Here is the picture of my then not finished kitchen with Taj Mahal Quartizite. Maybe it will be helpful.

To answer your question, I have Taj Mahal counters with natural oak floors and white cabinets. It’s a clean, not too busy look and I find Taj Mahal to be extremely low maintenance.

@J Sk and @Beth H. : - lovlely kitchens!

@Beth H. : what countertops do you have?

Taj Mahal Quartazite

European Oak will have less yellow tone than White Oak from N. America. Monarch has a range of options.

Wide plank engineered hardwood flooring in European Oak and Walnut (monarchplank.com)

Thanks for the advice people. @J Sk sorry I meant what worktop is the island unit the photo @Beth H. : provided. Looks really nice as does the Taj Mahal. I’m really looking for any granites that would pair with my units and the new wooden floor that have long continuous patterns through them that could be matched up over a waterfall end.

Patterns that are very uniform and the same all over don’t look right as a waterfall. That’s why I like cosmic black. Taj Mahal would also work as there are long streaks through it.

If you want something with strong veining make sure to find a good fabricator. Many people have problems with veining not "flowing" especially if you consider waterfall. It might also require a lot material and get expensive.

Following...

@J Sk What did you do for backsplash? Can you post a photo of the finished kitchen?

@Alfie (North London, UK) Are you sure that Taj Mahal is granite, not something else? Just curious... I have never seen granite like that, but I'm no expert.

You have received great advice to go with wood. It is def much easier on your back than tile and when you drop things, they won't break as easily. It also quiets the space. And a good neutral tone will be easier to decorate around than the pink in the travertine (which I unfortunately have in my master bath, so no judgment here).

Doing waterfall edges and matching solid backsplash is a decidedly modern look so the rest of your home is going to need to follow down that path. Idk what the rest of your house looks like. You mentioned replacing travertine in your dining room at a later date. It's probably best to use the same wood floor for a cohesive look and do it at the same time you do your kitchen. Many finishes go out of inventory (especially in these times) or at the very least you want it to be from the same stock. Think of fabrics ordered at different times from different dye lots that don't always match. Just something to consider.

@J Sk - thanks. yes we have found a very reputable fabricator (25+ years worktop installers).

@birdstalker - thanks for the advice. Yes Taj Mahal definitely isn’t granite. It’s quartzite I think. I’m after any natural stone that has long patterns/veining through it. We have some quite long worktops (one is 4.5m) so I think if its a very uniform pattern like, say, blue pearl, it might not look right? Looked at hundreds of quartz slabs now (technistone, silestone, ceasarstone etc) but all the patterns to me look a bit artificial like they have been printed onto the slab.

@Alfie (North London, UK) Oh okay. In the above post you referred to it as granite. Have you ruled out the Taj Mahal then? I am with you on this struggle and there are heated debates here regarding natural stone vs others (aka "plastic" according to some). It is dizzying.

@Alfie (North London, UK) Taj Mahal is a favorite for a lot of reasons. BUT, be careful when you shop. There are creamy-white-and-caramel slabs and there are grayer-more-olive green slabs. The lack of consistency in naming slabs is a huge problem for homeowners who are shopping and trying to compare apples to apples. If you look at Houzz photos of Taj, you'll see the big variances in color. Just make sure to secure slabs you fall in love with so they don't get sold while you're thinking about it. Gorgeous ones go fast.

@RedRyder - we have already encountered this problem! One of the stone yards has separated their cosmic black into three sections. We don’t like the orange in the cosmic black and they have two different colour variations that have no orange in them. The owner said they come from different parts of the same quarry. Which colour variations of Taj are the really good ones that go first?

I read this whole thread hoping you went with the Cosmic Black. You clearly like it and the honed/leathered finish that Beth shared is a showstopper. With clean modern white cabinets and nicely done engineered wood floors, it would take center stage and be pretty stunning. Taj Mahal is super popular for a reason (so you wouldn't be making a mistake picking it) but it's definitely the safer option compared to Cosmic Black. Do what is going to make you happy - you're the one who has to use that kitchen every day!

@birdstalker - yeh sorry I use the term granite for quartzite dolomite and granite which | shouldn't. No not ruled Taj Mahal out yet - it's such a stunning stone. Not completely ruled out the Sensa ones either (glacial blue or Ice blue). Just find it so hard choosing. Even if you get a large sample it is difficult to know what it would look like on a bigger scale.

Also, as RedRyder pointed out with the difficulty of getting similar slabs of colours we like as they can vary a lot for the same stone. I quite liked Bianco Antico at the start but my wife thinks it won't look that good once you have a lot of it since it's got a uniform pattern. We need 5 slabs (3.0m x 1.8m) according to the fabricators we had quotes from. So there is the added difficulty of finding a stone yard that was 5 slabs from the same batch. We loved a particular Belvedere we saw (much more toned down than typical Belveders you see online) but they only had 3 of that batch.

Alfie, i Have Calacatta marble on my island, and Silestone Eternal quartz on the other.

Taj would be very nice. another quartzite very similar is perla venata

I think this one is leathered.

here's taj. as you know, some taj can have warm golds, others have grays.

the perla seems to be creamier but look almost the same as taj

Since you need 5 slabs, that's going to be a heavy hit to the wallet!

Alfie, I’d say if you like lots of drama and KNOW you’ll like it for years to come, go with the darker stone. If you’re not sure or you want something with longevity that can easily go with different styles and looks, you might want to opt for TM….it’s a classic beauty. We remodeled our kitchen last year and chose TM, but I knew that that’s what I wanted, so it became our jumping off point. Red Ryder is correct, there are so many different slabs out there….some were even pink! Much of the remaining TM is dark, gray and green (some with merlot “writing” in places), and the lighter, creamier slabs come at a premium. We found ours (lighter, creamy with some non-dramatic gray and tan) at MSI; they have a pretty good website and you can search for slabs all over the US. (It not only shows in-stock slabs, but also what’s being shipped in) During my search I noticed that many of the lighter slabs we liked were labeled (by the distributor?) as Perla Venata, as was ours, but still listed under TM. We got 2 large slabs (since the island has a walnut top) but were, according to our fabricator, only charged for what we used (they kept remnants)…ca $ 12500. If you truly need 5 slabs it could get pricey! The lighter slabs can still be found, but you’ll have to search patiently….good luck!

@Beth H. : - thanks. Wow thag island marble stone is stunning. Marble is my favourite stone. How do you find the maintenance of it compared with your silestone?

@coray - maybe the slabs in the US are bigger or worktops are more expensive. Definitely not a cheap job. Quotes have varied from £7-£12k depending on fabricator and the stone. There are quite a few who have no fancy showroom and just have a state of the cutter in a small industrial unit and these people are significantly cheaper.

Alfie, it came from the Antolini factory in italy w/their own sealer. (azerocare) I will say, the sealer has worked. for stains. as for etching? not really. the first year was cool, but then it started to etch. it's only around the spot where I have my cutting board. the rest of the slab is perfectly fine.

The silestone is simple. they even have their factory Nboost on it. no issues at all. (I have chipped it w/my iron skillet though) repairs nicely.

so, Taj or the Perla Venata would be a great choice. you wouldn't have to worry about stains or etching or scratching.

Looove the lighter slab (fruit bowl photo)…..the last of Beth’s photos is more what most current slabs look like, at least in our experience.

Your country must use smaller slabs because 5 would be a lotta stone! We did our kitchen and laundry room and needed 3 slabs. There was enough leftover to redo the upstairs guest apartment countertop (not calculated at first) with the leftover. There were 5 slabs from the same quarry. The total cost with installation, was $8500 in 2017.

There are three areas in the kitchen and a small L-shape in the laundry room. The sink area is a pretty large piece.

It’s any consolation, my designer and I went to several stone yards looking for a green stone and by the 3rd she was telling me to think of plan B. We finally found the slabs at the 5th place. She practically cried with relief because I was so stubborn about my vision.

Taj Mahal can be very hard to find - and 5 slabs that match. Is there a section of the kitchen that can use a complementary stone? Or would you consider a different material where consistency can be easier to achieve?

Because you asked - The creamier Taj with an ivory base and caramel swirls tends to be my favorite.

Here some examples: the lighter slab is ours, the darker slab represents the majority that’s being sold now, and then our kitchen, installed….hope this gives you some idea.

Beautiful kitchen, @coray!

Thank you, Diana Bier! But don’t you know we had a cracked (poor Chinese parts) valve under the kitchen sink last month, leaking water overnight, causing damage in the bedroom and furniture below and warping the hardwood floors so we need to redo 1/2 kitchen floors?? After all that work and mess last summer……😱😭

Oh geez, that's awful! Water damage is so insidious.

Quartzite is very durable. It's right up there with granite if not better, but is often mislabeled. Beware of the "soft quartzite" as they are not true quartzite. True quartzite is tough to scratch and will not etch. The "soft quartzite" is usually marble.

There's a Stone ID Kit that was designed by MB Stone and Geologist Karin Kirk to help homeowners and professionals verify that they are getting the stone they are paying for. You may want to look into this as an option to help you make sure you are getting the correct stone.

@coray - stunning kitchen! That Taj Mahal is beautiful. Did you go for sink drainage grooves? That’s sad about the leak. Leaks are a nightmare and pipes are never routinely checked. A colleague at work had a leak while they were away all weekend and she had to move out for 3 months because it caused so much damage. I wish you the best in getting a swift repair.

Thank you, Alfie! No, we did not get the “groovy” tops; I usually use the right sink (since ours is a 36” double) for draining/drying dishes, plus I have a drying mat I can pull out when needed. I honestly wanted to “mess” as little as possible with the TM, you know? (We are empty nesters, so our dishwashing situation is very manageable now😉.) While our water damage is a pain in the neck, of course, it could have been much worse. We had friends years ago who moved from the NE to the SE, traveling all day + with 2 young kids, only to find that their newly purchased home was completely flooded and had to be dried out and rebuilt downstairs; they had to spend 7 months in a rental apt.

@coray - truly beautiful kitchen! I LOVE those natural wood windows as backsplash - it's like art using that view as the ultimate backsplash!!

@coray yes my heart goes out to homes ruined by burst pipes. Strange how my boiler, oil tank and even the electrics are checked professionally but pipes are never checked.

Can I ask if you have any joins on your TM? Since we want some book-matched end panels we are looking for long continuous patterns like TM and Cosmic B. However, we have a C shape worktop on the right side with the long part 4m which means you need a join at both ends as they don‘t make slabs that long. I was wondering how well TM can be matched at a join? Some Cosmic B pics I’ve seen look bad at a join. Uniform patterns look better at a join but then not as good as a waterfall.

This Taj M island looks so cool:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QzaaDbn_ZFU

Thank you, JP L! We can’t take credit for the windows, they were already here; all we did was replace them with walnut, triple glazed ones. We have nature and views all around us, so it’s definitely nice to have them. The biggest game changer (IMO) was the large, uninterrupted window above the sink; not having the divisions and transom lets in so much more light and nature. The other thing is that the kitchen feels so much more spacious now….we think it’s due to the lighter cabinets and the fact they go all the way to the ceiling (10’); the island is actually larger than before. (Most of our guests have commented as such.) I’ll post a couple of pics below.
Alfie, yes, we do have a joint…..but only the small seam behind the sink. The “L” between range and sink is one large piece; it was a bit tricky and heavy to place, but the installers managed it. It was my husband who encouraged them to try it this way, and we’re glad it worked out. (The slabs were large enough, but the fabricator was worried they wouldn’t be able to bring it in and tilt it just so for install.) Our slabs are less dramatic, so I’m thinking the joining was less problematic than it might have been with more patterned slabs.
The TM in your little video is darker and “cloudier”…..I’m guessing it’s porcelain? We saw lots of those at our stone yard….they are pretty cool, just not what we were after. Good luck with your search and project!

@coray -love your kitchen. I’m so sorry for your nightmare of having a serious leak.

@Alfie - the Taj Mahal samples she posted shows what I was saying about the colors that are TM.

Incidentally... We are currently having our own flood woes due to leak in copper pipe, about 10" below slab. That, my friends, is the end of a paper clip pointing to the pinhole. Hard to believe this was the culprit. We built 14 years ago, our one and only forever home. Can't imagine how long it was leaking in order to actually show up.

Came home one day and found water on the guest bath tile. Thought it must be a toilet seal or something minor... Until I narrowed it down to water coming from a baseboard and knew I had a bigger problem. Removed the molding and it was actually seeping out of the walls. That led us to believe it was possibly coming from the upstairs master, somewhere above ground. It took a couple of visits for the leak detection company to actually find it.

Other affected areas include wood floors in guest room, husband's study, three closets and a hallway. He has built-ins on two walls of his study that will have to be removed and stored... somewhere? The real issue I imagine will be getting the built-ins reinstalled properly and without damage. Husband is heartbroken.

According to our mitigation company, the insurance company is slow to pay claims and they typically only want to pay half. It sounds like we will have a battle every step of the way.

Contractor won't start the job until materials are ordered and on site, so I'm trying to make quick decisions on parts of the house that would be last on the list to remodel. Meanwhile our kitchen has been screaming for an update and it took years to talk the boss into new countertops. I was just starting to research when the flood happened. Looks like I'd better make peace with the kitchen as-is for the foreseeable future.

Yet here I am, distracted by that Taj while searching wood floors.

Our sob story could be worse. At least it was not the master or whole house and we didn't have to move out for 7 months with kids.

Oh, no, birdstalker…..I so feel for you and will stop griping immediately! Yes, water can be so devastating, goes wherever it wants to….I hope things will get back to normal soon….not easy during these times, when a contractor is so hard to come by…🤞🤞🤞🤞

Coray, stunning kitchen you have. gorgeous views too. I'd spend hours in there every day w/a view like that!

Birdstalker.... I feel ya. I've had two of those. it was the hot water pipe, yes? the hot expands and then cools off and contracts. over time the little rocks rub a tiny hole in the metal, sprouting a leek.

First time my carpet in the bedroom/hallway was soaked. they traced it back to the wet bar?? closed it off. fast forward years later. was walking on the tile in the entry way and it was warm. (we don't have ground heating.lol) tech came out and said it was a leak in the hot water pipe. (and for that the insurance company screwed us over for 3 yrs. long story. don't ever file a claim unless something is ruined. Actually, we didn't even file a claim. we just told them we think we have a leak, they sent their leak tech guy who confirmed it, they made up the claim. We didn'tn even use any insurance money to fix anything! if you call them beforehand, they don't care about the money youre saving them. they'll up your rates. The claim lady basically said, "wait until the floor is ruined and then call us". but I digress) So we had the hot water pipes taken up through the ceiling and down the walls. (which we paid for out of pocket because the leak hadn't ruined anything at that point and insurance wouldn't cover it. But they sure did double my premiums for 3 more years)

in hindsight we should have done the cold too. Another 10 yrs go by and yep, that one started leaking too. So no more pipes in the slab!

Sorry you're having so much trouble. But, do both hot and cold if you haven't already.

Thank you, Beth H! We live on top of a small mountain….a private subdivision with 6 ac lots at 4500 ft elevation, and we love it. It’s quiet and peaceful and pretty, which is what we were after. We bought the house with the “orange” kitchen, and I thought about how I wanted to change it for 5 years; we’re pretty proud of it….my design, so I’m sure there are a few wonky things a designer would never do😜.
Now you’ve scared me……DH did the same thing: he called our ins. co to let them know what had happened, but so far we’ve not filed a thing. While the floors will cost a bit, our deductible is $1500, so it’s not really worth filing anything, so likely we won’t. I sure hope they won’t raise our rates!!😱 I’ll definitely let DH know about this possibility. I’m sorry you’ve had to go through that….on top of all the mess you’ve got trouble with ins! So annoying…..

Thanks Beth. Yes, hot water pipe. How did you know. Sorry it comes by experience. My sil had a very similar story to you re: the insurance company. They tried to fix something themselves first, and were denied because of it. She had a second leak as well. We are in FL where insurance is especially difficult due to hurricanes. Great tip re: not burying in slab. These stories are all too familiar. I hate to hear them but have to admit it makes me not feel so cursed.

@coray I love your stone in the first pic. Would do that in a heartbeat if it was still around. What a difference though. Kitchen is so inviting. Sorry you have to redo your floors. They are so pretty. I wish it had happened to me instead. I need to update my kitchen! That is what is so ironic about my situation. Maybe I should just wait for a leak... From all the stories I am hearing lately.

Our insurance adjuster told other stories of unscrupulous people turning on a garden hose inside, faking claims so they can remodel. No wonder these companies can be a pain to deal with.

@RedRyder That is a great price for slabs plus install, whether 3 or 5! May I be so nosy as to ask your general location?

coray, don't let them send out their leak detector or anything or anyone. that's when the claim starts. you can call them back just to be sure that you're NOT filing claim and don't want any help from them, you just wanted an update on your policy.

bird, yeah, it's a rip off. Our mistake was letting them send out their leak detector. (we could have done the same ourselves for $150) Once they got their people involved, it automatically became a claim. There was nothing further done w/it either. it just happened to be the 2nd claim in a span of two years I think? w/plumbing issues? my premium went from 1500 a year to 3K ! and, no other company will touch you because it's all computerized and they can see the 'claims'. After 3 years it goes away. And I dropped that insurance company.

Thank you, birdstalker! (I hope you’re not a cat!🤣🤣….we love our birds.) These slabs can still be found, they’re just a bit harder to find. But I know what you mean: it almost makes you want to wait for a catastrophe, doesn't it? I told hubby the same thing: I wouldn't have minded if it had happened a year ago! Anyway, it could have been much worse. As our son said: be grateful you don't live in Turkey!

Beth H: thanks for the tip….I will see if hubs will call ins co. At this point I don't think they plan on sending anyone out here.🤞🤞

@birdstalker, We are in TN, 40 miles south of Nashville. Our slabs and stone installers were from Nashville. There were 5 stone yards we could shop, luckily.

RedRyder, are you by chance in the Franklin area? It’s so pretty there….we were there for the Dickens fest a few years ago, so fun! And that old bookstore in town!!!

coray or Red, franklin,,,isn't that where Christina on the Coast just moved too? name sounds familiar. Such a beautiful area.

No idea, I don’t keep up with her, but yes, it is beautiful there. I do think a lot of Nashville stars actually live in or around Franklin.

Beth, I am learning a lot from you! I had no idea we were in a country wide insurance data base, like hospitals. Wow, Big Brother.

Coray: I just stalk them because I love them. Painted buntings this time of year. A real treat. But I love cats too. Mine stalked the birds and rabbits from inside only.

I was thinking about Ukraine and the earthquakes in Turkey as I was writing that post. I didn't want to be Debbie Downer but I do put things in perspective whenever I start to feel sorry for myself. Did you see the dog that was found alive yesterday, after three weeks? Can you imagine??? Finally some good news, however small.

I have heard such great things about Franklin area as well. It seems everyone is transplanting there. I wonder how the natives feel about that. I would love to visit. Somehow we skipped over spring here. It will be 92 degrees today and it's barely March.

@Beth H, @Coray - Franklin is a place where many music stars - and Christina - live. The specific area is called Leiper’s Fork. It’s gorgeous. We looked there for a horse farm but ultimately moved a bit east. Our farm is halfway between Franklin and Murfreesboro which is a lot closer to the airport. That was a key factor for me. We also got more land with lower property taxes since we are in a different county.

Downtown Franklin gets a lot of accolades - and free publicity. That’s probably where you found the bookstore. It’s an historic area that has cuteness overload - tons of sweet stores and some good antique places. Christina in the Country is bringing more attention to the area.

None of the stone yards are in Franklin. 😂

Ok, I see……I bet Christina feels like she’s in a different country…..from CA it’s quite a difference! Red Ryder I know what you mean re property taxes….DH is always looking to stay away from the “high rent district “ for that reason! 😉

I have a question: in my email I saw birdstalker had commented recently, even mentioned me, and when I click on it to read the rest of it it brings me right to this thread, yet the comment is not there……wth?

Ok….all of a sudden I can see your last post, birdstalker…strange. Yes, non-birdkilling kitties are the best…we had some of those, too. 😉 Wish we had painted buntings….but we have seen indigo. In summer we get rose-breasted grosbeaks, all season, and then lots of confusing fall warblers! Yes, perspective is important…. 92 degrees in early March😱😱😱it’s mainly why we moved to the mountains….more snow next Friday!

Red, thankyou for the info. a good friend of mine moved to knoxville after she retired to avoid the state tax. Calif is just ridiculous. the only good think about owning prop here in calif is the prop taxes. right around 1% (although the gov has been trying to overturn our Prop13 Prop tax rule for a long time. If he manages to do so, I can't imagine all the people going to lose their homes. 1% on a 800K home (about the low to average home price around here) is a lot better than 4% on that same amount! I believe TN is in that range? I think my friend pays that where she is.

anyway, franklin sounds great. I bet since she has her show stationed around there the popularity and visitation has gone way up. Kind of what happened to Waco after Joanna and her show