Need help deciding on countertop

10 years ago

Hello everyone! My wife and I are having trouble picking the right counter top for our kitchen. We are doing white shaker cabinets along a wall, and a large 9' island with a farm sink and dark grey cabinets.

Before I start with what we are talking about, our style for the reno is "Coastal Cottage/Farmhouse". Our whole kitchen design is below (see picture)

Our backsplash is a herringbone pattern blue glass tile (see picture of example).

So we are between a few options. Our favorite is honed marble. Our second choice is a white quartzite, We have also looked at white man-made quartz.

Our concern with marble and quartzite is durability. We have an infant and a toddler, therefore the kitchen will be well used and not always in pristine condition. But, we also don't really like the "almost real" look of man-made quartz.

Any help or suggestions would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

Beth H. :

10 years ago

i actually have a sample of that tile backsplash. It's beautiful. If you go with the naturals, just try to keep up with the sealing, use cutting boards,,,a lot,,and don't worry about the toddler. He won't be able to even reach the countertop for many years. Just know ahead of time that it may ding and etch a bit, but it only adds to the patina. I have an antique dresser w/a very old honed piece of carrara. It's old. It has a few mars and scratches, but honestly it still looks great. And you can always have a stone person come out and finely sand and re-hone the countertop, should they get too noticeable.

So, go w/the natural stuff. It will look beautiful w/the tile. And don't listen to people that say it's too busy. It's not. And you only have a small part where it will be used.

On another note, you could always put something different on the island. Soapstone is beautiful. Or even a walnut butcher block. Either way, get what you want and looks the best and makes you happy. Life is too short to worry about an etching or a tomato sauce spill (just make a poultice from baking soda and lift it out). lol

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Comments (14)

Alyssia Barakat
10 years ago
honed marble would be beautiful!!!
Alyssia Barakat
10 years ago
just make sure its sealed and be careful with turmeric.
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Carol Johnson
10 years ago
Be aware of the etching that is typical with marble.
PRO
JAN MOYER
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
You are designing AROUND a back splash, which is very much a secondary consideration, and is too busy with any honed marble. I would also recommend you consider your tolerance for less than perfection, which will definitely happen with either of those counter top surfaces. Marble, whether honed or polished will etch and possibly stain. Quartzite perhaps slightly less, but yes it too will etch!! You have years of sticky fingers and left over after school snacks and spills ahead of you. I would do a quartz man made white (marble look alike ) and then pick your splash. .............plainer. Or change the island cabinetry to white shaker, and consider soapstone counter tops Completely Indestructible, beautiful,........and very very organic and "farmhouse" appropriate, and totally real. None except a plain white is great with the glass herringbone splash . That doesn't feel farm house actually. Tops before a splash in any case. It's the last thing to be installed. Where is the lighting at island........trim on back side of island? Lots of details to consider.
chloebud
10 years ago
Your backsplash has a lot of pattern going on. I would pick a countertop with something less pattern/movement.
Kris Mays
10 years ago
I am not a designer, but I really love that tile. Do man made quartz (or Corian type counter top, which I realize is not the "in" thing right now). You will not regret it (7 kids here and quartz is our plan -can't wait!). I agree you should choose something plain if you wish to use that backsplash. Save the natural stone for when the kids are out of the house.
PRO
Alison Powers Color Consultant
10 years ago
I believe that anything mortared in place should be simple and neutral so as to not date a kitchen (think white subway tile.) However, if you want to use your existing backslash, there is only one countertop option in my opinion: a plain white quartz with no pattern or movement.
hortenstinesara
10 years ago
I say a sparkled black or sparkled white. no design...just clean and classic, maybe even a really shiny gray
gtcircus
10 years ago
I would add a honed grey stone for the perimeter so that it recedes. Then select a beautiful piece of quartzite for the island.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
10 years ago
Give solid surface another look. Say what you want about appearance, but I'll have it looking new when your rug rats start college. Guaranteed.
D V
Original Author
9 years ago
Well, we decided to change up our approach.
We are going to install quartz countertops and glass subway tile in herringbone. Can't wait to install it!
Robbi
9 years ago
Consider two different countertops. I saw a display kitchen in a showroom in your style that looked great this way. It had white cabinets with grey cabinets on island with black countertops and a marble island. If you are going to do this stick to a plain color on the cabinets and something with a pattern on the island.
emmarene9
9 years ago
DGator86, please post after install. We are all curious.