How exciting is it to find that perfect countertop for your kitchen? There are so many different types of countertops that it can be difficult to decide which type of countertop is right for your kitchen.
While laminate countertops are great for those with a strict budget, something like granite is much higher end. There are also many granite options to choose from with different price ranges, colors, and textures.
What Is Blue Bahia Granite?
One of these amazing granite options is known as blue Bahia granite. Blue Bahia granite is a special granite with blue tones that is both rare and high-end. But is it more than about the way that the granite looks?
Yes! Blue Bahia granite is a stone that is likely the bluest granite that can buy. It is exclusively quarried in central Brazil, often called Azul Bahia granite in the country. The main color for this granite is undisputably blue.
But the actual stone that the granite is quarried from is actually a bright white with touches of blue throughout when viewed up close. But on average anywhere from 70% to 90% of the stones will be blue.
The Shades Of Blue
The exact color of blue can be anywhere from a light sky blue thorough to a very dark midnight blue. The dark blues are rarer while the light to medium blues are more common in the blue Bahia granite.
More often than not though, the magical effect of multiple shades of blue swimming together in the sea of white will be what you’ll see. This “common” effect is the absolute best possible result, so we are all lucky.
The Blue Bahia Pattern
There are other colors in the blue Bahia granite, ranging from black to cream to brown. Even touches of green can be found. There are also different patterns found in this granite. All of them are natural patterns.
Some blue Bahia granite can be dense and have tiny dots all over it while others have a more marble-like effect. Some have swirls and others have streams. So finding a pattern that suits you is important.
Cost Of Blue Bahia Countertops
While blue Bahia granite can be used for almost anything any other granite can be used for, its most common use is countertops. The average cost for blue Bahia countertops is around $100 per square foot.
This can vary greatly depending on where you live, what is available near you, and how much granite you need. Sometimes, wholesalers can sell you enough granite for your entire kitchen at a discount.
If you are trying to figure the average amount of granite needed for a kitchen, figure the amount of counter space first. The average counter space is around 30-sqft. So if your kitchen is average, you would pay around $3000 for Blue Bahia granite countertops.
Blue Bahia Granite Interior Design
While using neutral-colored granite countertops is easy, using blue countertops is not. It can be very difficult to match blue countertops, especially blue granite which can make most other things in the kitchen look dull.
It’s important to ensure that everything you use in your kitchen is cohesive and has a good flow. So start with the countertops and move outward. Because the countertops are your focal point and most defining piece.
Blue Backsplash
Although you can use a neutral backsplash when using Blue Bahia Granite, sticking with the blue theme for this particular item is usually a good idea. This is because you want to keep the color scheme working together.
Any shade of blue will do but don’t buy the backsplash until you’ve seen the granite in person. Because it is possible that the blues won’t work well together. So get the granite and then match the backsplash to it.
Neutral Tile Floors
This is one place where you probably want to stick with something neutral. Gray tile is one of your best bets for flooring in a kitchen with Blue Bahia granite. While other floors can work, you will get the most out of tile.
Brown tile can also look good but only if there are brown traces in the countertops. If you already have tile and don’t want to replace it then it should be fine as long as it isn’t a bright color that will overwhelm the kitchen with the blue.
Blue Bahia Granite In Your Bathroom
Blue Bahia granite looks great in the bathroom but people usually only imagine it in the kitchen. This is a shame because granite countertops can go in any room that has a counter, you don’t have to save it for the kitchen.
When pairing the countertops in the bathroom, try to stick with a neutral tole for the cabinets. This is your only real trouble. Blue countertops and cabinets will surely overtake the room. Gray, black, and white all work fine though.
Granite Vs. Quartz
This is an age-old question that not many people can answer. Is granite or quartz better, and what are the differences between the two? Let’s take a look at each of them, comparing the blue quartz to blue Bahia granite.
While one may win each category, that doesn’t mean the other is useless in the category. It simply means that the first has an edge over its competitor not that it is necessarily a con in the category it “lost” under.
What is Granite?
Granite is a 100% natural hard stone that is mined from quarries all over the world. It depends on the type of granite as to where it was mined. For example, the Brazilian mines are used for Blue Bahia granite.
What is Quartz?
Quartz countertops are only 95 percent natural. The other 5% is simply resins used to hold the quartz together and create an extremely durable surface. So it is only slightly less natural than granite.
Aesthetics: Granite
Quartz is truly an amazing material and it looks great compared to laminate countertops. But when it comes to high-end countertops, granite will always come out on top. But to be fair, there isn’t a huge gap between them.
Because quartz still looks great and a lot of people wouldn’t know the difference between granite and quartz if they saw the two together. But that doesn’t change the fact that granite is a “nicer” stone than quartz.
Cost: Quartz
We’ve already discussed the cost of Blue Bahia granite and the average kitchen will cost around $3000 for these countertops. The cost of quartz is actually harder to define than granite because the price range is larger.
But in general, you can expect to pay somewhere between 50-75% of the cost of granite. For example, if you pay $3000 for granite, you would pay around $1500 to $2250 for quartz in the same color.
Eco-Friendly: Quartz.
This one is tough because granite is 100% quarried and cut in slabs that end up on your counters. This uses a lot of energy and natural resources for the sole purpose of making your kitchen look nice.
On the other hand, quartz is 5% resin, not 100% natural stone. We give it the win here because it is a more plentiful resource and because it is easier to buy locally and uses less energy to quarry as the stone doesn’t have to be a slab.
Resale Value: Granite
While people are pleased when they see quartz, they always wish that it were granite in the house they are looking at. This isn’t a question that’s easy to answer but put simply, granite is higher-end.
People are always looking for whatever is the highest-end and granite is the highest-end countertop option out there. So it is a good investment to get granite countertops in the kitchen if you can afford them.
Maintenance: Quartz
Granite countertops need to be cleaned every day with dish soap and warm water. It is also beneficial to clean the countertops about once a week with a special granite cleaner and reseal them once a year.
Quartz on the other hand never needs to be resealed and it only needs standard cleaning. So yes, it is easier to maintain quartz than it is to maintain granite. It’s one of the easiest countertops to clean.
Durability: Tie
Granite is a very durable material that is heat-resistant and generally a long-lasting countertop option. However, it is quite porous and can absorb liquid and stains, especially if not sealed correctly.
Quartz is much harder than granite and some people even call it indestructible. It does, however, tend to be susceptible to heat, unlike granite. Which is the loophole that you definitely didn’t want in the term indestructible.
Choosing Your Countertops
So why choose granite if quartz technically has more pros and fewer cons than granite? That’s exactly the point here. As important as it is to be aware of the pros and cons, it’s more important to be aware of what you want.
Blue Bahia granite is a gorgeous countertop material and you should never be ashamed of wanting it in your kitchen. It’s high-end, beautiful, and can transform any home. So if it speaks to you, then go for it.
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