Go with what you love. Your worried about resale but styles change no matter what. 5, 10 or 15 years from now who cares. Your fabulous marble will still be fabulous and enjoyed. And the next owner will see the beauty of the veining too provided it is well looked after. Is the kitchen to be gray as pictured?

Research sealers to become more confident with your choice. Use a very large cutting board or 3 for keeping your surface free from wear and tear. Best of luck!

How about a plain white quartz counter and marble backsplash

Quartz

yup, we've had clients that want natural stone and then get uptight when natural stone doesn't react like plastic!

we just put in quartz in my personal kitchen with grey veining that looks like authentic carrara marble. it's absolutely gorgeous and I love it.

this is a sample and the place we got it is called kstone here in toronto. it looks better in real life than in this sample of course. i doubt you could get this exact thing, but it seems lots of the quartz palces are doing a calacatta or carrara look-alike http://www.kstonecollections.com/#!C5109/zoom/cqyu/i18tcv

Don't forget turmeric, a bright yellow spice that will also stain like the dickens.

I love love love marble and yes, it may stain with turmeric, etc. So maybe opt for the calacatta gold quartz from Pental. http://pentalquartz.com/products/calacatta/ It is really beautiful when you see it in person.

So we've eliminated marble...we are down to Quartz or Granite. Comments on quartz or granite are now open for discussion.

I have a question for thotho69: Are you willing to seal your natural stone every 6 months?

If you want the marble look, go with quartz--they keep getting more and more authentic looking. None of the granites are going to look like marble, it's just the nature of the stone. But keep in mind that quartz can get watermarked and chipped--it's not perfect, but it is less likely to show wear and tear than marble. As for sealing granite, I don't think it's necessary--it's extremely dense and certainly doesn't need it every 6 months.

Hi, this article outlines the main pros and cons of quartz vs granite, so should help with your decision: http://www.pacificshorestones.com/granite-vs-quartz-5-things-to-consider/

Alternatively, if you like the look of marble and would prefer to use a natural stone instead of man-made quartz, have you considered quartzite? There are some beautiful options with a similar look to marble. Check out this article for images of quartzite and more details about using it: http://www.pacificshorestones.com/granite-vs-quartz-5-things-to-consider/

Pacific Shore Stones, correct me if I'm wrong, quartzite is indeed beautiful, but probably the most expensive among marble, granite, quartz. It is in limited supply and is extremely hard and brittle, which makes fabrication difficult and more time-consuming, thus the high price.

Thanks Diane Bier, yes cost may be an issue with quartzite, depending on the budget and the type of quartzite selected. I was suggesting it as a marble alternative since it has a similar look but is usually more durable. I would recommend visiting a large slab yard to take a look at all the options where the staff can also give price indications and advice to help the customer make a choice that fits both the desired look and the budget.

no way does granite need resealing every 6 months! i have had my crema antartica for almost 2 years with zero stains and have not resealed it. btw be careful with quartzite because lots of fabricators call some marbles, quartzite. on the kitchen forum there is a geology thread that should help determine what is truly quartzite and yes it is more costly than granite

Try looking at Silver Pearl Granite with the leathered finish. It's a very popular granite today and is not a premium selection.

OP, we are big cooks and love the look of marble as well, but after having it in a previous apartment we opted against it. I'm a pretty clean cook but the marble got just wrecked. We are going with quartzite instead- it's a bit cheaper than marble and is way more durable. We got a sample piece in the color we like that was half treated and half untreated (looked the same,) and left lemon juice, wine, tomato sauce and water on it for 15 hours. No marks! We also cut on it and stabbed it with a screwdriver to see if we could etch it and we were barely able to make a mark. I'm sold! My husband says he will miss the "warmth" of marble since it's so soft, but I've convinced him that our sanity is not worth that feel. I'd check out quartzite if you have it near you!

www.greenwoodframed.com

Check out our latest blog post on the topic of choosing the right countertop for your kitchen http://goodfellasconstruction.net/blog/choosing-the-right-countertop-for-your-kitchen