I LOVE these. Just called them to inquire about a tabletop.

I know what you mean! I saw those when we were deciding too. We have Vetrazzo counters and really enjoy the sparkle and color on a gray overcast day even.

Maybe you could purchase a small section for a bar or island?

So gorgeous. In photo of one I saw, glass was installed on a stainless substrate.

I looked into it seriously when I was planning. It didn't take much to shatter the corners off the sample. I dropped it 6". Glass would be fine for an eating area, bar or something similar, but I decided it was just too fragile for heavy kitchen use. It can also be nicked with a knife point.

The one that really does cost more than a child is BioGlass, which is also the one that really is durable. It's supposed to have similar stats to granite, and is very beautiful. Just don't think of it as a "green" product. It's made in Spain with three years of pressure, then crated and shipped to Florida, where it's recrated and shipped to you. Then you have to find a fabricator who can manage it. That, and because it was so hard to even get a sample of the color I wanted, and the siren call of the bamboo I chose which was the wrong color, talked me out of this nightmare. :)

I am planning on installing a bar area between our kitchen and living room and I absolutely want this. It looks amazing. As Pllog and earth_pal suggested, I think a small area would be nice, but I would be a little worried about using it for all of the countertops since countertops take such a beating.

Oh, Plllog, you're breaking my heart. You've always been my pal and now you are telling me that it broke when dropped 6". I appreciate your honesty. It's just been a 'kitchen heartbreak' day.

I don't care about 'green' except pretty green glassy colors.

Options.

1. Put up yellow 'do not cross' tape so no one can go in the kitchen. Vending machines and micro in the foyer.

2. No lights. Dump a bunch of junk mail in the mailbox and a big sign that 'the family moved abruptly'. Crawl around in the dark. Use flashlight for me to look and fondle the glass top.

3. Don't put real food in the fridge or cabs. Just Fisher-Price pretend food. In the foyer, have cases of Fritos and cokes, so ppl will only stay just so long.

4. On Craig'sList- for sale or rent. One really nice, kind, smart, first born son. He does eat a lot but stays skinny. He's not very handy, though. Nice puppy, loyal.

5. Charge an admission fee to look but don't touch. Offer one inch cubes of the glass material as a souvenier(sp). Save the fees to replace the tops.

6. Install white corian. Get fancy paper made of the glass and glue it atop and around the corian. Four coats of waterlox.

Open to suggestions. This is gorgeous stuff. what about durability?

I am looking for something other than granite, soapstone, marble, solid surface, tile, copper, zinc. I'm afraid of quartz, it will carp out. I like stainless and this luscious glass. Modern k. Not contemp, transitional, but an attempt at modern. Laminate might be ok, even stainless looking laminate. But the k is developing into higher end than planned. Love this glass.

LOL!!

I'm sorry. :( Maybe you should get samples? I should clarify that it was the corners that broke (all four of them). The rest of the block survived. Maybe a third to half inch. It wouldn't even have worried me so much if it hadn't shattered in shards. If it were more like tempered and crumbled, I might have been okay, but it took forever to find all the splinters. I was told that all glass slab would be the same, but Thinkglass glass might be better.

Have you considered concrete? (interesting pics More.) You can do the same kind of art in it. John (jdesign? I don't remember his username for sure, but I have his e-mail) said he had a process that was superior for kitchen use to plain old concrete. There are also some polymerized concretes out there that might work well.

OTOH, why not stainless if you like it? It's certainly practical! Durable, inexpensive, etc. Have you checked out Johnliu's current thread? You could use a disk sander to make your own designs. Plus, you could use some glass for accents in an area where you won't be banging the corners with heavy pots. :)

Why are you afraid of quartz? The light colored ones can yellow in sunlight, but I don't think it "craps out" otherwise. Nothing more modern.

Thanks Plllog.

The other thing that broke my heart, temporarily, was an email from a stainless supplier who quoted me a very nice low number, was to call the next day with firm numbers, lost my file for a week, I prompted, and yesterday came back with a formal quote for 5k more. Heartbreak. So I wrote her and we will see. Still not at the finish line for countertops, I just sent the appliance models to the cabinet maker.

I may just get plain white corian and then I wont feel bad about cutting a counter hole for top mounted trash. And the corian can be re-done if I dont like it after a while.

Btw, I am using AYR cabinetry, the same folks used by loves2cook46. I couldn't dream of a better cab maker.

Thinkglass is the second thing I fell in love with. The cabs were the first. My cabs are kind of medium in value, deepish, orangey red brown rather than yellow, not cherry, just different. I was at Ayr showroom in Indiana, in a big hurry, walked by a display of cab door colors, and said, 'what is THAT?' and haven't looked back. I love the construction and bells/whistles and like the color a lot.

I am skittish about the durability of quartz. I would want solid white. trivets yes but stains? There have been a few isolated issues here at gw which scared me. I could accept etched marble for some reason better than stained quartz. To me, marbles, white calacatta and carrara don't seem to match with the cabs, orangey. I have twenty year old carrara floors in our tiny powder room which are etched and I love them still-they are homey, well worn, feel emotionally nice still.

You like quartz? Is the glass hopeless? The glass will be in very high use, not a tucked away bar top. Kitchen is in front, first stopping off point-and hang out place and small. oy

>If it were more like tempered and crumbled,

You know, I used to think that was what tempered glass did, too, but you might want to read this thread over in the bathrooms forum about the difference between tempered glass and windshield safety glass.

BTW, back on topic, our library has a bioglass countertop for the checkout desk. It's beautiful.

Thanks, Writersblock. I misspoke. The thing I meant about tempered is that it makes (is meant to make) whole little pieces rather than needlelike splinters.

Westsider, do not despair!! Talk to the fabricator and find out what caused the higher number. You might be able to alter the order a little to take away the extra amount. For instance, were you going to get the lip edge? For a modern look you could live without it. Might look better even, so the trade off from function might be worth it. Have you talked to other fabricators and craftsmen? Have you seen if there are any prefab stainless counters that you could modify for less than custom made? I think they'd look awesome with the orange-brown doors.

I do like white quartz, and it is the sine qua non of "modern" but if there's any chance it'll get a lot of UV, forget it. If not, check around to see if there's a maker who warrants against staining and get a sample. Also, find out about their repair methods. They're nowhere near bulletproof, however, and might not be for you.

I get the point of throwing up your hands and getting Corian but any interim surface you get is going to be the one you live with. It always is. Even when there are plenty of funds, it seems that once someone has decided she can live with something for awhile, awhile turns into forever, or nigh unto it.

Do you like marble? There are warm white marbles. Have you done a thorough investigation with your door sample? Or maybe Statuary White?

Writersblock, Wow on the library counter! Did someone donate the BioGlass?

Oh Plllog and Writersblock and all else, Thanks so much.

Yes we get tons of natural lite-we have a big skylite smack in the middle of the cooking area. And three big windows facing west. And even a glass back door. So white quartz is out.

I also like charcoal, but that and the deep cab color might make the room too dark. It's only 10x18 with 3 doors, big windows and cabs on 4 walls. Could be a lighter or med charcoal.

I truly like corian. It's not new but it's a nifty material. Not igloo's yuck stuff but pretty white. And no I would not replace it. (you know how old I am already) and that's too old for this kitchen obsession.

Yes good advice. I had gotten back with the stainless lady and she made a mistake. Another email. oops, another mistake. I am re-doing the math, while my stomach is turning. I checked with a fancy hi priced guy in Chicago but am confident that there's much cheaper out there. You guys are propping up this flagging shopper.

There may be some marble out there with a touch of orange tones, amid the white and gray. I am afraid to go out due to the snow and slipping. I was out yesterday and cut it short due to fear of falling. I walk like a little old lady, oh, wait, I am, ha.

Ok. look on line for possible marbles, mascarello granite(pretty but I fear I'd get bored and that's nuts), check for gray quartz, read more about glass or call. Check out lavastone? Thanks again for listening to my angst. Oh, first read Writer's glass info. hopeful

>Writersblock, Wow on the library counter! Did someone donate the BioGlass?

Given that they're constantly cutting the number of days the library is open and the amount of materials the library has, my guess would be it was given by the folks that branch is named for. It sure is impressive, though, especially on the raised part of the counter where the light can come through from all sides.

Don't bother with lavastone if you mean the enamelled kind. It costs more than BioGlass and is even more environmentally irresponsible, and, if I understand right, they fabricate there and ship, so you have to hope your measurements are 100% perfect. Works better for island tops. (I spent weeks talking myself out of it.) Oh! Wait! I think there's a place in California that does smaller slabs of it (think supergigantic tiles). I don't know their pricing.

With the skylight and your other concerns, I'd also cross off the quartz. You were right. Too much room for problems for you.

The snow will stop and melt and dry up and all. Stay safe! The marble in my 25 years ago apartment might be perfect. I don't know what it was, but it had to have been common and cheap. There's hope there.

Re Corian, I'm not a snob about it. There's some in my studio, the original '80's variety--nothing fancy--and it's a very nice, gray counter. Not so fond of the integrated flesh pink sink with a line around where it joins the counter, but no actual crack or anything (as it's supposed to be). The only word I can use is "orifice". The Corian itself is fine, though, and the mottled gray part isn't even ugly.

If you CHOOSE Corian because you like it and it suits you, I'll be the first one cheering you on. If you get it because you really want something else and can always change it out later (which never ever happens) I'll be the first to try to talk you out of it.

Will all that light, I like the idea of the stainless even more. Keep shopping!!!

I wonder if you can use glass for the backsplash. With less fear of damage, you can go to town - glowy lighting, groovy substrate, cool texture.

Dare I ask what Thinkglass costs? It is stunning.

Egads, don't you guys sleep? Thanks.

John, hearsay info said it's 2-300 s.f (gasp!) My plan was to do the eating table, 66"by30 in glass and one 5x2foot leg of the u shape counter. Can you say focal points? shhhhh. not even a hint to dh. But that was the impulsive 1a plan. Wait, is that 2000 for the 5 foot counter?

And no backsplash for me. Paint. I've spent too many months removing mosaic backsplash 70's tile from ds/dil's casa. I wonder what's going to happen to the current bs craze when the grout is dark and the love is gone. It aint that easy to remove. I've done it.

Plan z was to call them and ask if they had any scraps,lolll.

plllog, I didn't say it clearly. My cabmaker, who also does corian said that if I didn't like the trash counter thingy, he could change that part. I wouldn't change the corian if that's what I go with.

When I looked again the thinkglass site, I was imagining all the little crumbs gathering in the crevices in the top, and there I'd be with qtips in one hand and deflecting the white coated paramedics with the other hand. All I could see was crumbs and stuff in the little holes and lines. My life would be cleaning and guarding the top. Then I saw a sample with a smooth top-and of course, none of the tops would have crevices, only inside the glass--cant think straight ALL the time.

Then I'd go to hd and get the matchiest sheet vinyl for the floor. I can't take this anymore!!!!!!!

>Paint. I've spent too many months removing mosaic backsplash 70's tile from ds/dil's casa. I wonder what's going to happen to the current bs craze when the grout is dark and the love is gone. It aint that easy to remove. I've done it.

Yeah, I look at honey onyx/glass mix and think "Ooh" for a minute and then I remember all those earnest conversations in the late 70s about what to do about the embarrassing one inch tiles my dad put in the master bathroom in the '60s. Me, neither.

Oh! Redo the HOLE! Okay. That makes sense. Get the Corian and sheet vinyl and be happy!! It's all about the function. It is SO flippin' easy to mop sheet vinyl!! And it's warm.

You know....you could dye the Corian in adventurous patterns...

www.luxumcountertops.com is the answer. Over 1 inch thick Countertops that are as strong as granite but unreal beauty. They can even be lit up by remote control LED lighting. So unique. Price is about the same as middle price Granite.

Take a look at Crackle Countertops. www.luxumcountertops.com They look like a thousand sparkling diamonds, and in any color.