Real Estate Blog

"I am spoiled, it's true. I don't even know how to use that thing in the kitchen with the burners."

Cindy Margolis

Granite Vs Quartz

Granite, I like the styles better!

Changing trends in Meridian Idaho new construction materials, especially for kitchen countertops can mean that a bad choice can cost you thousands and a great choice can keep your kitchen looking fresh and up to date for a long time to come! While many surfaces are out of style, granite remains the number one choice for countertops in both Meridian new homes and existing homes for sale in the Boise Mls. Around 2005 we saw a big uptick in the use of solid surfaces for kitchen and master countertops and for several years 4 or 5 of the same stones were gracing the tops of many homes for sale in Meridian and Boise. Over and over, Baltic Brown, Uba Tuba, and Tropica Brown were all big sellers. However with ever increasing demand and changing trends it means a complete retro fit in the styles and selections of granite’s available to home buyers and builders alike.
Light and white colored granites have taken center stage in both kitchen and master baths. The tans and blacks of the birth of granite counters in Idaho have given way to Shivikashi and White Piracema are all popular in today’s market place and should hold value well down the road as they are easy to add accent colors in other places. Other white based stones with some movement and inflection like Kashmir White are trending and have been a mainstay for the last 5 plus years.
Other factors to consider when deciding what stone is best for you are neutral beige colored stones give more decorating options, White based stones will make a kitchen look larger. Many brown granites add warmth and a cabinesque rustic feel, Jewel toned granites are striking and add a foreign exotic feel. Many consider black and grey granites as more dramatic.
Combined with the easy care requirements, beautiful appearance and longevity if properly sealed and cared for granite is a great alternative for today’s Boise real estate buyer
Solid surface counters are slated to remain popular into the next decade and beyond, as trends move toward more natural materials. Make sure you spend the extra little bit of money and get yourself a high quality professional grade sealer. You get what you pay for in a sealer and while the big box store sealers work, a professional grade sealer such as Tenax's “Ager” a color enhancing granite sealer. It will keep your counters stain free and looking new for years to come. This is how the installers really make the colors pop when they are done! 

And by the way it is a lot harder to get stains out of quartz than granite!