We also have zinc and butcher block countertops in our cafe. As the project is slowly wrapping up (soft opening is less than two weeks away), I will be able to post pictures of how it looks. I chose subway tiles with a dark grout as backsplash; I can't wait to see how it patinas over the years!

Please let me know where your café is, I would love to check it out.

Samantha D, what color are the subway tiles? Also, are subway tiles all the same size or are there different dimensions? We are using a 3"X6" tile for our backsplash but I don't know if it would be accurate to call them subway tiles or not.

Subway tiles; a view of the cafe under construction from about 3-4 weeks ago. We are 20 Sherman Hill Rd in Woodbury, CT. Winding Wheel Coffeebar and Cafe.

We used Lacticrete grout in Platinum (42)

This is ours. Arctic Diamond granite and ceramic subway tile for the backsplash. Before picture shown too, but not for a recommended look. Love the ease of cleaning the granite and its durability. Heard too many scary stories about porosity and ready-effervescence of marble to pursue that path.

nearlycluleless, Is that a before and after pic. Looks like you shifted the kitchen over to the room behind the original kitchen and changed the location of the window that is now over the sink. What a tremendous transformation. It is now gorgeous. I really like the look of your granite. However, for everyone recommending granite I do have a question? Doesn't granite still have to be sealed and if done incorrectly, or not done at the correct frequency, can't it stain, etch, or discolor?

Samantha D, every now and then my wife and I travel through Connecticut to visit her college roommate. Please send pictures once things are complete and you are open for business. I'd love to stop and have some good coffee someday.

Summit,

Good eyes. Yes, the kitchen was expanded to encompass the nook shown in the back in the before picture. A closed off doorway was opened up and the window on the right in the before picture is now a set of sliding glass doors to a deck. Not bad for a house built in 1904.

Summit-We look forward to hosting you!

samantha d - your cafe looks beautiful so far, would love to see more photos!

It sounds like you have been doing a lot of research....have you had personal conversations with homeowners that have Marble in their kitchen? Your stone fabricator should have some contacts for you to talk to. I am and have always been an advocate for designing with your dream in mind. Most of the issues with staining or care are a personal situation.
For instance, Soapstone is usually oiled to showcase the richness of the color and veining and this is as easy as wiping on and wiping off. To some this is a hassle but to others the benefits of Soapstone far outweigh that one item of upkeep.

Go with your heart!

Are you located in the n eastern part of U.S.? I think that area has many outlets & quarries for soapstone. That is still my vote. Good luck & enjoy your beautiful home.

Woodshop, yes it is true that we have been researching -probably more than we should. I think we are confusing ourselves at this point. We have been fortunate enough to have tours of homes far in excess value of our own and we have seen a great many surfaces. Only two have been soapstone and while they were both beautiful, one was being "conditioned" for the fourth time on the very day we were there and the other are best friends who have suggested that while beautiful they have had problems. Our friends actually used the soapstone on their perimeter counters and Cararra marble on their island, so we have been fortunate to spend a great deal of time in a kitchen with both stones.

There is no getting around the fact that they are both beautiful -probably far more beautiful than our other options. I am simply a left brained person and fit follows function. Our friends, and most of the owners of the homes we toured were very wealthy people, with one or both of the homeowners being home all the time, and many had children older than our own. I love, love, love the marble and the soapstone, but I can not get past the fact that my wife and I are busy professionals and we are blessed to have three healthy and very active young children - who love to bake/cook and basically do anything in the kitchen. I never imagined being a parent that had to yell at his kids to turn the Food Network off -LOL.

So far, I have conceded somewhat to my wife however. Largely because of many of the discussions and pictures and advice from this post, we have gone with a beautiful granite and some beautiful soapstone for the bathrooms.

Sandradclark, we do live in the NE U.S. and this does mean we have what seems like an endless supply of granite and soapstone slabs to choose from..... A very nice problem to have!

Thanks to everyone again, for taking the time to respond.

Might be a bit late to add to the conversation but it looks like no one brought up recycled glass countertops. My husband and I just completed a remodel and after a bit of research decided to go with American Tarrazzo 100% recycled glass countertops. It's different from what most people are doing and completely customizable. We went with white resin, and for the glass chose mother of pearl, clear glass, and two different kinds of blue. The combinations of different colored glass and resin colors are limitless. The company made several different samples for us using different combinations we were considering. We absolutely love our new countertops!

black soapstone on perimeter and quartz on island

mollymilktruck, would you mind posting what type of cleaner you use on your marble? Thanks

Your kitchen is very beautiful. I look forward to seeing the completed project. Marble is an ancient, timeless material and I'd wager that nothing else will satisfy. A honed finish is so invitingly touchable and suggests a lifetime of family dinner activity and conversations whilst leaning against a softened edge. My favorite coffee shop has honed marble countertops. Are they stained? No. Are they perfect? Depends on how you define that. Personally, I embrace patina, and you'll never have that with quartz (I'm on my second quartz-filled kitchen). For some that's a good thing. I have an island that needs a new top, and Calacatta Gold marble is my first choice. If it ages and shows that people have been in the kitchen, the more the better.

Tia, well spoken and thoughtful. Thank you. Marble, soapstone, each make beautiful countertops and for those that love the patina and the stories they represent I completely understand the allure.

Quartzite looks like marble but is resilient like quartz. Check it out.

JID, see above. It was our first choice, but the price was found to be prohibitive and there was not much experience or inventory with several of the rock yards that we visited.

I was asked to share the flooring and the backsplash some time ago. I was able to get the flooring on the thread but I was remiss in photographing the backsplash subway tiles. Here is the Jeffrey Court Riverwash 3X6 tile that we will use.

Richlite is very durable and has a subtle texture that might go well with the clean traditional look you have. It's also, an ecologically friendly material made mostly from recycled paper.

I realize the picture quality isn't the best in the world, sorry. In person, the color of the tile is really more grey than it is beige/biscuit and our thought was that it would pick up on the grey veining in the countertop. If you enlarge it, you can see that it is a ceramic tile with a glossy crackle glaze creating an effect that causes the tile to appear almost 3 dimensional. I really like it. I just wish I knew what countertop we were going to pair it with. :-)

Love the backsplash tile you have chosen. It's going to add subtle contrast with your cabinets and will pick up the colors in you countertop. Can't wait to see your kitchen when it's finished!

Veeham I'm sorry I'm so late seeing your question! The product we have is Supreme Surface Granite and Quartz Cleaner and Conditioner with ioSeal protectants. Non-aerosol spray bottle, 100% natural, non-toxic, pH neutral and comes with a microfiber cloth. Hope that helps.
We are LOVING our Carrara marble by the way! Have not been careful at all. As far as maintenance, so far I've only done what I've always done with our granite in the past. Have found dried spilled orange juice, tomato sauce and coffee from the kids' and hubby's spills and all of it wiped right off with no problem. Crossing my fingers that it continues to be this easy! ;)

Well it isn't the kitchen, but we are very happy with the way the bathroom vanities turned out. The granite, or maybe it is marble as my wife believes it was labeled, is in our Jack and Jill bathroom for the kids and in the eldest's bathroom with an offset sink. The soapstone is in the downstairs bath. Kitchen and master are yet to be finished.

These kitchens painted in Revere pewter, most have the subway backsplash, hope it helps

Blenheimnewzealand, very thoughtful. Thank you. I love the look with the revere pewter - so happy.

Different ways to lay subway tiles if you are interested

My wife and I went to our cabinet maker's facility to inspect the island top that came in from John Boos. Our cabinet maker was concerned that we would reject it because of some inconsistencies in the finish. After reviewing it they are going to work with the distributor and the manufacturer to correct the flaws. I thought I would put a picture of the island top on the thread to give everyone an idea of what we are going for. As the kitchen continues to come together I will post more pictures. Thanks to all who have been willing to voice their opinions and provide suggestions!

I am in the same boat as you -- plus, equally obsessive and a research queen -- I feel your pain. Have you seen Cambria Torquay in person? I ordered a sample and it had that pixelated, dotty background I don't care for, but I don't know if the slabs appear the same, or it was a poor sample. If I go with Quartz, I narrowed it to Caesarstone Frosty Carina, and Compac Carrera after seeing full sized slabs. They are both "marble alternatives." The Compac is creamier and more uniform, the Caesarstone is whiter with more random sized veins. I learned that you really need to see the full sized slabs in person, regardless of the fact that they are man made and supposed to be consistent. I am also looking at a quartzite called White Macaubus which is significantly cheaper where I live (Miami). My only concern is etching. Is Granite Grannies within driving distance to you? I think they are in Maryland, but I'm not positive. They are a frequent Houzz contributer and seem to have every Quartzite, Soapstone, and Granite choice available, and they are extremely knowledgeable. I look forward to seeing what you end up with!

A little late to the post hope you went with the statuary slab for your kitchen! I agree with Diana interiors that nothing can substitute for the real look and feel of marble. We installed that same beautiful statuary on the perimeter over two years ago. Small kitchen so our counters get used a lot! Sealed when installed but not since. There are no stains. A little etching here or there that you really cannot see. What convinced me was talking to the owner of a local stone yard in the business for several decades and him telling me to go with what I love and that marble has been used for centuries in kitchens, on floors, etc. it's your kitchen, go with what you love. I love my counters! So glad I didn't listen to the naysayers. And even more so that you are building a new "old" house! Post new pics for us to see :)

Finally finished. Thank you to everyone for your thoughtful input, direction, and discussion. I had started another post, but many who commented here probably did not see it. We're proud of it, grateful, and want to share our finished product. Thanks for all the inspiration.
We went with Cambrian Torquay Quartz, Jeffrey Court Riverwash backsplash, Benjamin Moore Shale, and the black walnut island top.

Very nice kitchen. You do have a link to the other post you mentioned? Like the black walnut on the island. Thinking of doing that on my peninsula.

Aries61, thank you. I didn't know you could link, but I'm glad you pointed it out. I guess the process would be to link this topic to the newly started topic?

Wow! Thanks for the completed picture. I just found this and read the entire post only to be surprised with a Voila! picture! Thank you again. It would have been like reading a novel only to find someone tore out the last page :). Beautiful room and I hope it will be as used and worn as mine is now after 3 kids. Now I get to consider a 'high maintenance, the kids are gone!" kitchen redo! Probably won't go there but it's fun to consider.

How do you like your back splash ? I was thinking of getting the same one. I'm looking for shade variation in the tile Do you notice contrast ? Also is the river wash more of a light grey or dark?

What an amazing kitchen! You made some wonderful choices and it looks so classic. May you have many years of beautiful memories in it with friends and family.

Heath 50051,

We love the backsplash -absolutely love it. As far as contrast goes, that is a bit more difficult to answer. I don't know "how much contrast" you are looking for in your design. The fact that these are handmade tiles, with each being completely different from the other guarantees that there is a good bit of contrast from one tile to the other. However, if you are asking about contrast from some other feature in your kitchen then it would be irresponsible of me to say.

What I can offer is that it plays nicely against the Cambria Torquay, picking up the subtle grey and somewhat light tan colors in the countertop. As such, I think it would also be wonderful with Carrera marble. At different times of the day, and in different light, I can see four variations of color: white, cream/light tan, grey, and a blue hue. Sometimes one color is more prominent than another.

The most striking design feature of these tiles is the crackle glass finish. It offers a unique and stunning 3 dimensional aspect in my opinion. Again, the fact that they are handmade causes each tile to have a uniquely different color structure and 3 dimensional effect.

My suggestion would be to order 10 of them. Inspect the color and finish and get a feel for the depth of each piece. Then, arrange them on a board somewhere within your design space and evaluate them against other features within your kitchen at different times of the day and in different lighting.

Good luck. I hope you love them as much as we do.

Thank you soo much for this ! My kitchen is super white I like to keep it as neutral as possible but I do think I need a color in the back splash. Here is a photo let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions

Heath50051,

Love it. It is fresh and clean looking. I think a neutral look in the kitchen with white cabinets and countertops is timeless. I'm completely envious of the beautiful oversized window above your sink! We tried to find space for a window in our design but it just wasn't possible. Flooding a white kitchen with lots of natural light is what makes it pop in my opinion.

Our color schemes are so similar (what color of paint is on your walls, looks similar to what we chose) I can't imagine that the Jeffery Court tiles wouldn't work in your space. It is just a matter of whether or not you like them. Since you have embraced the white/neutral pallet for your kitchen, I think adding subtle color in your backsplash is the best way to go. Anything more bold is going to scream "look at me" in my opinion.

What is the height of the upper perimeter cabinets? Both parts, the smaller cabinet and larger under ? You have absolutely created my dream kitchen!!!

sjac71, I'll measure when I get home. Can't remember off the top of my head.

Thanks Summitsittin! May I also ask you the ceiling height of your kitchen? I too want my cabinets to go to the ceiling so I don't have to worry about cleaning the tops of them. It will be 9ft ceilings so trying to figure out if the cabinet height can just be a single very tall door or if it would look better to do the door with the smaller door above it like you have done. But wasn't sure if you had 9 or 10 ft ceilings...

Also...have you been pleased with the walnut countertop so far? It looks absolutely beautiful. Trying so hard to figure out alternatives for countertops as I really dreamed of marble but with three kids doesn't seem practical and the quartzite is sooooo expensive. Just wasn't sure if the wood would end up being just as high maintenance as marble...

What is the distance between your island and perimeter cabinets?

Hi sjac71.

All of the cabinets are inset. The top upper is 14.5" from top to bottom. The bottom upper is 28.5" from top to bottom. There is a 1.5" rail between the top upper cabinets and the lower upper cabinets -if that makes sense to you. We actually went through several door designs. We always had the door designed as a single door until they made us our test doors. When we actually saw them, we felt like they were simply too long and awkward looking -our opinion. We decided to use substantial molding from the top of the cabinets to the ceiling and we were pleased with the finished effect.

The ceilings in our home are 9'. In our original home designs we had 10' ceilings but we couldn't afford the estimates on that home so we made some serious redesigns and ended up with this.

We LOVE the black walnut top island. It is 48"X109" and it is by far the statement piece of the kitchen. People love it and everyone comments on it. Ours has a special finish on it called Varnique which seals it and makes it food grade. We don't use it as a butcher block we only use it to prep food and eat on. HOWEVER, it took more than 6 months to get the one we ended up with. It took 3 different tops until we got one that was of acceptable quality in fit and finish. Our builder was wonderful to work with during this problem and was totally in our corner, but they went through heck and back dealing with the manufacturer through 3 different builds and shipments from the midwest to the east coast. Bottom line - be tough and hold your line on quality and you can be sure to get what you want.

There is 45" between the perimeter cabinets and the edge of the island top.

Thanks so much and good luck.

Summitsittin, what flooring did you use in your kitchen and are you happy with it? The total kitchen is beautiful.

Hope you can provide floor info. I just noticed this thread is two years old. :)

Kullca20

The flooring is Castle Combe Sodbury. A picture from the brochure is included further up in the thread. Everyone that enters the home comments on the floors before anything else. We did the entire first floor in the Sodbury. We absolutely love it, BUT, it is a lot of work to maintain in the kitchen with 3 little kids. We actually bought dark brown ergo mats to protect the floor around the kitchen sink and the prep area near the stove and that has decreased the need for constant vacuuming and washing.

The solid white cabinets will feature better with some complementary contrast. Therefore, I think the white/gray natural stone top is a good direction. It would add some warmth and work well with the planned wall paint color. As for the backsplash, I would recommend 3x6 glass with the white backing. No color. The marvelous quality of glass is that it plays with the room light and reflects color highlights from the room. Therefore, the same tile can take on gray highlights in one room, sea green in a different room and aqua in another. The room lighting influences the glass "color". Subway tile never goes out of style yet the glass provides a contemporary , very clean edge. Hope this helps.