Granite countertops are an important kitchen feature that has a huge impact on aesthetics and functionality. You need to avoid mistakes when selecting your countertops because you'll probably have to live with the countertops you choose for a long time.

The following are five mistakes homeowners sometimes make when selecting new countertops that you need to avoid to maximize your satisfaction with your kitchen:

1. Not bringing samples of existing kitchen surfaces along when shopping

One of the most important considerations in selecting a granite countertop is how the countertop will look when juxtaposed with your other kitchen surfaces. Your countertop has to match up well with your cabinet materials and hardware to optimize the aesthetics of your kitchen.

Hopefully, you have leftover samples of your kitchen cabinet materials and a spare piece of cabinet hardware that you can bring along. When you have these samples from your existing fixtures with you, you can look at them along with the granite countertops and samples you are looking at to find the best match. 

2. Not taking samples home to look at in your kitchen

Taking samples home to look at in your kitchen is the best way to analyze the granite in the environment it will be placed in. 

Granite suppliers should offer samples that you can take home with you. Make sure you take a few samples home and look at them in your kitchen before you make a selection. 

3. Selecting from a sample without seeing the slab itself

While samples are helpful and give you a good idea of a slab's appearance, you still need to see the entire slab you're purchasing before making a selection.

By seeing the slab itself, you can look at a large portion of the granite and see if there are any imperfections or blemishes on particular slabs you're choosing from. You can pick out not only the granite type you want but the exact slab so that your countertop choice best matches your desires. 

4. Failing to consider your kitchen lighting

The lighting in your kitchen is going to have a big impact on how your countertops look. If you tend to keep lighting low in your kitchen, you may want to opt for speckled granite and a lighter granite shade. On the other hand, a darker granite is often best for kitchens that are flooded with bright, natural light. 

5. Limiting yourself to one countertop choice

You don't necessarily have to choose only one type of granite countertop for your kitchen. You could choose a granite slab for your island countertop and a different slab to go over your cabinets along your walls.

Mixing and matching sometimes produce better results than choosing only one granite countertop type for an entire kitchen.