I'm assuming picture 1 shows your current thoughts on choices and picture 2 is your inspiration. I like your choices! (And the floors in pic 1 - are those yours? - nice!)

With the caveat that I'm not a designer and colors vary based on monitors, my thoughts are: I like the stone you picked with the cabinet sample, with the pale grey subway you show. I like the skinny rectangular mosaics also just for an accent (not the whole backsplash) and I'd skip the small dark grey round tiles as I think you have enough going on with the other elements. Or you could skip the skinny accent tiles and use the subway for all, just mix it up for an accent with a different pattern, like a herringbone (e.g. behind the cooktop.)

Not sure if the stone samples you show are granite or something else. Just do the scratch and stain tests to see how they fare and ask about sealing.

I think the mosaic backsplash is too busy for my tastes, and especially with that busy granite, a simple glazed or glass white subway would be better. I like everything else though. I agree with the other poster about pricing out quartz, you may be surprised that it isn’t as expensive as you think!

Unless you're selling your house within five years, to heck with resale. Do what works for you and your family.

I recommend engineered quartz countertops often, and my go-tos are Daltile One Quartz, Caesarstone, and Cambria. Cambria tends to have a lot of patterns that are really busy, so if you go that route, put it on the island and use a solid color for the perimeter counters so it doesn't compete with your backsplash tile. For a kitchen I'm designing right now, I've specified Dekton Zenith countertops, which is what they call an "ultra-compact" solid surface. This stuff is truly indestructible and non-porous. I've seen demonstrations of someone writing on them with Sharpies, and still they are able to be wiped clean. (True!) Using the white counters on the perimeter and custom walnut for the island.

Don't do solid surface, in my area it's looked upon as an old option for homes. Businesses use it a lot because it sanitizes well. Go with quartz if you can afford it, it's really the best wearing option. Read the warranty and care instructions well, however, because there are things you have to do or shouldn't do, it's not indestructible, nothing is. My guess is that big box man is selling to a spiff or bonus he gets for each top sold. They don't get commission. Dekton is a fine choice, but it can be super expensive and it has a huge carbon footprint.

@Carolina, news to me. Dekton is often used in LEED projects and I've found the pricing to be competitive. The only thing to watch out for is making sure you've got a qualified fabricator who is familiar with using that surfacing.

When the price allows for stone, i would always use natural stone. Nothing else like it. Granite can be maintenance free. more so than quartz imo

My rep told me it was made by compressing the material at 2500 degrees and at something like 2000 tons of pressure. I asked about the carbon footprint, he shrugged and admitted that it wasn't the greatest. It does use recycled material but the design is on the top and doesn't go all the way through. I've seen people on Houzz talk about how the edges have chipped, because it's more brittle than quartz. My fabricator really doesn't like to work with it because it's brittle. That might just be a case of his workers not wanting to stretch their experience and learn what it takes to get the best out of a product.

We don't sell a lot because of the price point, it's pretty, though.

terms aren't always used appropriately

solid surface generally refers to corian or a corian knock off. it's an older process which has pluses and minuses. its basically a plastic. it is usually going to be cheaper than quartz, but perhaps not by all that much depending on the specifics including what color you use, etc.

the newest counter material is generally called ultra compact solid surface or sintered surface or some variation of those words. the best known brands are dekton and neolith. they are essentially huge tiles. very heat and stain resistant to the point one might even call them "proof" but prone to chipping and commonly have installation issues. they are in the same price ballpark, generally speaking, as the more expensive quartz.

Is that picture of the kitchen - with the brown floor - that isn't the actual floor color is it?

Hey everyone! Thanks for tuning in!!!! Having a fence that was 99% fallen so had to deal with that fun. Have lots of answers coming soon!!!

Hey everyone! Thanks for tuning in!!!! Had a fence that was 99% fallen so had to deal with that fun. So.... to answer a lot of questions with pictures....

At big box, we had picked up samples of the solid surface that I had forgotten about. These are the contenders.

We went to a slab yard that sells ONLY BY THE SQ FT THAT YOU USE. The slab yard gives free 18 gauge sink. $270 for kitch undermount. $150 x 3 for bathroom undermount. They also only have 3 cm stone.

The granite, the two samples in the original photo… this is the first is the smaller of the two. Price on the Colonial White slab is $57.30/sqft. This is the cheap granite everyone has.

The larger wonky shaped piece, Royal Blue, is $70/sq ft. $70/sq ft is a little spendy when we are trying to keep the cost a little lower since we are upgrading everything and the home warranty gave builder budget cost.

They had a quartz that they called "Ice" at $53.30

Then we went to a fabricator place that only works with quartz. It is supposed to be “The lowest prices in town.” They called it Oceana. It looks like the quartz above, except it had sparkles. There, you have to pay to have the edge rounded just slightly by linear ft. I know when I lean against the counter it isn’t a fun feeling having having a 90’ jabbing into my back. This is the estimate with their cheapest 2cm quartz…

I really would love butcher block on the island. I have a love affair with hickory. However, probably an American Maple might be better? I think the look is timeless, but right now it is a trend. Will this still be timeless in 5 years?

Then there was the question of the flooring. Yes, that is the flooring we are putting in. The flooring is called Ombre Gray. We picked it so if someone isn’t fond of gray, they can go brown, too. Or white. Some pictures in different perspective and lighting.

So there is everything.

If the picture above with the blue light is your flooring. Then you really need a plain countertop. Butcher block does not seem like the right color choice either.

Okay - that is quite a bit different than the flooring in your second picture. That was what I was asking about - that pic has a very brown brown floor.

The blue light is actually an emergency power outage light that doubles as a nightlight. Just a little plug in. I had the light on in the foyer but dining room light was off, so it went to nightlight status

The second picture above is the cabinet people with their rendition of what the cabinets would look like once installed. We had to change the counter layout a couple times. When you order a big order they have their designers step in and double check the sizing and make sure all trim pieces you forget about ordering are added to the order. Except I had a lot of issues with my RTA place.

The cabinets are Forevermark Greystone Shaker. Almost all the RTA online shops carry the brand. This is the sample door off the Forevermark site

Another rendition of what they are supposed to look like