One of the most popular countertop options available is granite, and with good reason. Granite is intricate, sophisticated and beautifully compliments most any décor. While this material was once considered a luxury reserved exclusively for high end homes in Toronto; today, it is practically standard feature, and many Toronto home builders offer it in even their least expensive properties. If you are in love with granite but want to step away from the “common look”, selecting exotic varieties and applying some eye-popping decorating ideas gives you the perfect option to make this often standard material feel fresh and vibrant again.

Azul Bahia

Azul Bahia, originating in Bahia, Brazil is a blue-hued granite with extensive veining. As soothing as the ocean’s waters and anything but predictable, variations of this granite’s veining lean toward black, green or even white. Exotic and pricey, Azul Bahia is not the typical choice for homeowners to simply upgrade their kitchen or bathroom countertops. Instead, this granite is reserved for the supporting role, adding that pop of sophistication in a fireplace surround or intricate tile inlay. If your Toronto home has a Mediterranean flair, Azul Bahia is a wonderful choice to accent your Middle Eastern style bathroom or kitchen.

highland park
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Van Gogh

If you love color and depth, Van Gogh granite is a must-have in your home. Mined in Brazil, this granite is rich in color and shines like a starry night in small doses throughout a variety of rooms. Use it to compliment solid color décor and as an eye-catching focal point in your room. Van Gogh granite is a beautiful choice for your fireplace surround, a kitchen backsplash or as part of your Toronto outdoor living space.

Groveland Road
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Onyx

Majestic onyx always demands attention from everyone in the room and is a beautiful way to make your home feel rich and luxurious. Mined across the globe, onyx is much softer than granite, and that makes it more difficult to mine intact except in the smallest of pieces. This material comes with a hefty price tag, but even a small amount of it in your home adds an incredible pop and serves as quite the statement piece.

Lake Union Floating Home 2
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Renowned Toronto home designers have chosen onyx as the wall covering and backdrop for a master bath, a dividing wall between a living room and dining room to create two spaces out of one and to create a one-of-a-kind trough sink. Implementing onyx on a more limited budget is also possible by choosing smaller pieces to use as tiles when creating an awe-inspiring kitchen backsplash. While this material is an excellent choice for many spaces, keep in mind that it is soft and scratches easily, so it would not be appropriate for a home with smaller children, lively dogs or in areas prone to excessive use and possible damage.

Choosing granite for your home doesn’t mean you have to settle for a cookie-cutter look that reminds you of every other house on the block. With a little imagination and by including these rare, exotic and intricate types of granite in your design, you can create a spectacular home that certainly sits apart from the pack. Discuss these and other exotic granite choices with your Alair Homes Toronto general contractor when building or renovating your property.