Granite countertops.
Beautiful.
Sophisticated.
Sleek.
Natural.
No matter what your personal taste or home decor is, there is no doubt a color and style of granite that you will fall in love with.
But what about the price? Sure we love the look of granite, but how can we swing getting granite countertops in our home without breaking the bank - how can we save on granite countertops? Here are some tips on achieving your dream kitchen by adding granite countertops on a budget.
Many people are under the mistaken impression that granite countertops ALWAYS cost more than composite or manufactured products.
Not so! As a matter of fact, there are several styles of granite that cost less than similar looking solid surface or quartz products.
And while granite may never be less expensive than laminate, it absolutely can be less expensive than solid surface or quartz.
Granite comes in a wide range of color schemes depending on the area of the world in which they are cut.
There are 'standard' granite colors and 'exotic' granite colors.
And their cost ranges are as wide as their color ranges.
Standard granite colors can cost as little as $35 per square foot installed, while exotic granites can reach upwards of $300 per square foot! There about a dozen different granite colors which are considered in the industry to be 'standard'.
According to installers of granite countertops in Maryland, some of the colors considered standard include:

• Cinnamon Sand (a medium brown tone with darker brown flecks and veins)
• Tan Brown (a darker brown tone with cinnamon, deep brown and black flecks and veins)
• Santa Cecilia (a light brown marbled style with black and grey veins and a medium speckled pattern)
• Caledonia (a medium grey tone with greenish flecks and lighter grey veins)
• Verde Butterfly (a dark green down with cinnamon and lighter green flecks and veins and a varied speckled pattern)
• Canelle (a pinkish tone with light pink, grey and dark grey flecks and veins)
• Ubatuba (a deep green tone with dark green and black flecks and veins)
• Sapphire Blue Brown (a medium to deep brown tone with light brown, dark brown and blue flecks and veins)
• Brazil Black (a deep black with dark flecks and veins)
• Black Impala (a dark grayish tone with black flecks and a tight speckled pattern)
• Baltic Brown (a medium brown with dark green and brown flecks and veins and a large speckled pattern)
• Sunset Gold (a light pinkish tone with brown, green and light flecks and a tight speckled pattern)
• Luna Pearl (a light to medium grayish tone with dark grey flecks and a tight speckled pattern)

Many of these standard granite colors can be installed by a professional for as little as $35 per square foot.
So, depending on the size of your kitchen and its countertop coverage, having granite countertops installed could cost less than $2500.
Not bad! Before you count out granite, do some research.
Peruse the web to look at colors and styles that you like.
Visit home showrooms to see various colors and style in use (granite can look a whole lot different when you see 10 feet of it compared to a few inches on a swatch), and contact a reputable granite installer who can review your options with you and provide an accurate cost estimate.
Your dream kitchen with granite countertops may just be closer than you think!