Justin Fink confirms what I've been saying all along

Prediction 2010: Granite Countertops Are So Last Decade - Fine Homebuilding

When I say this article speaks to me, I mean it calls me out BY NAME!

"Oh Barbara, you've GOT to get granite countertops for your kitchen...." Justin writes, illustrating how granite was a peer-pressure induced trend perpetrated on people who don't know any better. Hopefully a trend drawing to a close.

I've been anti-granite this whole time. When high end kitchens started using it, that was one thing. People don't USE high end kitchens. It's just for looks. I predicted it would become a prestigious thing, which smacks of new money (or worse, high limit credit) and no taste. This is my main objection to it. I had a good friend replace the perfectly good dark gray formica counters in his 3 yr old house with granite against my VEHEMENT objections. I hate to insult him all over again, but I already told him this right to his face a year ago.... His kitchen has laminate FLOORS! To add granite countertops to that is just trashy. It's like women going in Walmart wearing $4 flip flops carrying a giant handbag with designer logos printed all over it.

Now after I explained my objections to my friend and he wanted granite anyway I agreed to be nice and help him choose the slabs he would use. He got a good price on the materials and was doing the work himself so the expense wasn't really a big issue. I based my color recommendation on his cats, figuring if cat hair is going to get on the counter it might as well blend. I even helped him pick out paint for the kitchen to match the new counters and painted it for him. He gave me all the old counters and sinks from the kitchen and two bathrooms since I have a big shed. I didn't store it very long before I had an aunt that needed a new kitchen counter and sink and she took that part. Then another friend was attempting to convert shipping containers into camp lodgings, so I gave him a bathroom counter and sink. I still have more if anybody wants it! I can't actually use it myself because I'm sensitive to the particleboard backing.

I have solid surface counter in my kitchen around the sink, and some pine counters made from trees I played under as a child. I bought the Corian for $40 from a surplus and salvage place that was covered up with the stuff when everybody started switching to granite.

What will the granite be used for when everybody decides it's passé? It might be useful as thermally massive floors next to a south facing window. I might keep that in mind and start stockpiling dark color granite for my next building project.