What about Taj Mahal quartzite? Beautiful stone that I think would look lovely with your cabinets.

Not sure about how colors match but I really like the grain(?) in the Pitaya. It doesn't have the separate crystal look but like all the edges are melted together. We have a different color granite but the same type of grain (that's gotta be the wrong word) and I really like it. Ours is also honed so it has a really soft look to it.

@cubby14 we have actually looked into that one and liked it. Unfortunately, it's well out of our budget.

@aziline I really like the grain/pattern too, because it seems more subtle than some of the busier granites but still has character. We prefer a honed finish as well. How has that held up over time for you?

It's been almost 4 years and has held up great. Ours is green/tan/off white and some white quartz. I know that sounds kind of weird but the green is a much lighter green than if you were to google green granite. Usually people ask what the material is since it looks is so different from other granite.

They both look very nice on my monitor, but seeing them in person is the best way to judge. The Pitaya has less movement than the White Fantasy, so if you want a more subtle look you might go for the Pitaya.

The White Fantasy seems too close to your cabinet color. I tihnk it's better to have a little more contrast.

Cant go wrong w pitaya. white fantasy looks really gray. in your actual setting is where these factors play out .

Thank you all for the feedback!

Katie - of course depending on how long you plan on staying in the home, if there’s any way to eek out more in your budget to get the countertops you REALLY want, please do it - you look at them every day and they’re such an integral part of your kitchen. If you can manage it, you’ll never regret it. (If you’re only there a couple years, though, it’s probably not worth it because who knows what new owners will want) :) So exciting to get a new kitchen!!!

I will say thay honing stone is not something I would do it opens it up to staining and oil spots a polished granite is darn close to bullet proof and as for which one you need to see the actual slabs especailly for White Fanatsy it can vary a lot between slabs. I aso would wait to choose backsplash until cabinets and counter are in . Make sure all the lighting is LED 4000K too.

Looks very nice.

Beautiful-enjoy!

Love this! We have been debating on quartz and have recently considered pitaya. This helps!

Katie Rush which backsplash did you go with?

Hi @Beth Janzen - we went with this 2.5x9 subway tile and white grout:

https://www.tileshop.com/products/color-market-patagonia-ceramic-subway-tile-2-5-x-9-in-495854

It's very subtle and pretty, which I think meshes very well with the rest of the kitchen. Hope that helps! Are you considering pitaya? If there's anything I can answer or more photos I can provide, let me know :)

Now that you’ve had the counters for a while, any regrets about the pitaya or the honed finish?

No regrets at all! Still love everything about it.

The honed finish is more aesthetically pleasing to me than polished, which feels harsh on the eyes and to the touch, IMO.

Initially, I was worried about it staining, but have had no issues. We cook 2-3x per day, so they get pretty heavy usage, and we have a dedicated coffee bar area that sees the occasional drip/spill/mess. Everything has wiped up easily, with no staining.

I like pitaya granite because its polished and white background gives a different look to your cabinets.

Your kitchen looks beautiful! I am looking to put Pitaya on my bar in the basement. Can you tell me the color of your cabinets? You mentioned they were taupe…. Is it a Ben Moore or Sherwin Williams color? Thanks

Hi @Michele McClain - our cabinet color is SW 6072 Versatile Gray

The name is deceiving, because I don't see gray at all - it's very taupe to me.

It's a pretty color. Thanks for the information!

Hi Katie - your kitchen looks lovely. Soft bright and happy! Did you have any seams in your Pitaya and would you mind posting a picture? I have chosen Pitaya and they are planning a corner seam. I’m not sure how it will look. Thank you!

Hi @wolverleen - thank you! We have one seam near the corner of our perimeter, here's how it looks.

It looks pretty discrete and well made. Thank you for sharing! It’s very very helpful to see the overall look. I love it!

How is Pitaya holding up for you in 2023?  Ia there any staining or other issues?  How many times have you had to seal it?  I like your sink.  Which brand and and faucet do you have?

Hi @lariced - our Pitaya is holding up well. A year after move in, there's still no staining, discoloration, chipping, no issues to note. And it has gotten plenty of use from us cooking. I try to wipe them down daily but if I catch dry coffee drips or bacon grease a few days later, they wipe right up.

We are due for our first round of sealing. We're going to wait until spring weather allows for windows open/ventilation before we tackle applying this stone shield sealant recommended from our fabricator:

https://www.bbindustriesllc.com/stone-shield-color-enhancer-sealer-1-2-pint.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA5sieBhBnEiwAR9oh2heJNNr8xpLxXXyyInwNlxw4u-ssQUrwom8laxprZkg9ApCHADdgFxoCp-8QAvD_BwE It seems easy enough to be a weekend project, but time will tell.

Our kitchen sink is an AKDY Workstation Undermount 32", here's a link: https://www.akdyusa.com/Kitchen-Sink-KS0231?page=1 Love it, so glad we went with a workstation. In hindsight, I would have gone slightly bigger for ease of washing large pans, but it works just fine. If you go with this, or a similar SS sink option, I think a dish grid is a must to prevent scratches on the bottom of the basin.

Our faucet is a Delta Essa: https://www.build.com/product/summary/1136292?uid=2726473&jmtest=gg-gbav2_2726473&inv2=1&&&&&&source=gg-gba-pla_2726473!c1705989067!a65446962206!dc!ng&gclid=CjwKCAiA0cyfBhBREiwAAtStHGaxyo3EEHy1QJ_bogXb-iY8-5joLrsJdx6GS9WQQpf7t9QTtAEGLxoCnAEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds 

I hope this helps! If you go with Pitaya, enjoy it! It's a beautiful stone and I'd chose it again.

Hi @Katie Rusch - Thank you so much for posting about the Pitaya after a year. We are considering the same for our project. Wondering if you did the 2 cm one or the 3 cm one. We are only able to find polished ones near our location.. TIA

Hi @Sarabhi glad it was helpful! Ours is 3cm and I don't believe we had any other options.

I still love our honed finish, but a year and a half later and the finish is definitely wearing down in high-use areas. I applied this sealer but don't feel like it did anything. I'm going to have to give the originally recommended stone shield a try after all.