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Design DilemmaKitchens
digijules

Help me decide on my countertops!

last year

I'm driving myself crazy trying to make a decision on the countertops for my kitchen. Here are some of the factors I'm trying to weigh as I decide between Mykonos Quartzite and Taj Mahal Quartzite:

  • This is for a house we are building in the mountains - very heavily skewed towards entertaining in the kitchen.
  • I love the look of marble, especially busier, more dramatic ones, but I don't want the upkeep of marble. I want a natural stone so have landed on quartzite.
  • The cabinets are black stain around the perimeter with a white oak island and hood. I am going for drama and personality.
  • There is quite a bit of stone in the kitchen - we are doing full height backsplash behind the stove and taking the stone to the bottom of the cabinets on the window wall. The island is 10ft x 5ft.
  • Concerns: is the Mykonos too busy with that amount of stone and is the Taj Mahal too tame? Will Taj Mahal be very "of the moment" in 5-10 years - like past its prime because it's so trendy now? Is the Mykonos too cool for the warm tones of the wood?


Here is my kitchen layout:



Here's a rendering of the cabinet colors (our real window is black casing and mullions, not white):




Here are some inspiration pictures. I really love a dramatic slab backsplash but I think with the amount of stone in the kitchen it will be too busy:






And here are the slabs I am deciding between (all pics are looking a little green because of the warehouse lighting).


Mykonos (leathered finish, which I prefer):






And here is the Taj Mahal (polished finish because it brings out more of the colors and veining in the Taj):





Thanks for any advice or thoughts!


Featured Answer
  • 2 months ago

    This is seriously one of the best kitchens I’ve seen on Houzz!Amazing!!

    Comments (20)

    • last year

      Have you tested the slabs for porosity / staining? Some of the threads here indicate that Mykonos needs to be sealed regularly; not sure about Taj. Both slabs are beautiful! Taj seems to be a dense and durable stone, while some on this forum have had issues with white quartzites staining.

    • last year

      I personally love Taj

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    • last year

      Limit yourself to one thread per topic please.

    • last year
      last modified: last year

      My kitchen is very similar to yours (almost as big, similar flooring, black perimeter cabs & a 4x8 walnut island with waterfall). I have a fairly busy quartz (not quartzite) slab up the walls and it looks fantastic.

      I don't have an opinion on which quartzite you pick - whichever one makes you smile! In a big room, it won't feel too busy. Go for it!

      (Everything looks way more orange in this photo than it does in real life)


    • last year

      It will look gorgeous with either stone. I like the Mykonos a little better. Nothing rational - just looking at your kitchen design and colors.

    • last year

      @BPMBA your kitchen is beautiful!

    • PRO
      last year

      "while some on this forum have had issues with white quartzites staining."


      You're being too polite, as there are over 25 (twenty-five, no typo) quartzite horror threads here on Houzz. Anyone who purchases quartzite without perusing them and personally testing their slabs, deserves their fate. Your designer, your fabricator, your GC, and your stone supplier are all not going to help you. Those of us issuing warnings are the only friends you have.

    • last year

      My vote and choice based on the slabs you've shown are to run the counter material up the backsplash. Your slabs are not too busy for that more upscale design.

    • 2 months ago

      Hi, what quartzite did you end up? Any pictures fo share?Sure it looks amazing!

    • 2 months ago

      We went with the Taj Mahal and I love it! I don't have to worry about things staining it (although I am pretty careful anyway) and I love the look of the natural stone. I think we ended up tamer than what I had originally envisioned but I love the warmth and coziness that the stone brings.






    • 2 months ago

      Thank you @jtkaybean! That means so much because I am not a professional designer but made every decision in this house down to the door stops. It's exhausting but I love the outcome!

    • 2 months ago

      Stunning kitchen! We all know how many decisions were required for this gorgeous outcome. Bravo!

      Julie Halloran thanked RedRyder
    • 2 months ago

      beautiful!! What floors do you have in your kitchen? They are gorgeous.

      Julie Halloran thanked lesliejwhite
    • PRO
      2 months ago

      Fantastic kitchen! Well done and Bravo!

      Julie Halloran thanked JAN MOYER
    • PRO
      2 months ago

      Love seeing the final outcome--it's just gorgeous!!!

      Julie Halloran thanked Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
    • 2 months ago

      @lesliejwhite Floors are Bella Citta engineered wood in the color Galapagos. https://bellacittafloors.com/product/galapagos-fernandina/

    • 2 months ago

      Thank you!!! Your whole kitchen is gorgeous!


    • 25 days ago

      Julie, your kitchen is beautiful. I am about to have Bella citta galapagos floors in fernandina installed in my home. Have you been happy with them?


    • 25 days ago

      Thank you for posting pictures of your finished kitchen - it's beautiful! Enjoy!

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