Yes, it will stain. Try a quartz countertop which is the most popular selection these days in Austin, or a granite top. But steer clear of marble which is what Carrera Gold is because it is porous and will stain. If you can live with spilled red wine, ketchup, mustard, and oil, then go for it!

If you will be bothered by the staining and etching that will inevitably happen with marble (especially with a houseful of children and guests), then you should definitely not choose it. There are various granites and quartz products that can give you a similar look, but with much more durability.

I'm sure I'll be shot down... but as much as I love marble, especially carrera, I don't think it is a good choice. Because marble is porous it tends to stain easily. If your kitchen is a hub, I'd consider a less permeable option. Look at Corian, Mysteria and even quartz.... there are ones in these lines that look like marble.

Carolyn posted basically the same advice while I was typing, but I'll keep my comment there for emphasis.

A friend of ours who is doing some cabinet work in a house just, today, told a story about the countertops. They installed marble. Someone put their drink down (a can of soda with condensation on it) for about 15 seconds, and then they took it away. There was a ring on the countertop already, and you could see it for about an hour afterward. Sensitive stuff!

Thank you all so much for your feedback! What are the advantages of quartz vs granite? (staining, maintenance).... and Which colors of granite and quartz are closest to Carrera gold or give a similar GREAT look? ??? your favorites:)

Quartz is considered a greener product since it doesn't come from halfway around the world and is frequently made from recycled glass. It's a more up to date look and certainly the preferred material if you want a contemporary space. But the fact that it's used in contemporary settings does not mean that it doesn't work well in traditional homes. There have been some recent health concerns regarding granite tho whether they are valid or not I do not know. We have granite in our home and are very happy with it.

A lot of great options to choose from other than marble. One of the recycled glass tops might be real sharp =)

We have CaesarStone, and we love it. It was installed 5 years ago. Still looks great with our bamboo cabinetry. We have a modern looking kitchen. Our color is cinder. CaesarStone comes in granite-y looking textures too.

Doesn't need any resealing. Quite durable.

I like caesarstone because you know what you're going to get, not like granite that can have a lot of variation. If you need to join pieces together, the caesarstone will hide that better.

Why not solid surfaces by Corian in a Dark shade .

Corian is slightly less expensive than other solid surfaces but they don't have as much richness in my opinion.

I have Caesarstone in my kitchen ( 2 different patterns), powder room and en suite and love it. See:
http://www.caesarstone.com/en/Pages/default.aspx
I know I've posted this link several times in various posts... I promise, I don't work for Caesarstone! ;)

There is a great discussion about this in the comments section of this blog

http://www.mariakillam.com/2011/04/carrara-marble-for-your-kitchen-yay-or-nay.html

In terms of quartz and other sones that most resemble carrera marble, I just read a fantastic post on this the other day complete with photo comparisions but i can't for the life of me remember where. If I find it I'll definitely post a link.

Here's a post where a homeowner subjected sample blocks of his marble to wine, limes, tomato paste and knife chipping. Good luck!

http://petchhouse.blogspot.com/2006/03/sealing-marble-acid-test.html