I don't know that it's necessarily all that hard, but when prefab tops are so reasonable right now, there's not so much of an incentive for most folks to do one. Our local HD for instance, offers several colors of granite with pre-installed sinks in any size up to a 60" double for $199. (Doesn't work for me, alas: my countertops are 74", but I'd sure go for something like that if I could.)

Overhangs are generally measured from the cabinet box, not the door or drawer front. E.g., for non-inset cabinets (framed or frameless), a standard cabinet is 24" deep but the standard overhang is 25.5" deep. This 1.5" covers the door or drawer front (usually 3/4" to 1" thick) plus the slight bit of opening b/w the cabinet box and the door/drawer front. Then add another 1/2" or so to extend past the door so spills are directed away from both the door/drawer front and the interior of the cabinet/drawer. The overhang has to extend past the doors/drawer fronts, not be as deep as them. It's also a good thing to cover most of your knobs & drawer pulls so they're not digging into you as you lean against the counter. With inset cabinets, the 3/4" or so for the doors/drawer fronts isn't needed, so a 3/4" to 1" overhang is usually plenty.

Thank you pillog! yes, yes, it really should be whatever DRY wants! :) I may be overthinking things. But I guess that is kind of the idea of this forum...seems we are a bunch of folks REALLY focused on decorating, and probably overthinking some of our choices! I need to have a martini and relax I think! nesting -I have been googling "rectified tiles" as I have never heard that term before. I am still unsure of exactly what it means. Something about batches, and rough edges...but I am going to keep trying to find "rectified tiles" used in a kitchen (either as counter or backsplash) so if anyone else can find some images...please share! jan jan-I see what you mean. I have not completely ruled out granite tiles, and maybe if I find something just earthy "enough" I will go with that. Your counter is not granite tile, right? It is slab? Sounds gorgeous. My parents own a beach house on the space coast of FL (a few hours north of me) and I am DYING to get my hands on the kitchen! It has the fake butcher block lamintae counters, and those "ëuro cabinets" (I think that is what they are called)that were popular in the 80's...you know they kind that have the groove as the handle?

My marble counter section is presently in storage, so it would take a bit of effort to get a pic, but I could do that if no one else has one to match your patinated-specs. But I can describe pretty well. It is undoubtedly Vermont (or nearby New England) marble)and has been in use in my kitchen and before that in my MIL's kitchen for 45+ years. And before that it was used elsewhere, probably for at least 75-125 years. It may (very long ago) have been polished but probably not to the degree that modern abrasives can do. It feels smooth, but it looks soft as it has no sharp reflectvity. The pattern (a bit of faint gray and some slightly butterscotch-y tints here and there) is very muted and cloudy. I don't see "etching", though I'm sure it could be etched and stained. Occasionally I'll poultice an oil stain if it bothers me, though usually nothing makes a mark. If you can recall seeing marble steps outside an old building, that's what it looks like. It never gets any special care. I roll stuff out on it, and use it as I would a regular countertop. I plunk hot pots on it, though for a super-hot, just out of a high-heat roasting or the broiler pan, such as a Le Creuset-type thing (with a lot of mass) I would probably use a trivet, not to protect the counter but to avoid damaging the pot with contact with the much cooler marble. But bread pans, cookie sheets, pasta boilers, etc., I just set down. One thing you can't do with it however, is set down just out of the canner glass jars, because the jars will shatter from thermal shock. In its patinated state, it is not a "statement" design feature as the counters I see on GW are. It just is a nice solid piece of kitchen equipment. I've got more interesting things to do than figure out how to cover my marble counter when I have guests so they don't injure it or to try make my DH wipe up every drip that hits it. (And he would correctly argue in this case that his sainted Mother never made him do anything like that, and since it is the counter from her house, he'd win that point!) It you are thinking of getting marble why not get a largish "cutting board" made out of the material and start using it as a counter top? Several months of use should tell you what you need to know. Even if cost a bit, it would be worth it I think for settling the question in your on mind. And even if you hate it as counter material, you'd still have a nice cool surface for pastry or candy making. Personally I don't like highly polished rocks in my kitchen - too show-offy for my taste. Not the fact of having them, but they're a very intrinsically attention-seeking design element. What people go gaga over: the dramatic ones with movement, or metalic speckles, or jeweled inclusions would make me uneasy. I want my counters to sit there and be quiet and useful, and not be prima donas in the maintenance dept. If you don't get images that are useful, post again and I can lift the stuff off the counter section and get a pic for you. HTH L.