There's nothing wrong with your granite. Granite is a natural crystalline structure and some have tighter structures than others. There are very few smooth as glass granites. Most will be dark with very homogeneous crystal structures, like Absolute Black. Your particular granite has a more open crystalline structure, with larger crystals right at the surface that can snag cloth. That does NOT mean it's "defective". It's NOT. It is the natural nature of that particular stone. Completely resining the slab can smooth it out, but then you lose the natural beauty that makes granite special and you might as well buy quartz.

Enjoy what you have as a natural work of art in your kitchen!

And yes, you need some color in that kitchen. Dark color. Like black or dark brown. The dining area weighs much heavier than the kitchen area, and the kitchen area needs some balance. A glossy black or chocolate backsplash would do the trick.

Well I like it. It is beautiful and tranquil. I dont think you need to changes anything. Love the puppy's

Ice

Thanks everyone. I was thinking of having the island painted either black or chocolate to bring some weight to the kitchen side. What do you think Green Designs?

I've accepted that this is as good as it gets with the smooth factor. I guess what confused me is that the edges are as smooth and shiny as can be but the tops not so much but that helps to know that the crystals are at the top they certainly are and from a distance it makes it look like it's all spotted but viewing directly on top you can see all the pretty sparkly things. It almost looks like marble in some areas. I'm happy with the choice but was worried about the stone quality but thank you for the good news that there is nothing wrong with it. Whew!!

Yes, my dogs were waiting for me to give them a treat in exchange for doing the photo shoot : )

Thanks for the helpful comments everyone.

Donna, the important stuff: Your pooches are adorable! I'm sure they think the kitchen is perfection.

I'm glad to hear that a little surface irregularity is normal for your granite. It's beautiful. As my kitchen approaches its white+grayness, I find myself longing for wood tones. Yes, before my makeover is even done. I'm sure it's a combination of its unfinished state, hunger for real food and cold hands because my #% heater is on the fritz again. It's too late to turn back!

I agree with Ice that it looks great the way it is--I like the tranquil feeling.

And the dark puppy helps to add the splash of dark that you might be looking for. :-)

Granite is gorgeous, but one suggestion: please don't arrange your pictures horizontally in a montage, just add each one in separately, one below the other. For people like me with bandwidth issues those mega-pics really make it hard to open a thread and it distorts the shape of the box that each subsequent reply is in.

Thanks!

Liriodendron

I think it's beautiful, too. I would live with it and finish accessorizing it before thinking about doing anything drastic.

Wow, I love that granite color -- the snagging would be annoying but for that granite I'd put up with it. It's really, really nice.

I think your kitchen is beautiful as is but I also think your ideas for the island would be lovely, too.

The roughness you are feeling is the grout that the tile guy left when he grouted your backsplash tile Use alittle vinegar and water(1/2 @ 1/2) and wash the counterters this will breakdown the haze left from the left over grout

Thanks for the suggestions everyone and the kind comments especially about my rescue pooches. They are the sweetest! I am so sorry about the big pictures but have not as yet conquered the downsizing of pix on photobucket. I was successful once at downsizing and thought I had it but then they came across like this!!! Really sorry. I know it's a pita.

The 5th photo down is of the seam they did. I thought they did a really good job with the seam. There are two other tiny seams in front and back of the cooktop virtually invisible. The only big seam is the one in the 5th photo that is to the left of the sink. I should have written on each photo what they were of. Some people have asked lately if it's ok to do a chrome faucet with different color hardware. I did and never even think about it. My backsplash was already in. It was installed a few years ago. Doesn't look too exciting in the pictures but it was expensive tile from Home Expo when there were still around and I just couldn't take it down. They are handmade and had a lot of pieces to accent with. It looks better in person, lol. It's not easy to change a backsplash. The last time we did they had to cut out the drywall and reinstall new, tape and mud, sand and then put in a new splash, big mess. I think it will be awhile before I can get DH to do that again. Also, blew the budget on the granite!

I was told the rough on the surface could have been from the cutting of the granite at the fabricators. They run water over the stone as it's being cut and there is lots of dust from the stone. It mixes together and makes a gritty film on the stone. If they don't clean it off it can feel very gritty and that is what it felt like. Really awful, I'm not a wimp when it comes to cleaning and I am being honest when I say it was REALLY rough. It is so much better now since I did the steel wool polish on it and have been using a granite polish on it every few days. So if anyone has this happen it takes some effort but it can be made better! Thanks so much again for the helpful comments!

Update on the granite. The fabricator offered to make a furniture top out of the left over remnant from my slabs at no charge.. I will post a picture of it when it gets back. I thought that was pretty nice of them and also I have always wanted to change that marble top on my foyer piece to a lighter shade. Can't wait to get it. I have used every inch of the two slabs now! (Linelle, can't wait to see your kitchen when it gets finished).

Your polished granite should be smooth and feel like a piece of glass. If it is rough then there is something on the surface-take a single edged razor blad(a new one so its sharp) and hold it at a 45 degree angle and move it slaowly across the surface. If there is something on the surface it will show on the blade. Grout residue,shop grit and or over applied sealer could be causing your issue.
If the blade pick up some grout residue the vinegar will work. If you find it picks up something elase clean the top with denatured alcohol or acetone. Keep in mind it will break down the sealer. You should test the surface anyway and see how porous or not it is. Ask your installer what they used on it.Actually they should be more than happy to clean it off for you and reseal if needed.
Stu Rosen
www.mbstonecare.com

Stu, thank you so much. I am still concerned about it because water seems to sink into it. It doesn't bead up. The surface seems crazed, pitted. I'm actually pretty sick about it.
The company has very nice sales people but the installers do not speak English well enough to communicate with. They told me my appointment was with the installation manager to discuss the problems but when they got here it was the same thing, only one of them spoke limited English. They just want you to sign their papers so they can leave. I end up more frustrated because it's an exercise in futility. Very nice don't get me wrong, but no help. I'm told this is just the way it is. I am not naive, my sister, mother, many friends have granite not to mention I have it in my master bath and it's not normal... Thanks again, I will try the razor blade that you suggested I appreciate your taking the time to advise me on this so very much. I'm not one to make waves so am so appreciative of advice of how to handle it on my own.

Like Stu said, try the razor blade. If you try the acetone, be very careful that it doesn't get on your cabinets, as it can harm some cabinet finishes.

Donna, how's your granite surface doing? My quartz counter went in last Thursday, and although the installer went over the entire surface with acetone, it felt like there was gritty residue everywhere, EXCEPT for the eased edges which are as smooth as a baby's bottom. So I cleaned them with water and a few drops of Dawn and wiped well with a microfiber cloth. Felt better. But when I'd come back an hour or so later, it was like the residue came back. When I read here that this is normal and it eventually goes away, I was encouraged.

It's true. A couple of times a day I spritz the counters and put some elbow grease into the rub. The feeling of residue has greatly diminished and isn't coming back. I hope yours are improving too.

How is the surface of your granite now that some time has passed? I hope it's gotten better!

Donna,
This is way off topic, but if you're still around...

Could you, or would you mind pics of your chairs?
I just picked up 3 dining room chairs that have this exact same, beautiful back! Mine are rather old.

What do you know about your stools?
They need rehabbing, but they're beautiful!!!

Gr8day, i have a request, too!! What is your island fixture called? Would you mind telling me where you bought it? It goes really well with my dining room fixture( which is from 2 houses ago), the one that I wasn't going to use, but we hung it, and I like it!

Thank you!!

Nancy