Often, the last rooms to be considered when you decide to remodel your home are the kitchen or bathroom. What you may not know is that a kitchen or bath remodel can bring you more than a 90 percent return on your investment when you decide to sell your home.

In addition, your kitchen and bath are two of the busiest rooms in your house. Your kitchen is where you prepare meals for your family, where friends tend to gather and where your children do homework. Everyone who lives in or visits your home will eventually need to use your bathroom. Therefore, you want both of those rooms to be as up-to-date as possible. If you are considering remodeling these rooms or any rooms in your home, consider natural stone counters and flooring.

The durability of granite countertops has made them one of the most popular options in natural stone. They resist chipping, cracking and scratching, although it is important to use cutting boards on the counters to avoid dulling your knives.

Granite can be cleaned using mild soap and water. In fact, you should never use abrasive cleaners on granite or it could damage the surface. Granite must be sealed periodically but as long as the seal is intact, it is resistant to all types of stains. No two slabs of granite are the same so you could have a different veining pattern on each counter if you have a large kitchen or bath.

Engineered stone countertops are created with a mixture of more than 90 percent crushed quartz, coloring, and bonding material to create a surface that is extremely durable.

Quartz countertops never need to be sealed, making them virtually maintenance free. Because they do have polymers, they are not as heat resistant as granite so you need to use hot pads and trivets to protect the surface. Because coloring is added, quartz countertops are available in many more colors than granite or marble. In addition, all slabs are the same so your kitchen or bath has a more uniform look than with other types of natural stone.

The fact that marble accents are still just as beautiful after centuries of use is a testament to its durability. Marble is softer than other types of natural stone and it must be sealed periodically to protect the surface. Because it is a soft stone, you must use cutting boards to protect the surface.

If there is a baker in the house, marble is perfect for kneading dough or creating pastries. Some substances like tea, coffee, red wine, and tomato-based sauces can stain marble so be sure to wipe up spills quickly.