therefore, this market has been growing so much”, they explain.

Unlike marble and granite, the quartz surface has no restrictions on its use, it can be used both in work areas and in other common and intimate areas.

Another industrialized material that has become popular in recent years, according to the architects, are glass surfaces: a mixture of resin with glass particles that form an extremely white material, resembling a sheet of bond paper.

“This clean look and aesthetic parameters please those looking for an alternative to countertops and kitchen sinks, however, its pathological problems are enormous: it is a very delicate material that easily scratches, cracks and breaks in sharp corners. We do not recommend the use of glass-based surfaces such as Marmo glass and Nano glass for work areas in the house (kitchen and service area), because, compared to granite and quartz surfaces, in terms of resistance, durability and practicality. , ends up not being advantageous”, highlight Alessandra and Philippe.

It is also worth mentioning that these new stone options please the eye, but may not please the pocket. According to the architects, they are still far above the price of natural stones, showing a difference in budgets compared to granite and/or marble.

Thus, reinforce the architects, among the options, natural stones (granite and marble) have, without a doubt, the best cost/benefit ratio. And granite remains one of the most advantageous choices for an elegant kitchen!