(NU) - Despite the sputteringeconomy, consumer spending onhome renovation remains healthy.Across the nation, homeownersare investing in home remodelingprojects – especially kitchenmakeovers – either to make theirhomes more appealing to buyersor more comfortable and enjoy-able while they ride out the hous-ing slump.

And one of the most popularhome improvements is, onceagain, granite countertops.

A recent study of 10,000 con-sumers, conducted by the Re-search Institute for Cooking andKitchen Intelligence, found thatkitchen renovations remain at thetop of the list for consumers seek-ing to add value to their homes.When the study asked home-owners, “If you were changingyour kitchen now and had no bud-get constraints, what improve-ment would you make?” granitecountertops were among thekitchen features they covetedmost.

Many consumers are tighten-ing their belts but remain eagerfor granite countertops, accord-ing to Garis Distelhorst, execu-tive vice president of the MarbleInstitute of America, the nation’sleading natural stone association.

“Historically, consumers rec-ognize that granite countertopsenhance the value of a home inways few other improvementscan,” said Distelhorst. “No othercountertop surface can measureup to granite in terms of practi-cality, timeless beauty, durabilityand safety. This natural stone hasheld its value in ways moretrendy materials have not.”

Consumers continue to investconfidently in kitchen makeoversbecause the projects typically in-crease the resale value of theirhomes. In the last five years,

kitchen remodeling projects havegenerally returned 80 to 85 per-cent of consumers’ investments,according to the “Cost versus Val-ue Report” from Remodelingmagazine.

Because kitchen renovationsincrease resale values, expertsagree that if consumers can onlyafford to renovate one room intheir homes, it should be thekitchen. In fact, an all-newkitchen “that looks great and isfun to work in” was the top pri-ority of 2,200 home enthusiastssurveyed recently by BetterHomes and Gardens magazine.

“What we’ve discovered isthat the home continues to be ouremotional center and the sweetspot of everyday life,” said GayleButler, Better Home’s editor inchief. “Economic uncertaintyaside, we won’t stop spending,improving and dreaming.”

For more information, visitthe Marble Institute Web site,www.usenaturalstone.com.

Granite Countertops Still TopList of Home Improvements

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Even during a recessed econ-omy and poor housing mar-ket, kitchen renovations re-main at the top of the list for

consumers looking to add val-ue to their homes.

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