We've only had our Cambria quartz counter top for about 1 month and I LOVE it!! I did want more of a shine but find it is not very shiney at all : ( But is sounds like more prefer the less shinier type. Around here the popular ones are Oxford, Nottingham and Victoria from what the dealer told me. I like them too and thought that one of those would be my choice but ended up choosing the new Cranbrook Quarry series just because it went better with the cabinets. Preston and Brownhill were also very nice. I was able to take the small 4"x4" sample home for a few days to decide. I can barely see the seem and love how it cleans. Haven't put anything REALLY hot on it, like a slow cooker, and probably won't just because I'm scared to LOL. Here are some pics.......total cost $5700 (install & tax)

I have Cambria Torquay and use Clorox wipes on them all the time. I use them to wipe down my counters, then follow it up with Method granite polish from Target (LOVE that stuff!) There is absolutely no streaking, haze, residue, discoloration, etc. I frequently put hot items straight onto the countertop, but try to use a trivet or pot holder most of the time. I'm not super worried about it, but I figure it doesn't hurt to use a little extra caution. I was given the option of having the sink cut-out finished into a cutting board, so I used that for a long time as a tester of sorts. It has held up to all stains and temperatures I've subjected it to. I was advised by the installer to use a it of straight acetone for any stains that couldn't be removed with regular cleaner or by scraping with a razor blade. That was four years ago, and I have yet to find anything that didn't wipe right off. And that's saying something, because I have young children. I absolutely love my quartz counters and would buy them again in a heartbeat.

I have had Caesarstone for a couple of years now and I'll share some of the tips I learned from them and I've gotten over the years. -As much as you can, wipe up the spills. If you let it sit, you can soak it with warm water and dishwashing liquid. -Don't scrape hardened spills with razors or knives. Scrape them with a plastic ice pick. -Don't use abrasive liquids or solutions during cleaning. -Always use cutting boards and trivets whenever you're cutting vegetables or meat and when you need to remove a hot pot or hot pan. -Lastly, after cleaning the countertop, wipe down everything with a paper towel to prevent having watermarks. I hope these help!

It looks very fresh and new. You can absolutely tie them together well and it will look fabulous. I know how hard it is to have a vision in your head, and then how sad it is when what you end up with doesn't match the picture in your head. But I'd recommend trying to regain some perspective. No one has died, it's done well, and it's going to be beautiful. There is no way in heck I'd pay money to rip that out and start over. However everyone is different with money and I'm sort-of cheap. I save forever for major projects like this and I've learned one has to be willing to roll with the punches on a major reno. Stuff always takes longer, costs more, and looks a little different than what I saw in my head....