How Granite Kitchen Countertops Became American Cultural Icons

Whi Le styles for kitchen countertops come and go, some types of countertops are chiefly American and iconic. As the video “How granite countertops took over American kitchens” explains, Formica countertops were popularized well before granite countertops took their place. The trend for granite countertops to be the gold standard for countertops in America started with elite families adding granite countertops to their kitchens.

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From there, the trend flowed down to families with all kinds of lifestyles and socioeconomic statuses. Today, granite countertops are the ideal for hopeful house hunters on shows on home decorating and design networks. For many homeowners, they resemble entering a ritzy, cultured class of people who design their homes to fit a classy aesthetic.

Beyond being practical, granite countertops are beautiful. Many high-income households choose granite countertops for their kitchens as a status symbol. In the 2000s, the middle class was better able to afford high-end building materials like granite for their counter spaces thanks to changes in the global economic landscape. Instead of Italy being the main importer of granite for the U.S., Brazil took its place and made granite a more accessible material for those who wouldn’t have been able to afford it prior to this shift. With granite becoming easier for lower and middle-income households to obtain, its prevalence boomed.