Various materials contribute to the design of custom homes: timber, ceramic, laminate and natural stone, among others. One excellent material to consider is granite, which is extremely versatile, in that you can install it in many places both indoors and outdoors. Here are several advantages of decorating your custom home with this particular type of natural stone.

Durable And Tough

Granite is exceptionally robust and durable: so much so that features in the construction in various buildings. This strength makes it extremely versatile as far as home use goes. You can place it on top of kitchen cabinets or bathroom vanities, or to form robust counters that can take virtually any treatment. Granite is both scratch and heat resistant. If you cut directly on its surface, your knife might come out second best—blunted from the hardness of the granite. Regardless, it's always wise to use cutting boards rather than tempting fate. Likewise, though granite countertops can resist heat, it's advisable to use trivets when cooking. Similar to most stones, granite is porous, however, and thus it will require regular sealing.

 Colourful And Diverse

Another big plus with granite is the vast range of colours and patterns on offer. Slabs typically present a speckled and mottled appearance in hues, such as greys, browns, blacks and pinks. Sometimes the mottles are monotone so that various shades of the same or similar colour create a relatively muted look. For instance, a slab might feature speckles of light, dark and mid blues, fawns, browns and tans. Other granites appear striking, with dark against pales tones. You'll have a virtual goldmine of colour options.

Versatile Design Options

Designing with granite is fun as you can incorporate it right around the home and garden. As mentioned, it makes excellent countertops, but as well you can cover kitchen and bathrooms walls and floors with stunning granite tiles. In the garden, you can spread gorgeous granite pavers across your patio or paths, using different shapes to create a variety of looks: setting them in herringbone or running bond patterns. You can also beautify your garden with granite cobblestones to create rustic paths or retaining walls. Even for large retaining walls, granite makes an excellent choice because of its inherent strength and hardness. 

Because you can virtually use granite anywhere, it's easy to create a cohesive and polished design around your home. You could, for instance, repeat a granite colour from the kitchen floor on the patio to unite the two areas. Alternatively, you could contrast the granite in different areas but in a harmonious way. You might, for example, use predominantly grey granite in one location, and brown in another.