Granite slowly forms underground over millions of years as a result of volcanic (this creates extrusive granite) or plutonic (this creates intrusive granite) activity.
The granites used to create beautiful kitchen worktops today were over a hundred million years in the making. This geological process, orchestrated by Mother Earth, has created a diverse range of granites. These change in appearance depending on the country of origin, with Brazil, Angola, India, Spain, Canada and Norway being key players.
Granite colours
Granites can be white, black, grey, gold, brown, pink, various shades of all these and a mixture of all. They can also have metallic deposits (as popularised by Star Galaxy granite).
Which colour is best for your kitchen is a matter of taste. Most opt for something timeless, like Angel White or Black Pearl. Recently, we’ve seen an increasing number of people opt for something warmer in high-end homes, such as De Angelo. If you want granite worktops that stand out, Magma Gold, mined in Brazil, offers a stunning finish.
The links above are to International Stones, our trusted granite supplier.
The colour of the granite worktop you choose will play a role in the finish you opt for. Some like the look of a deep, glossy black worktop, while some like the look of a light, matte white worktop. Whichever is your preference, you can have it with our granite worktops.
Granite worktop finishes
Once you’ve picked a colour or stone, you can choose a finish for your worktops. There are four to consider, which we’ll cover below.
Glossy (polished granite)
- Smooth to the touch
- Has a mirror-like finish
- Looks as good as new, always
A glossy worktop is polished to a mirror-like finish. Light will reflect and bounce off the surface like it’s made from glass. This is by far the most popular finish because the worktops stand out and add a real sense of depth to a kitchen.
Satin (honed granite)
- Smooth with a light texture
- Reflects light, but doesn’t mirror it
- Exceptionally durable. Looks fantastic
A satin granite worktop has 30% of the shine of a glossy one. The worktop blends into its environment and reflects direct light only. It’s smooth to the touch with a texture akin to a beach pebble (but without the dimples and imperfections).
Matte (sanded granite)
- Smooth to the touch, light texture
- Doesn’t reflect much light
- Blends into its environment
A matte granite worktop has less than 5% of the shine of a glossy one. This worktop appears to absorb the light around it and really blends into its environment. It’s popular in high-end kitchens and larger spaces.
Leathered granite
- Coarse to touch
- Has pits and fissures
- Offers an aged, preloved look
A leathered granite worktop has pits and fissures that make it slightly coarse and slightly rough to the touch. Leathered granite worktops are popular in period and eclectic kitchens, due to their unique, worn appearance.
Because granite worktops are a bespoke product made to order for you, we can polish them, or matte them, as much as you like. We can also give the worktop an edge profile you choose. We offer pencil round, bevel, bullnose, half bullnose, dupont, ogee, cove, waterfall, birds peak, mitred downstand and a wide range of other edge profiles.
Which finish should I choose for my granite worktop?
The most popular granite worktop finish is glossy (polished) followed by satin (honed). And they’re most popular for a reason – they hide wear and tear exceptionally well and aren’t too daring as to devalue a home in the eyes of a buyer.
If you want something different to make your kitchen stand out from the crowd and all those brochures you’ve been looking through, a matte or leathered granite worktop will get the job done. But these finishes do polarise opinion.
We find that most of our customers only know what finished they want after they’ve inspected their slab. And that’s fine with us. We can send you photographs of your slab or you can come see it in person. You’ll get a better feel for the slab this way and get a sense of what a glossy, satin, matted or leathered finish will look like.
To find out more about granite worktop finishes for your kitchen, speak to one of our experts today. Call us on 0113 873 0102 or contact us here to send us an email. Thank you.
