I made my preliminary countertop selections today!! (new house build) I was at the granite yard that our custom builder uses and the sweet lady who works there came out and was like...let's show you all our slabs, we have some amazing new yada yada yada... And I just said, "I will probably be the easiest client you have...I want marble, lots and lots of it." :) She gave me some samples of their carrera, but told me she didn't have any slabs on hand because they worry about acid in the rain etching the marble if its left in the yard!! I don't care! Anyway, I am doing the carrera on the perimeter, the butler's pantry and the master bath. She is going to have them hold their whitest slabs for me to look at at the warehouse. I am reserving my decision on the island...I think I am going to do a dark stained walnut, but if that falls through, they had some pretty leathered-finished black pearl that *might* be ok on my island. I did end up choosing granite for the baths upstairs...but it is Kashmir (sp??) white, so again, with the lightness!! I am so happy, I feel like I accomplished a lot today! Thought y'all would appreciate my decisiveness!