Of all the accolades that have been said about the inherent beauty of natural stone, nothing says more about this wonder of nature more eloquently than the comment by a lady from the Midwest when she stood surveying her new black granite countertop, the centerpiece of a remodeled kitchen. “It’s like jewelry for your home,” she said.

It’s true! Selecting granite, marble, travertine or other natural stone products is a lot like going to a jewelry store and choosing a fine gem. Only in the case of jewelry, the beauty and quality of the stone is ultimately discerned under a powerful microscope. With natural stone it’s right there for the naked eye to see. Real stone is the natural choice for individuals who desire something unique in countertops, vanity tops, shower stalls, floors and other elements in the home. When a homeowner chooses natural stone, he or she is assured that no other home in the world will have stone that is an exact duplicate.

In addition to beauty and uniqueness, real stone is durable, versatile, cleanable and a real value for homeowners seeking to install a modern kitchen or bath in an existing home or those who are building a new structure. Real stone adds value to a home when it’s time to sell. In fact, studies show that homeowners who remodel and use natural stone recover between 80 and 86 percent of their remodeling cost at the time of resale.It’s important to know that natural stone will never go out of style. It is, by far, the first choice in materials for kitchens and baths around the world and growing by double-digit increments annually.