@Patricia first of all, we’re wanting quartz for the primarily white background and longer veining. I’m not interested in continually having to seal my countertop or a darker or spottier pattern. I grew up with granite at my family’s house and having to seal it and the darkness is not something I’m interested in having for my own house currently. We have 4 different ones we’re currently looking at, it’s gloomy today where we’re at.

I don’t have new tile options. We’re still debating depending on which counter if we want a quartz backsplash to match or find new tile.

Don’t even worry about the tile until you settle on a countertop. This granite is bulletproof and no sealer required. I am also in the anti quartz camp personally so just trying to show you there are lighter granites out there you just have to do your research - every supplier calls these different names. Looking at full slabs of whatever you choose is key and know the heavily veined quartz can be challenging with corners.

“There's no plastic in it at all.“

C’mon @Jan Moyer, you know that’s not true. You’ve seen Joseph Corlett’s many posts, clarifying what contents make up quartz counters. Quartz counters are made in a factory, of crushed quartz particles, dyes, and 33 1/3% plastic resins by volume. A little googling, and you’d come up with the same info.

Whatever! Unless you plan t use a blowtorch heat on it behind a range, or set you 800 degree pizza on it, It is fine as a counter. I just get annoyed with the same bash of it, over and over and implying it is all plastic.

"Quartz countertops can consist of approximately 93 to 95 percent quartz and 5 to 7 percent resin by weight. Engineered quartz is manufactured using Italian Bretonstone technology that blends pulverized quartz or other natural stone aggregates like granite and marble with a polymer resin mix."Dec 19, 2018

Or........

At Caesarstone, we produce quartz countertops using roughly 90% loose quartz. The rest is resins and pigments. We mix and blend these materials before molding them into slabs of 120 x 57 inches. From there, we apply 100 tons of pressure to the slab via a vacuum and vibration process.

The point is they are ALL engineered stone.: )

@JAN It’s a fairly newer home - built in early 2020 so it was built just like this and not really touched otherwise. The 6 recessed lights will be replaced really soon to more of a daylight over the warmer light they currently have.

As far as the floors I appreciate that input, in a different post I was told the cabinets and floors both were on the cooler side. Maybe it’s different lighting but I don’t feel our floors are super cool like others and have a decent balance.

I would say my goal is to have a more open feeling and cleaner feeling with the counter - the laminate currently there is heavy on the gray and it makes it feel very dark to me. Also a reason I’ve strayed from granite - I know they aren’t all black and have looked at a couple but even the white isn’t white enough - I feel like our current laminate is like a white granite version laminate that they tried to replicate and I’m not interested, there’s too much gray making it still be too dark and too much gray.

@thinkdesignlive - it is beautiful and looks great with your home. For a future home I build I may look more into granite but the lighter granite there is around us are still all too gray and busy. We like the longer veining in the quartz. If I had different cabinets I’d probably also consider a lighter granite more but for this house we’ve felt quartz ended up the best option for what we want to accomplish with what we have. We’ve done a lot of research the little over year and a half we’ve lived here now and are finally getting into the final stages to try to get this project done.

What is making the kitchen dark, is a lack of electricity and a small window, with no direct light over the sink and you've not enough recessed, probably the wrong temperature as well.

You need under cabinet lighting, and make certain you address that with any top. I would change the sink to stainless and a single under mount bowl with the change in counter.

Boost the light you have to at least 3500 in the pot lights. I find 4000 a bit icy - 3500 is usually fine.

@Jan Moyer, there is a big difference between measuring by weight, vs volume. The crushed quartz and dyes weigh more than the plastic resins. So, the manufacturers like to push the 93 to 95 percent quartz and 5 to 7 percent resin by weight statistic. However, by volume, there is 33 1/3% plastic resins (no matter the brand)…which is why it is easily melted or scorched.

I have had NO client melt a quartz counter, and I don't let them use it behind a splash.

There are many surfaces I like......use them all correctly. The only one you can't kill in some regard? Soapstone.

@JAN Thank you! I do have under cabinet lighting, they just aren't always on and on auto so if it's bright enough they don't turn on - it's mostly early morning/evening/night they'll pop on. Getting at least 3500K recessed bulbs are on my weekend to do list as I think that could be a factor. My husband also prefers the more veining look over specks so we narrowed those out. I don't want the counters to be too stark white but also don't want them to look dirty either which in certain angles our current one can look some times from it having so much dark/gray in it and not letting the white show through as well.

Jan, your clients have been lucky. How about the several threads, whose quartz counters were melted by someone in the family laying a hot pot lid onto the counter? There were quite a few similar threads like that, a year or so ago. Perhaps people are now more careful about using trivets.

The point is, don’t make statements that are misleading. Quartz counters do contain plastic.

@darbuka I think people are now being more concious with that - unfortunately some people learned the hard way and didn't do that research and also weren't told potentially then. If you are aware it won't happen though. We have been told by multiple area fabricators to never set a hot pot, appliance, etc. directly onto it when we'd get it and use a cutting board or trivet. It'll be an adjustment for us sure coming from laminate where I just have a toaster or crock pot directly on our counter but no matter what we'd get I'd probably start setting hot stuff on a trivet just to be on the safer side of things to not make a potential $4-6K mistake.

We've done a lot of research between the two over the last 1.5 years and spoke to family that has granite then family that does have quartz to see what was best for us at the time. Main research has been for us cleaning each one as well as what to do/not do and what to not set on each one, etc. I know some fabricators might just unfortunately assume people do research or know but that isn't always the case - my grandparents have a darker kitchen, their granite is beautiful from 15 years ago but they didn't do the research on if it stained back then easily - and the fabricator failed to mention sealing and how often to seal so they do have a spot where a stain went through now.

Brianna, glad you’ve done your research, and are aware of the ”don’ts” that apply to engineered counters.

I’ve no skin in this game, other than correcting misinformation being posted…especially by pros.

It’s not my home - I just helped with it :) good luck with yours! Since you have a corner be careful with the veining and you want to approve your slab and digital layout after template.

Brianna

Before!!!! you sellect any top, you get an electrician!

You are the one who decides when you need more light in a kitchen!

The sensor needs adjusting?

Maybe…. but a switch is control by you! This isnt your driveway or your deck lol

Your counters are not what is making the kichen dim. That is a result of cabinet color and the electricity lacking. Some kitchens need it in broad daylight- on the sunniest day