At Home: Granite, quartz countertops offer durability, beauty in the kitchen

Ready for a fresh look in your kitchen? New countertops are a good place to start.

Donna Hamm, owner of Hamm's Home Interiors in Iowa City, says most of her customers choose between granite, quartz and laminate.

How to choose? Consider longevity, durability, budget, colors and how the countertops will match your sink, faucets and backsplashes.

Quartz is the top choice for durability, Hamm says. Quartz is also lower maintenance. Granite needs to be sealed periodically, which can be done by the homeowner.

Granite is mined from the earth as one stone and sliced into the thickness of a countertop. Quartz, however, is ground into powder and man-made liquids are added to make it pourable. It is then poured into slabs and cut to the shape of the countertop.

Unlike granite, quartz is non-porous and non-absorbent, so it is stain-resistant and will not promote bacteria growth.

Many people love granite countertops for their unique beauty.

'Granite is the natural look, out of the earth. No two pieces will ever look alike. It's made from thousands of years of sun and rain and wind and compression,' Hamm says.

She won't sell a customer a piece of granite unless they pick out their individual piece themselves. That's because each slab has its own unique pattern and color variations. If you need more than one piece, be prepared for them not to match exactly.

Large movement swirl patterns are the current trend, as opposed to the traditional 'salt and pepper' or small chip patterns.

Hamm's Home Interiors

1134 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City; (319) 354-1881; hammshomeinteriors.net

Hamm's Home Interiors Inc. can handle all of your design needs. Give us a call or visit our showroom today.