I am a fabricator. Quartz is still popular option for many consumers. Quartz and natural stone (inaccurately referred to as "granite") make excellent and durable countertops. Marble is too soft and too porous to make a durable countertop for a high use area like the kitchen. People use it but they have to be OK with the inevitable scratches, etching, and stains that will occur on a marble kitchen countertop in short order.

There are new quartz colors and 'designs' coming out all the time in order to appeal to every potential application, so yes, it's still popular. I'd guess it's gaining in popularity but that's anecdotal based on what I read here and other design/build forums. My guess is your contractor has a better mark-up on stone than quartz as one possible reason for suggesting it - yes I tend to be suspicious! If you want quartz, get quartz.

Recently purchased a newly built second home. Granite was standard, Quartz was an upgrade in cost.

Quartz is the better investment.

I put Corian in my first house's kitchen, and especially loved the integrated sink. Zero seams for gunk to get stuck, and my husband buffed out any scratches himself (it was a dark color). Always looked new. My mom loved it so much, she hasn't stopped talking about it for the past 15 years, lol. When we build, she wants a seamless Corian shower, too. Glacier White, of course. ;-)

I don't really know much about Quartz... Is it basically like Corian (synthetic material) designed to look like stone? I *am* familiar (and in love) with quartzite, but that's rock.

Congratulations on your new kitchen! This is a design question that we can’t answer based on the information provided.

What do you like? What works best for your aesthetic and lifestyle? Quartz isn’t going anywhere, so if it’s what you like then go with it!

If you’re worried about trends, it’s really the same as natural stone. It’s not so much the material that is “in” or “out”, but the pattern.

Side note... When comparing quartz to natural stone, don’t fall too far down the trap of what is supposed to be high end or a better investment. There are so many different grades of granite and types of natural stone with price points that run the gamut. Quartz also has a variation in price, albeit more limited, depending on brand and pattern. Any blanket statement regarding the luxury value of one material over the other reflects a limited knowledge of designing for different styles, what’s available, and the turnover of trends in today’s market.

Good Luck!!