Even if this is true can you afford a new one in my opinion it doesn't matter what type of stone you have as long as its color goes with your kitchen and maintenance free

IMO granite will always have a place in kitchens it is almost indecstructable, comes in great colors and IMO the edge is the most dated thing usually . Just choose a simple eased edge .

There are many options that are considered more current but do what you love no matter what is trending. Everything "in style" will at some point go out of style. Re: granite, my geologist DH tells me that most of what is called granite isn't granite at all, it's some kind of metamorphic rock and that granite is a "trade" name. So in short, get what you love and don't worry about what is in style and out of style. Just don't get that stuff that IMO looks like olive loaf. :-)

White granite is very much in style. It is what you would choose today if you wanted granite. It's not really white though. More like white and brown.

Natural elements (granite, wood, wool fabric, etc) are in nature, all the time. To suggest they can go out of style is like saying you walked through the woods and poo-pooed Mother Nature for her colour scheme.

Anything that took thousands of years to form should not be readily dismissed after a decade.

I think granite used to be considered really high-end for kitchens, and that isn’t necessarily the case nowadays - quartz, quartzite, soapstone, marble, concrete are what I see in most high-end kitchens these days. That being said, some granite can look very current and it is still popular in some price ranges. There’s a lot of variation with the colors, so some will look more dated than most. What’s also important is how it is cut - the rounded corners at the ends of islands or peninsulas look really dated to me, but a sharper corner would probably look more current. Do you have a picture of the granite you’re talking about?

For example - the first picture, the rounded corner looks dated to me. The second picture has a sharper corner and looks more current. Both are granite and I think the color and pattern of both of these slabs could look modern in the right environment.

All the stones are beautiful, in my opinion. I think granite fell out of favor because people began to view it as "common". To piggyback on jpp221's sentiments, there's nothing common about it. It's gorgeous stuff!

Quartzite is the current "darling". In 15 years, we'll have a new favorite. Quartz is also quite popular. Laminates are making a comeback in a big way, too. They're not what we remember from decades passed.

I think the best thing one can do to ensure their kitchen is current is to have a countertop that works well for the cook's cooking/cleaning style, a great layout, thoughtful storage and sufficient lighting.

@lisaam Well put. Perhaps better still, "Granite SHOULD be a lifetime purchase." I think that was thinking before quartz came along. We as a society are very thoughtless about resources.

I saw many new houses on the Parade of Homes last year with granite countertops. Perhaps your friend watches too much HGTV:)

There are a few granites that are very common and so less expensive. They are not so much dated as common. They are often thrown on cabinets when a person wants to upgrade to sell. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, these particular granites are less attractive. That said, they are a good, strong, natural countertop, I totally agree about the waste of resources. Marketers have people chasing trends and forgetting about resources.

Perhaps better still, "Granite SHOULD be a lifetime purchase." I think that was thinking before quartz came along. We as a society are very thoughtless about resources.

Exactly what I was going to say.

Thank you all for the thoughtful replies. I agree, it IS a big purchase and should stay in the home for a very long time. We have a 90s home we are updating. The kitchen is old with laminate counters but the cabinets are solid wood and the layout isn’t horrible. So we will have them professionally updated and do the counters ....eventually. :). Once we get the money saved!

I also have an older kitchen and decided to keep my wood cabinets - actually, I could not afford not to, and I personally prefer wood. I wanted light counters and ended up with quartz because I could not find a light granite that I felt looked good with my oak cabinets. The combination looked busy, probably due to the grain of my cabinets. The darker granites can look very good with the wood, but my preference was for light countertops.

I have seen older kitchens do well with granite - they usually had a less busy cabinet - maple or a darker stained oak. One thing about doing a kitchen refresh is that one has a working kitchen, and saving up some additional months for a particular surface can often be done. I fell in love with a Kolher Whitehaven sink (short apron style to fit my standard sink base cabinet) and put off my refresh while I added some more $$ to my budget.

This older wood kitchen did very well with a granite:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/finally-finished-with-kitchen-updating-dsvw-vd~4512247

This is mine with quartz:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~110720042

Here is a wood kitchens idea book. It has both newer and older, refreshed wood kitchens:

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/75202366/list/wood-kitchens

There are SO many colors and patterns that are termed "granite" that to say granite is outdated is too general. I've never liked the busy speckly brown/gold/coral granite, and never used it--I kept my white laminate rather than install that type of stone.

When I renovated my kitchen a few years ago, I used honed white marble and honed black Jet Mist granite, both of which I LOVE and don't care if anyone in 15 years says look "dated."

Get what you really love, make sure it works with your other choices (cabinets, flooring, backsplash), have it fabricated and installed by a quality craftsman, and don't worry about what is on trend or out of fashion.

Diana

I am loving the honed look. I bet it’s beautiful. The black reminds me of soapstone.

Jhmarie- your kitchen is gorgeous!! Your cabinets are very pretty too. I am glad you didn’t paint them. Ours are just too old and ugly!

HeatherN. Thanks for bringing up the cut and photos. Big difference!

Has anyone ever heard granite scream? Sorry . . . . I couldn't resist. It's late and I'm punchy. I think it's time for bed. :-))

My parents did the kitchen in our family home in the mid 90s. It's a very traditional house that successfully tricks people into thinking it's been there for a hundred years, so it has a traditional kitchen. My dad went with mahogany millwork and dark granite - everyone thought he was crazy for going with such dark finishes (this was another period of white kitchen popularity), and this was when granite in general was less ubiquitous and was more high end.

Today, kitchen is as timeless as ever and definitely doesn't look dated at all, even with the granite.

I think what makes granite scream early 2000s is when beige-brown granular-pattern granite is used in conjunction with beige, taupe, sand, tan, and maybe some more beige.

Yep, brown and beige say early stone countertops all right.

We need new standards for stone, which of course has already lasted ages. The very idea of materials that can last centuries discarded after a few years, like old linoleum countertops once were after 2 or even 3 decades of service, seems very wrong.

I like to imagine pwners someday murmuring with fake modesty that their counters are from the First Granite Era. :)

To me what is dated about granite is the darker colors, the tight speckled pattern, and the double ogee edges. If you stay away from that, granite is still a great choice. Stick with lighter color slabs with large movement and then pick a simple edge. Yes, quartz products are the latest thing, but they are more expensive, in my opinion you have less options in terms of color and style, they require more care, they don't wear as well, and you lose what I call the "art" aspect that granite has because granite is a natural (not man made) product.

All I can say is that my granite was a great investment in terms of durability. I cannot hurt that stuff!! (mine is pretty dark "sapphire blue" they call it, but it's not very blue at all)