Choosing and/or designing a headstone for a loved one can be a somber, yet rewarding process. You want to make sure the headstone is appealing and represents your loved one well.
Some questions you may ask yourself are:
- What style of headstone should I go with?
- What color stone do I like best?
- What text and designs will go on the headstone?
This guide is a good resource for anyone choosing a headstone for a loved one. Below is a list of steps you can follow for choosing/designing the perfect headstone.
Picking a Style of Headstone
There are many styles of headstones to choose from. The most popular types of headstones are:
- Flat Headstones (or grass markers) – are set flat and flush to the ground. Typically rectangular in shape
- Bevel Headstones – same as a flat headstone but bevel headstones are raised and cut on a slight angle like a wedge
- Slant Headstones – stand upright and the cut of the headstone’s face is slanted. Can be set with or without a base
- Upright Headstones – tablet style headstone that sits on a sturdy base
- Memorial Benches – the three most common types of memorial benches are: park bench, pedestal bench, and harp leg bench
- Custom Headstones – headstones that are 100% personalized and unique and can range in size and design
- Light grey granite, companion, flush, flower hole
- Light grey, companion, raised bevel
- Light grey granite with engraved flowers and LDS temple
- Bench Memorial
- Shape Carving/Sculpting

Headstone Styles
Picking the Headstone Color
Most headstones are made from granite due to the following reasons:
- Durability – granite is a hard stone which will last a lifetime and beyond
- Maintenance – granite headstones require little maintenance and can withstand harsh environmental conditions
- Variety – granite stone comes in a large variety of colors
Below is a list of granite colors to choose from. Please note that the ‘White Marble’ is marble and not granite.

Granite Headstone Colors
Headstone Wording & Design/Artwork
Now that you’ve decided on the style and color of the headstone, it is time to decide what will appear on the headstone.
The inscription (wording and designs/artwork) style can help differentiate your loved one’s headstone from others and make it more unique. The 3 most common inscriptions on a headstone are:
- the deceased’s name
- the deceased’s date of birth
- the deceased’s date of death
Other common wording inscriptions include:
- the deceased’s wedding date
- the deceased’s childrens names
- an epitaph – a short message in memory of the deceased
Common designs and artwork:
- Hobbies
- Scenery
- Imperial black, single, raised bevel, retractable vases
- Rainbow granite, companion, nosing, no base
- Imperial black granite wing headstone
- Light grey granite with engraved christian cross
- Mahogany granite with mountain scene
- Light grey granite with colored mountain scene
Accents: (Additional Enhancements)
Below is a list of additional headstone enhancements to choose from. These are optional enhancements that can help personalize headstones.
- Special Artwork
- Porcelain Photo
- Laser Etching (Black Granite Headstones Only)
- Vases or Flower Holes
- Shape Carving/Sculpting
- Bronze Hero Medallions
- Bronze Vet Plaques
- Special Artwork
- Porcelain Photo
- Laser Etching
- Bahama blue granite, companion, full-face, base
- Shape Carving/Sculpting
- Bronze Hero Medallions
- Bronze Vet Plaque
We hope this headstone guide has been helpful. To get started on designing a headstone for yourself or a loved one, please fill out the form on our Contact Us page or call us at (435) 752-4949.