Picture the perfect kitchen. It might have floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a panoramic view of the Swiss Alps. Or maybe it doesn’t have windows, because it is an outdoor kitchen on a tropical beach only you know about.
Sadly, kitchens like those are probably just beyond your financial reach. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a gorgeous view every time you fix supper. All you need is the timeless beauty of natural stone countertops!
Natural Stone: An Investment in Your Surroundings
The average American spends over 400 hours in their kitchen each year. Four out of five Americans cook more than half of their meals at home. All of this is to say what you already know: You spend a lot of time in your kitchen. And when you make it beautiful, you spend that much more time surrounded by beauty.
Humans have a strong preference for natural environments. We feel happier when we’re surrounded by nature, which is why we justify paying more for homes that are surrounded by it. Our innate preference for “real” things also explains why natural diamonds are valued more highly than lab-grown ones, even though the two are indistinguishable to the naked eye.
No other kitchen update appeals to your inborn fondness for nature more than natural stone. Manufactured materials like quartz can look very nice, although none of them can truly emulate the alluring luster, rich color, and intriguing pattern of natural stone.
Natural stone will make any kitchen unique, too. No two pieces of it are ever the same. Each slab’s one-of-a-kind pattern is the product of its formation over the course of hundreds of thousands of years deep within the earth’s crust. In a sense, a natural stone countertop is a piece of natural history!
Natural Stone: An Investment in Your Home
More than half of homebuyers say a good kitchen could convince them to purchase a home they otherwise wouldn’t have considered. And if the rising demand for countertops illustrates anything, it’s that people equate good kitchens with good countertops.
Ask any homebuyer which type of countertops they would prefer in their next home. If they don’t choose granite, then they will probably say marble, quartzite, travertine, onyx, or some other material that can only be pulled out of the ground.
Why do homebuyers prefer natural stone? For all the same reasons as homeowners. Their beauty aside, natural stone countertops are durable, easy to maintain, pleasing to the senses, and even environmentally friendly.
It is difficult to predict just how much value natural stone countertops would add to your home. By some estimates, granite countertops represent a 200% return on investment. Others are more conservative, ranging anywhere from 25 to 100%. But at the end of the day, you can rest assured you will recoup a significant part of your investment in natural stone should you ever decide to sell your home.
Natural Stone: There’s No Time Like the Present
Depending on its type and how well it’s maintained, a natural stone countertop can easily last over 100 years. If you’re considering making the perfect kitchen update, then there’s no reason to delay getting your new stone countertops. You’ll enjoy peak kitchen aesthetics that much sooner. Better yet, your investment in your home won’t depreciate in value. Natural stone is made to last.
Are you planning on hosting friends and family for the holidays? Then there’s still time to upgrade your kitchen with an accent that will hold its allure and value indefinitely. Contact Gallery 77 today for custom natural stone countertops in the greater Hudson, WI area, or come visit our showroom for inspiration!
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