Here is the slab next to the cabinet, although the color is slightly off. Some other design ideas as well if we don’t use the terrazzo.

Black Absolute granite.

Corian?

I prefer the darker one. Not familiar with Milky Way, but from your photo it looks similar to Virginia Mist (aka Jet Mist) granite, which I have in leathered. It’s been great! You might take a look at it.

@mom I think it’s also called Via lactea or Black Mist? So similar to yours and I’m happy to hear it’s been great! I was a little worried about dark granite showing everything etc

I love this Terrazzo. I can see why you've fallen in love with it.

You'll need to mind the heat whether it's Quartz or granite..yes I know some granites are behaving like they're bulletproof, but not all, and the general recommendation is to use trivets on every stone. I think Soapstone is the only exception; as a downside it's softer. I still love its look and feel.

I like white Quartz probably more, if one's going with Terrazzo. I know finding the right shade is hard, I went through it(started with backsplash..that's what makes it even harder). I found mine eventually-I didn't want any veining, any speckles.. just a quiet backdrop to other things. Took a long time.

White Corian, I love, but it's not heat resistant either, for sure one needs to use trivet.

Milky Way seems like a good contendant to me, but you'll have a big suface of it, if you'd rather have less veining-I'd go with man made.

Can't weigh on Virginia Mist but looks beautiful on the pictures.

Absolute Black can come leathered too, from what I've learned, it doesn't have veining.

I need to think. And irl, I'd need to spend lots of times with samples looking at them all.

Does your kitchen get a lot of natural light? I have dark speckled granite and it sucks the light from the room. It doesn't show everything, exactly the opposite - I can't tell if it's in need of cleaning without squatting level to it with the light reflecting off it.

You said you're worried about heat damage - do you have a habit of putting hot items directly on your counters? That's not a great practice, even for granite! Maybe Corian is a good solution if you're not finding a quartz that you like.

Love the terrazzo, btw!

I like the dark countertop.

I also have leathered Black Mist granite, and it's gorgeous. Install 2 years come March, and we have done nothing except clean it with Method granite cleaner, and it looks perfect.

I just found 2 white Quartz surfaces at Daltile. What do you guys think?

I know it's maddenning, and feels mighty stupid to do in slab yard, but try to put tile perpendicular to slabs. In the order it will be installed. So you can judge better how it'll look irl.

(I did it with every freaking slab)

On the pics it looks fine, both of them, I migth slightly prefer the first (I can't see too well though I admit). But they won't be seen irl like on the pictures. Quartz will be horizontal plane, Terrazzo will be vertical. It does change our perception of color. Also try to put the wood sample perpendicular to slab,. I don't ask you to take a picture, that's quite impossible while juggling all that, but try to do that and look at it yourself, and see which one works better. If it does.

Unless you did it all already. Then tell us what do you think.

I love your first white quartz option with the terrazzo. The tiny chips mimic the terrazzo shapes but are small enough for contrast. I don't think the second works at all. I would absolutely choose the white over a dark countertop given an option. The dark gray countertop could work, but you'll have a completely different feel in the room with white. Lighter, airier, and fresher imo.

When I was selecting my countertops I ended up going in a totally different direction than originally planned, partly due to the unavailability of the quartzite I had wanted and partly due to family members loving the darker stone. Concerned about the dark color, I “tried it out” by putting my just-delivered flooring upside down on the counters - so that what was visible was its backing. It gave us a good idea of what using a dark stone would ultimately look like. Perhaps you could do something similar with your choices? Maybe even just paper or poster board. Photos of my mock up (top photo) and the installed Virginia Mist (bottom photo) are attached for reference. Both are mid-construction but hopefully you get the idea. (The island, constructed to accommodate wheelchairs, has a countertop of Fusion quartzite.)

I just saw the picture of a kitchen with Terrazzo backsplash, and I couldn't resist and saved it, you might have seen it already.

@aprilneverends it’s so cool!!! I originally wanted it for my counters too but they don’t make seams big enough for my island

@mom I LOVE THAT IDEA to test the dark when the cabinets are installed.

@calidesign... you have amazing advice. I just did it and the white Quartz with the little speckles looks the best. It’s a nice tone of white with the black in the terrazzo. This was the kind of advice I needed to look at colors differently :) ❤️

The white countertop with terrazzo backsplash is stunning! Be careful choosing whites to match or complement though. I learned the hard way that what seems perfect in a magazine or display room doesn’t always look so great in my own kitchen - so much depends on lighting (both natural and artificial) and other factors. But if you can get it to work the results will be gorgeous!

The little white speckles are probably the best...but that dark granite would be stunning if you do a moody formal living room wet bar like nobody ever does. It's just a tad too much drama for a kitchen.

I like the first quartz picture (white with speckles) most. Seems to really go well with the terrazzo and cabinet. I prefer this over dark too. Post a picture when you’re fine!

When you’re done, I mean.

I actually have (and love) charcoal gray soapstone counters, but for your kitchen I’m also voting for the white quartz with speckles. It should look gorgeous with the terrazzo. What a cool backsplash choice.

@muriel I’m open to anything by right now! I value the feedback in this thread so much!!

Dark sets off the backsplash and makes it THE focal point! LOVE IT

Tracy, what did you decide? We are in process of replacing our granite it’s dark brown quartz; this thread has been helpful. May I ask where the terrazzo came from? I would like to see if it’s a fit for our backsplash. We plan on taking our time, haha.

I like the white the best also!