Soapstone in the kitchen. Granite in three bathrooms. White quartz in 4th bathroom.

And are you happy with all of your choices? I am trying to decide what to have in kitchen and bath. I never thought to mix in different rooms. I assume the white quartz is in the Master bath?

I also got soapstone for my kitchen - Black Venata, a softer variety than Darbuka’s Belvedere. Mine does show a few light scratches and some tiny chips, but I have an older home, and it just looks completely right. Still love it after a year and wouldn’t chose another material.

Marble in the master bath and guest bath - my home came with it. You have to baby it like crazy; I’d never choose it myself. Bathroom on the lower level came with Formica counter. Seems indestructible (for bathroom use) and cleaning couldn’t be easier. My kitchen counters are granite which I did choose. What a contrast maintenance-wise from the marble. Basically the granite is no care needed. The granite counters clean in a snap, and I don’t even seal them. Plus they’re beautiful.

Honed Marble in the bathrooms and I do NOT baby it - No problem even in the kids bath.

This is a very individual decision and depends on budget, style, use, etc. We used solid surface (quartz) on the main parts of the kitchen counters and in most bathrooms. Island bar level (yes we wanted a different height) is granite, and we used the remainder of the slab in our master bath.

Leathered black granite in the kitchen, white quartz in the master bathroom and laundry room, white solid surface in the kids bathroom and guest bathroom, marble in the powder bath.

darbuka - Your soapstone is beautiful!

Thank you all so much! I'd love to see some photos of the Quartz.

It took me a while to understand the difference in Quartz (engineered) and Quartzite (mixed minerals). I think I have that correct. My idea of what Quartz is that it is a solid surface, like Corian. My mother had that in white and I never liked it. Does Quartz come in colors that have movement, or would I have to go to Quartzite for that?

In our current kitchen, we have New Venetian Gold granite. I am fine with using granite again, but wanted to look at the other options. I always thought when we built again that I would use white marble in the kitchen and baths, but have changed my mind in the last few years. I will have whitish cabinets, and I want a cream/white counter surface with a bit of tan or light gold veins. Is that called movement? No gray unless veins are mixed in with the other color.

Our current Master bathroom has a tanish Travertine. It has been a good choice. Hides everything! However, I'd like a marble look in the new M bathroom.

Two other bathrooms have the same Tropical Brown granite. Again, it's a great looking and maintenance free surface. Our half bath has a furniture piece, and our laundry room has no counter surface. I will have countertop in my new laundry and plan to find something inexpensive/remnants for the top and for the cabinets. Maybe a fun color!

Here is our white quartz (counters and tub deck) in the bathroom. We were using a marble-look tile so wanted no veining on the quartz.

With what you describe wanting for the kitchen I would definitely look at quartzite, if it's in the budget. While there is quartz with veining, none of it looks quite real to me. And there are some lovely quartzites with warm veining.

I loved the warm white quartzites but they were out of budget, so we did a black leathered granite which we LOVE. I'll add a picture later.

“My idea of what Quartz is that it is a solid surface, like Corian. ”

Quartz and Corian are not the same. Corian “is composed of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate (ATH), a material derived from bauxite ore.” “Quartz countertops are man-made engineered stone countertops formed by combining 90% ground quartz (a natural hard mineral) with 8-10% resins, polymers, and pigments.” Quartz is mostly ground...quartz, a hard mineral. Corian contains no hard particles. It’s basically plastic. They both come in a variety of colors.

Bathrooms: I have owned 3 different homes since I was in my early 20s. My bathrooms have had marble, tumbled marble, granite and quartz. Never had a problem with any of those materials. Of all of them, I prefer granite or quartz.

Kitchens: I have had Corian, formica, granite, and quartzite countertops in my kitchens in those 3 homes. Never had a problem with any of those either. Of all of those, quartzite has been the most delicate in terms of temporary water marks, but they've always dried up and I've been making sure to seal regularly. When we re-did this kitchen in the fall, I wish I had explored quartz a little more, especially seeing some of the new colors and bolder patterns that have come out. But I do love my quartzite and really have not had any problems.

In the middle of our reno. We have picked soapstone for the kitchen, honed Cherokee marble for bath #1, polished Caesarstone quartz for bath #2 and honed Dynasty marble for bathroom #3.

Granite for all.

Thank you, thank you! I will have to look into the bolder patterned Quartz.

Kristin S - That's a pretty bathroom. What is the cabinet between the sink and tub?