I also have Cambria and love it. Had it for a year now.

Go with quartz!

I agree, Cambria has some amazing new designs with granite like movement. Look at their "Coastal" selections. I am using this in a new custom home design with white cabinets

I have been using quartz in my projects. Like the Caesar Stone.

I'm partial to natural stone.

My sister-in-law had Crema bordeaux in her K & I loved it, but my wife wanted no part of granite. We have granite in our outdoor K, no problems, but we had it sealed w/ nano-tech sealant. We have marble in front bath on antique washstand I converted to vanity. No problems w/ it either, but it's not exposed to vinegar & red wine.

Thank you all for your feedback so far!

Thank you B.C. Although I'd love to do marble in our kitchen it would def. be exposed to plenty of red wine, vinegar, lemon juice, etc.!!!!

What color cambria Quartz do you have?

LG rococo quartz

Bellingham by Cambria

I feel like both quartz and natural stones (granite, marble, quartzite and soapstone) are equal in terms of design and longevity. The difference is really only in the individual preference people have...some feel strongly about preferring natural stone because of it's unique beauty, and others prefer quartz to sometimes mimic natural stone with less maintenance or the solid quartz choices which are a more modern look.

I was convinced I would choose quartz for my new house -- I was completely set on Caesarstone Bianco Drift but in the end didn't pull the trigger on it for two reasons: 1) I couldn't see a full slab of it so I didn't know how varied it was, and 2) It wouldn't have the depth that natural stone has -- an almost glow about it. So, I ended up with granite that slightly reminds me of marble (at least the slabs we chose which have gray squiggly veins like marble) which was Glacier White. It will be easier maintaining it than marble, and has natural variation to it. I know I will enjoy seeing new parts of it that I hadn't noticed before, and it's pretty neat seeing how nature can create such a beautiful stone.

I have not seen a quartz that truly pulls off the marble look yet -- it may exist somewhere, but I haven't seen it yet. I've looked at Caesarstone, Cambria, LG, etc and while they are all beautiful marble-like quartz stones, they are not convincing if you're familiar with real marble. No one has been able to recreate the depth that real marble has (again, that subtle glow) which is a big deal for me. But, for someone who likes the overall look of marble and doesn't mind it not being "spot on", I think it's a great option...especially for the easier maintenance! I think quartz is the "hot" item right now but I think long term both quartz and natural stone will hold their place in the design world. Heck, even laminate is a great option for many.

Cambria's Bellingham is beautiful. My wife liked their Newhaven b/c of its tan color w/ burgundy flecks. Our cabs are Cordovan, a reddish tone.

Here's our Cambria Newhaven, looking from pantry across island twd sink wall.

Both look great, so not to worry either way. Pick what you LOVE. Granite, natural stone and marble DO require regular sealing (yearly!) - so many of my client's prefer the ease of quartz. Hope this helps. Caryl H.

Thank you, everyone's pictures look great. I do tend to lean towards the natural stone. However, I love the glacier white and it is not in stock at my supplier that I already put a deposit down at. I'm also considering Bianco Romano granite and going to view a full Quartz slab of monte rhapsody which is very similar to zodiacs London sky if you are familiar with this larger vendor. I do plan on asking my supplier about the possibility of glacier white in their inventory in the near future. I figure can't hurt to ask!

We are getting new vanity countertops and I really tried to like quartz. It just looks so imitation to me. And the whole yearly sealing of granite is no big deal. Sealants are inexpensive and takes no time to do. As someone stated, quartz has yet to get it right when it comes to mimicking marble. And if I'm going to get something that resembles granite, I may as well just get the real thing.

The whole beauty of a discussion such as quartz vs. granite is that we have choices from which to select based upon our needs, wants and tastes.

Love the natural movement in granite personally, but I agree both are good choices, see what you fall in love with. Make sure to look at whole slabs in making a choice. This is not a case of one being better than the other, it's a case of two great options.

Cambria Windermere. We love it. Most people think it is natural stone.

Windermere was on our shortlist.

That is beautiful!! I'm in talks right now with supplier about the chances of glacier white granite being carried in their inventory. Although I may be going in circle since this does look similar to the quartzite I began with and I know I have to be careful with the naming and labeling of stones online!!!

I would really stick with the Quartzite instead of Quartz. It's a lot more durable and requires a lot less care. It's also more heat-resistant, chip-resistant, and stronger.

Maxwell, not sure where you are getting your info.

• Durability
• Quartz and quartzite both rival the beauty of granite, marble and other natural stone materials, but they are also durable as well. Though one is manmade and one is entirely natural, quartz and quartzite are comparable to each other in hardness.
• However, quartzite must be sealed for protection against wine, acidic foods, coffee or other common foods that can also etch or stain other natural stone countertops made from granite, travertine, marble, etc..
• Quartz does not have to be sealed, as the process of manufacturing it fills in pores between the quartz crystals from the start.

Super White is labeled as a marble here in our local stone warehouses rather than as quartzite. It is one of the stones that, at least in the opinion of our warehouses, can stain and etch like marble and is not a pure quartzite, thus they label as a marble.

Beverly your post sounds consistent with what I have heard about quartzite. It seems the labeling varies a little bit depending on the supplier. ( or maybe perhaps their lot)

You can order 12" X 12" samples from Cambria. They are free, BUT you have to pay for shipping....~$20. But it really sealed the deal for me. I did not go pick out a slab. I just went with my instinct. I love the Bellingham. Cambria has such beautiful choices.

@agentile0511 what did mont rhapsody look like when you went to see it?

Keep in mind that quartz is not perfect. I have Caesarstone "Raven" in a vacation home, used only seasonally, and it has water marks and chips.

Diana, I am sorry you are having trouble with you Caesarstone.

I have Cambria Bellingham and so far, after 1 year, no chips, marks, etc. I clean off red kool aid, water, wine, you name it, I got it and it looks great.

agentile0511, what did you choose?

Novolato quartzite... For me it had greater depth than I felt the Quartz gave. London sky Quartz was a close second! Now time for paint and lights!

Up close

It's gorgeous... I'm jealous! We couldn't agree on quartz, so I chose Romano Blanco granite. Enjoy your beauty of a counter. :)

WOW! Looks beautiful!! Good job!

Thank you for sharing!

Thank you

That is one beautiful stone! Great choice--enjoy your beautiful new kitchen!

@agentile0511 I see your response here. Thanks for the pictures, your kitchen is stunning!

agentile0511, your stone is gorgeous and very high quality, just keep in mind it is a marble, not a quartzite, some areas are translucent, gorgeous stone, very high polishing I can see

Thank you for your comment... Can you share more about why you say this? I did want to shy away from marble but I'm treating this stone pretty much the same as you would a marble .., with a little extra caution.

I couldn't get my mind off of the natural stone and really love this look..I hope I can maintain its' beauty!

hello, I am from Brazil where most natural stones come from (to the U.S. kitchen countertop market), I am a buyer of natural stone, therefore I have been to hundreds of quarries, factories and seen thousands of Brazilian marble blocks. Your Novolato is from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, state of Espirito Santo Brazil; aka Shadow Storm, Mont Blanc, Donna Sandra marbles.

A quartzite has much finer grain than most Cachoeiro marbles, looking against the reflection of the light you can see your Novolato has medium to larger grains; if you take the light of your cellphone and place very close to the grey "crystals" you will see that light penetrates (crosses the stone);

Very interesting and informative thank you!