Taj Mahal quartzite is one of the hardest. Fabricators use up diamond tools working it.

Tips- Check the slabs with glass scratching. Look at every one. Put your name and fabricator on your picks. Take pics with your phone. It would be pro to configure your layouts before you lock in the choices. No fabricator cuts until you OK the layouts and seams. Take pics. The product doesn't leave the fabricators shop until you OK the finished product. You don't want to do this at the install. Make sure the fabricator is in agreement and knows you must approve at each level. That's a good motivator.

^^^^^Yes, everything @dan1888 said.

Soapstone? would look great with your white/dark scheme (IMO). It doesn't stain, but it can scratch - and develop a patina over time. And yet, it is very durable - soapstone counters and sinks have been known to last over a century. Dings and scratches can be sanded out, if they bother you, I am told.

Soapstone comes in various versions, some with more veining, some with less, some darker, some lighter. Some are harder than others. People typically oil their soapstone to make it darker, but I have always liked it in its natural state - often a gentle greenish gray.

When I was shopping, this company seemed to have very reasonable prices: Soapstone | M Teixeira Soapstone (soapstones.com)

I agree about hating the search for countertops. i have another reason, besides the ones listed above, and that is living in a country bumpkin town with very few options as far as stoneyards. Add to that stoneyard employees acting shocked when you mention issues with quartz. They’ll beat the war drum against marble all day long and then act like they never heard of a quartz counter chipping or yellowing from sunlight.

I’m not against quartz. i actually love how unbusy many of the slabs are but I would like honesty by a salesperson who is impartial and can honestly point out the pros and cons of each material rather than trying to push their particular preference. i may be wrong but I’d bet their personal preference is driven by ease of fabrication and profit margin.

As much as I want a natural stone my vision for this kitchen is for the star to be the backsplash and not the counter so I need a serene non busy countertop to pull it off. I’ll be going to the third stoneyard on Friday in a different town and hoping for better choices. It’s a jungle out there!

Bring a piece of glass tile to check slabs.

I have a navy / white kitchen. I agree with you about quartz, marble and granite. Most places talked me out of marble, strictly for the upkeep, and honestly I’m not sure I wanted the challenge. I didn’t love Taj with my cabinets. We ultimately went with a quartzite called Mykonos. If you search the boards, you’ll find pictures of my kitchen.

I hear you have eliminated natural products due to their variation. That leaves you will a myriad of much less expensive options. Win win.

I agree, I hated countertop shopping. In addtion to all the reasons you listed, the lighting in the stone warehouses is horrible so you really can't get a good idea of color. I don't have your color scheme but I ended up with Blue Fusion quartzite for the look and durability. The fabricator was key as he assisted me in identifying hardness and durability. Durablility was key as my family is not careful. I would have loved soapstone but couldn't find one compatible with the cabinet colors.

Hi Vanessa!

We are a UK-wide supplier of natural and composite stone and would love to offer our advice on your dilemma.

I understand your concerns regarding Quartz, and we truly believe it's important to love the surface you choose for your kitchen. Saying this, we do have some stunning designs inspired by marble, concrete, etc, which might appeal to you and complement your colour palette. To view our Silkstone Quartz collection, click here.

On the other hand, have you considered Porcelain surfaces? We supply Atlas Plan Porcelain which has so many benefits and features stunning designs. This could be worth looking into if you want a design you will fall in love with whilst also investing in a practical and durable surface. To view the Atlas Plan range, click here.

If you would like to discuss any of these options further, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Many thanks,

May from The Surface Collection

For sure Holly-Kay should check out Corian. But based on the OP's comment about quartz (It's functional, but in my opinion, it's pretty lukewarm- it's "safe" but not what I would call beautiful"), I doubt Corian would appeal (though she could review the options online). I have Glacier White Corian in my kitchen, and it's a great choice when you want (a) function and (b) to let other elements be the star.

I think quartzite (real quartzite) sounds like the best bet, but I don't have any shopping tips to add.

Soapstone is great but I personally don't think it flatters navy as much as a light countertop does.

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I was very close to choosing quartzite for my island, but I ended up going white instead of blue and after weeks of unsuccessful searching, I gave up and went with quartz. But I was absolutely in love with this look - it’s like one of the top searched photos on Houzz. It’s called Florida quartzite and it’s stunning. However I could never find it. Lol

If you are not too messy, you could do a colorful polished marble for the backsplash, then choose a simple monochromatic countertop that is easier to maintain.

However if you have a lot of contiguous counterspace, I would bite the bullet and keep searching for the perfect countertop. Head to a stoneyard.

I love beautiful countertops, but none seem to go with my style, which is white and bright and streamlined. So I found a marble tile that I loved for the backsplash, and that is what I am going to look at. My countertops are small though.

Another option is to mix up a stone-like surface with a wood surface, like a counter-height table, island, or section of butcherblock.

Soapstone is pretty but dark.

The porcelain samples look beautiful, but you need to find a fabricator with experience in porcelain, and who will stand behind their work. There used to be other options like glass, maybe terazzo? Can’t remember.

There are extra durable countertops - can’t remember the brand names. Home depot has a section on their website for them, and I’m sure you can find them elsewhere. Again be sure that the fabricator has a lot of experience with whatever material you choose.

Corian is nice and renewable, if you are looking for something practical and less expensive. It scratches easily but scratches can be buffed out. I finally put it in my previous home and it looked great, but it is not my dream countertop.

I had a very hard time selecting countertops, and felt similarly about quartz. I ended up with Danby marble, which is more stain resistant than most marbles. It's only been 2 months, but with 4 little kids and cooking and entertaining a lot, it's been a busy 2 months and the counters have held up very well so far! Including a photo to give you a sense of the look.

Soapstone is not necessarily dark - in their natural state, most soapstones are varying shades of gray - some light gray, some darker. You see mostly pictures of soapstone that has been oiled or waxed to darken it, but that is not required.

I hated countertop slab shopping too. I did most of my counters in stainless steel but needed a slab for backsplash and bar. After a couple years of plywood counter, I found the perfect tile. :)

Consider doing like others here suggest--get a generic plain practical counter and take your time to find a backsplash that pleases you. Backsplashes can be slabs or tile or anything else. And they don't have to be as tough as countertops.

@raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio is correct. Here is ours: Belvedere, a very hard variety, installed almost 6 years ago, by M. Teixeira

Thank you, everyone. I ended up going with quartz- LG Viatera Minuet. I don't like Calacatta (in my very humble opinion, it is a trend that will be dated relatively quickly), but love the look of marble- so this was a compromise. Phew. Glad that's ok! Thank you for all your suggestions, I was reading and researching as they came in :)

We would love to see pictures!