You can read up on how to test number two. The White Ice granit you will need to seal the granite, it us a dyrable popular choice.

i have quartz, but quartzite is also popular.

Your safest choice is the granite.

Thank you for your response:) I like the colour of the river blue but I don’t see myself being able to test that stone in the warehouse before buying

They are all so pretty! After reading all the threads of problems with quartzite, I don't think I'd ever choose that, regardless of how beautiful it is. But I suppose it depends on your tolerance for problems/stains and how hard you are on your countertops. Search houzz for quartzite stains and see if that affects your choice. Here's a thread to start with, lots of links inside, too. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6286151/can-our-beautiful-quartzite-countertops-be-remedied#n=9

Thank you! We have quartzite in our other home and it has been great. Looks like marble but no problems with stains, etc after years with 4 rough boys😂 I had no idea there could be problems so i will definitely read up. Everyone we have talked to here says quartzite is tougher than granite. As far as looks go, I like the look of the granite but im worried it looks to busy for the small space and it has a lot of brown in it.

I guess the problems are often from mislabeling, too. It all seems confusing and esp if you cannot test the slabs.

Fantasy Brown/blue is indeed a dolomite. (and is another name for River Blue).

It's a little bit heartier for acids to react. I have Super White, a dolomite in my bathroom. After 4 years I have a small etch spot by the sink.

I have never heard of lara marino, so it's probably something else that your stone place has renamed.

The only way to determine is to test is a small piece.

Take a glass tile with you. Or a shard of glass. if they can give you a sample, great. if not, at the very bottom of the slab take a shard of glass and use the point to scratch the stone. (use the very edge that they have to cut so you won't really damage anything)

You could also try and take the sharp edge of the slab or a spare piece and use it on the glass tile. If it's quartzite, it will leave a scratch in the glass tile. Or, w/the shard, it will turn that to powder (the glass shard). However, if that slab is marble or dolomite, the glass will turn IT to powder or scratch the surface. glass is harder than marble but softer than quartzite.

The other test is lemon or vinegar. (BTW, if the stone guy refuses to allow these tests, then it's probably NOT a quartzite, or worth the price he is charging. )

here's the lemon/vinegar test. it will etch if it's marble/dolomite. the dolomite might take longer. you'd have to scratch the polished surface w/a blade in order to get the acid on the stone surface. Quartzite will not etch at all.

I do like either of these slabs

The white ice granite one is very busy. don't know what your plans are for flooring or tile, but I'd prob skip this one for your smaller kitchen

Blue Ice is pretty

Beth, this is so helpful, thank you! Our flooring in the dining area is in pic 1 and we are stuck with the original tile in pic 2 for the kitchen floor. We did get a quote on viscount white granite (grey/white/black) but it was way over budget.

Beth always gives great guidance! As she mentioned, River Blue is Dolomite.

My favorite of the three slabs (especially against the white cabinets) is River Blue despite it being more finicky than granite. But the quartzite is also very pretty if you can verify the type of stone it is.

I also admit to being biased - my River Blue slab awaiting fabrication below...

Good luck and please post a photo of the finished kitchen for us to swoon over! It's going to be beautiful regardless of which one you choose!

I like the first one best.

Unless a stone is super expensive and/or fragile (onyx comes to mind), a stoneyard should be willing to knock off a sample for you. It doesn't actually matter what a stone IS, it's what it DOES that's important. Beat it, stain it, scratch it, grease it.

I can't believe they are charging you more for the 'quartzite' than Viscount White. Viscount is a simple granite that's been around for decades. Quartzite always has a higher price tag. Makes me think they know it's not quartzite but a marble.

Do the test before you buy!

Don't worry about the floor tile. for one, you don't have that much of it and it can easily be changed out to something else when you have a budget.

In the meantime, why don't you paint it to hold you over? that current beige/brown grout is horrible with any of your stone choices.

Simple DIy options. and tons and tons of tutorials online.

At the bare minimum, steam clean those tiles/grout, and use grout renew on to lighten the grout joints

This looks just like your tile! ^ please please, Follow my advice below and do one of the ideas I mention to get rid of this look!

I promise you it's not that difficult. if you do the stencil option, invite a girlfriend over, put on some music, get some wine and pizza, and paint the floor while you have a good time!

Just google 'grout renew on floor tile' and you'll see tons of pics w/links to blogs/tutorials.

Try this blog. I love ChrisloveJulia.

they have some beautiful DIY ideas and lots of info.

https://www.chrislovesjulia.com/taking-grout-from-dark-and-dingy-to/

But wait, there's more! take it a step further and paint the tiles white so that it works w/your countertop.

But wait, if you can do that, take it another step and do some sort of pattern or stencil desigh. (Cutting Edge Stencils and Royal Design Studio have hundreds of ideas and instructions how to do it)

this is a stencil over icky tiles like you have:

You would use a good quality porch paint and a floor sealer for these. should last a few years. plenty of time to save up for new flooring.

I really like this simple design. paint the tiles/grout a soft white, and do the half coordinating color on some of the corners. easy peasy.

BTW, the Blue Ice granite (also called Blue Flower

would look nice w/your other flooring. should be the same price as the white ice

do this arctic blue backsplash tile with it

or these

the blue one also works w/any of those

One more thing,,,,,you have a smaller kitchen area. have you looked into Pre-fab countertops? a 9'X24" pre fab runs about 500-650. an installer cuts it to fit your space on site.

13 years ago we redid a rental house. countertops are pre fab granite. total price including the island was 1800, installed.

Ooooh, that is gorgeous stone! Im swaying towards River blue. Its also the cheapest of the stones so far

River Blue is the same stone as Fantasy Brown. (or Blue Fantasy/Fantasy Blue) It's a dolomite.

Here's Fantasy Brown,

and here's the Blue version

Here it is in a leathered finish. they might be able to do this for you.

It is NOT a quartzite.

If they are telling you it's quartzite and charging you quartizite prices, they're scamming.

Make sure you seal this immediately after install.

When water beads up on top and sits there, it's sealed. redo it every few years. sealer doesn't prevent etching. always use cutting boards

check around at other stone yards and look at diff slabs.

Also check to see if they have any pre-fabs

pre-fabs will come in this size

"...but I don’t see myself being able to test that stone in the warehouse before buying."

Then take you business elsewhere. You cannot believe the word of a salesperson; you must personally test to determine what the stone is and for porosity. You may be very sorry if you skip this step as many threads here will demonstrate.

Thank you Joseph for reminding my husband and I that we should be using common sense and trusting our gut:)

I asked to test on a small area of the Lara “quartzite” and was told it was quartzite for sure, no need. I left and crossed that stone off my list.

The suppliers of the River blue were honest from the start in telling us that it was a marble (dolomite), nothing sketchy there. But we really like the look for our kitchen and we decided that we will take care if it and go with the flow, however it ages. It is a vacation home for us, so it will not see regular use until years from now when we retire:)

Beth, thank you for all of the ideas! Having to live through renovations that our contractor promised would be done by the end of April before we arrived, while managing our kids who have needs, has made things overwhelming. Every day it seems we find things that were completed carelessly or unusually and will need to be fixed. Your ideas for the ugly tile that we can’t afford to replace now are awesome. I love the painted navy and white. I wish I had found this forum sooner.

Thank you for sharing your ideas!

Congratulations! Please post a photo once your project is complete!

Jen, that one is beautiful! (Look at the nabi line on tilebar. they have a color called Arctic Blue that would be so pretty w/that. I like the Harlequin line or the Jewel line in that color. You can order some samples now if you like. you get 5 for $5)

https://www.tilebar.com/nabi-jewel-arctic-blue-crackled-polished-ceramic-tile.html

This is the Jewel. comes in other colors like this natural white too

Harlequin line:

If choosing any blues, make sure it's a blue gray that leans toward the purple side of the color spectrum, not the green side. See the lower right tiles and those diff shades? all of them would work. The darker ones in a slate tone also look good. don't be afraid of something w/a pattern. your slad is getting cut to 24". It won't be half as busy looking as it does full slab.

try a sample of the Cadenza line too. they also have a Wales Gray that will work.

Beth how did you know I’m obsessed with navy too? I would love to do one of the navy backsplashes. My husband came home all proud of himself for finding us a deal on a mini fridge for the coffee bar he is building us. Except it’s mint. Can I make it work with navy? The coffee bar will be in a nook across from the kitchen. Its all open between the kitchen, dining, and living room areas and i want to try to make it look pulled together.

Jen A I have been eyeing the River Blue but have been worried about choosing a marble for the kitchen. I think it is so gorgeous though. Have your countertops gone in and do you have pics? Have you chosen your backsplash? I would love to see what you've done!