Will Granite Make a Come Back?

I have been wondering when we would start going back to the stone yards more often to look at natural stone counters. It used to be one of my favorite field trips with our clients because with something natural, there is a uniqueness in every piece and something about the hunt for the perfect piece was gratifying.

My prediction is that color is driving a lot of the trend as white quartz does not stain like marble or light-colored granite. Quartz also offers continuity in the color or type selected. 

In a recent HOUZZ for professionals’ blog, granite is 28% of the market and quartz is 48% (down from 51% last year). That is a national number though, and may not yield the same result as a local one. We are still seeing quartz in more than 75% of the kitchens we create and it is still a great product and will likely be popular for some time, but we are currently working on a kitchen with granite in its future which is exciting!

 
Cost isn’t the only reason to go granite, but here are some interesting facts about the cost. When I started in this business almost 30 years ago, granite averaged $125 per square foot installed…(yikes!) in the early 90’s! The market on distribution and fabrication became saturated and common stones around 2010 (aided by the Great Recession) were $30-$40 per square foot. Now, most kitchens we install with quartz are north of $1,500 per square foot while I think Granite has been slow to recover… and actually a great value if you think like me that you can’t beat mother nature.

Going with natural stone is not something we think one should do for savings alone, so if you are wanting something no one else can get… start shopping for that slice of God’s creation that is a one of a kind!