There is also Silestone Bianco Rivers (this is a quartz, like Okite and Caesarstone). From small samples and photos I've seen, it has the same pattern as Caesarstone's Misty Carrera but with a whiter background.

I have yet to see a large sample or whole slab.

There are some laminates as well.

See MaryLynnNC's kitchen in the finished kitchen blog. Her's is one of my favorites and her counter top is:
Bianco Marble laminate by Pionite (faux marble)

Here is a link that might be useful: MaryLynnNC's kitchen

You might search for quartzites called "White Princess," "White America," and "White Fantasy" (who comes up with these names, the KKK?) which have been used by several posters on this forum.

I wanted marble but it failed my porosity test when I put balsamic vinegar on it. I was also concerned about car keys and coming in with groceries and cans slamming down. We have the misty carrera and it does have a grayish tint next to pure white.

I just went to look at a corian product called "rain cloud". It looks somewhat like marble but does not have the pure white background I prefer. I also looked at the Zodiaq/Okite Bianco Carrera. It has a very white background but the !2x 12" sample I saw had alot of GREEN as well as black spots. I definitely did not like the larger sample, so I am very glad that I did not choose it based on the small 4x4 sample I received in the mail.

The saleswoman was very knowledgeable and told me that Corian is never shiny, whereas Quartzite is usually shiny. I thought that this was helpful info to have.

I have the Corian Rain Cloud. I wanted marble, but went with Corian for all the reasons you listed. Here are some photos of what it looks like installed. Please excuse the unfinished kitchen and the mess ... we're living mid-remodel. Also excuse the poor photo quality ... I took these with my integrated laptop camera just now, and it's night time ... I'm sure I could get better photos with a real camera in daylight. If you want to see more, let me know and I can try to take some better pics tomorrow.

Corian has a newer color called Witch Hazel that is marble-ish looking. Here's a photo I took of a display - not the greatest photo but kind of gives you an idea.

Jumping in to say, yes please more pictures of the Corian Rain Cloud.

Sochi, your kitchen is stunning!!!!

This is White Princess, also called a few other names. Reads a tinge grayish-green and the background can be more gray or more white.

Indoors:
href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/o85zzEVO17ioYl1dLZBlMg?authkey=Gv1sRgCPKK-9HqvL6jYg&feat=embedwebsite">;

Outdoors in bright sun:
{{!gwi}}From Granite

Thank you for posting this question. I look forward to seeing all of the replies.

I just had to jump in and say, sochi, I love your kitchen. It's absolutely stunning.

enright, kerllite is a porcelain, of 3mm thickness (less than 3/16th inch). It looks like marble. It comes in 8 foot lengths. You could make a counter with it. The edges would probably have to be Schluter profiles or other edge strips.

All right, as requested, here are some more pictures of the Corian Rain Cloud in my still-under-construction kitchen:

I think the Rain Cloud is gorgeous, but around here you could have carrara counters and also replace them one time for what it costs.

Carrara is cheaper here, too, but I knew I'd destroy it, so I paid more for Corian knowing it would hold up to my abuse better. In a perfect world, I'd have the "real thing," but I am FAR from a perfect housekeeper and I have two very active (read: destructive) young boys. I figure I can be a stickler for authenticity and class when they are grown ... for now, durability is king. (And really, I think it looks almost as good.)

I meant to say that I love your sink cutout. Our local fabricators really push the integrated sinks, to the point that I wasn't aware you could even get them to do that.

I had same dilemma but opted for white corian counters (cameo) and went with a natural stone backsplash (Jerusalem Sand Limestone)

{{gwi:1592737}}

{{gwi:1592739}}

Like sochi and at least one other poster on this forum, I went with Luce di Luna, though my kitchen is more vintage and less modern (both cream and stained inset cabs, some wood countertops) than hers. I really, really wanted marble, but also wanted not to resent my husband and kids, who would never take care of it. The granite yard here in Cincinnati just called it "white quartzite" and they also had white princess granite, which was my runner-up. I also took home samples of their danby, carrara and calacutta, but I just knew I couldn't handle the etching. I will post a pic when it goes in--about 10 days or so.

There's also Super White quartzite. The veining is a gray-blue. I have a sample and keep waffling on liking it or not.

I just saw a video for the HGTV Green home 2010 and the perimeter counters seem to be Caesarstone Misty Carrera. I had dismissed Misty Carrerra as a marble substitute because the sample I have at home looks very gray (in a blah sort of way). But with the Misty Carrera with white counters in the Green Home looked great. I'm curious what others think of the look of the Caesarstone counters in the Green Home.

The misty carrera I've seen installed was very gray, so I expect it's clever lighting.

Another quartz option is the current version of Silestone Yukon, which looks rather like crema marfil (warmer rather than gray), at least in the counter I've seen on display. Not veined, precisely, but has a wispy pattern in it rather than the chunky inclusions in most of their products.

Also there's now a Cambria equivalent to the Okite Carrara Bianco called Waverton, but it's also got the pen and ink kind of veining in it.

I have been told the honed ceasarstones need daily care and will etch from aluminum pans. Does anyone have the honed? I really need to find out the maintenance problems with honed ceasarstone. I like the look much more than the polished but don't want to sign up for lots of care.

Also Christopher Peacock did the showroom kitchen here in SF in Caesarstone Misty Carrera.....it looked really amazing. But I guess with $100,000 cabinets, any counter looks amazing :)

I just wanted to follow up on the countertop I chose. I loved the look of shiny white marble but knew that our family would ruin it. I ordered a sample of okite, as I mentioned above, and the veining was very green. I happened to see another sample at Ikea that had no green veining. I asked whether I could see a full slab and they told me the name of the company that supplied Ikea's product. I went to their plant and asked to see the slabs. For some reason, they did not want to show quartzite slabs, but only wanted to show granite slabs. It must have something to do with the commission. When I insisted, they let me see the slabs. Some had green veining, some had a lot of black veining but some had a very white background and a small amount of black veining, just like marble. I chose the slab and they were installed about 9 months ago. I LOVE THEM. They are stain-proof, etch-proof and beautiful. The veining does not look as authentic as marble, but it is close enough for me. I will post a picture later (my kids took my camera) Thought you might want to know to look for Zodiaq/Okite Bianco Carrera

Belle Phoebe:

If you are still reading this thread, can you tell me the name of the stone yard where you found the luce de luna in Cincinnati? I am in northern Ohio and can't find quartzite anywhere. Looking for something more durable in the countertop department to pair with Calacatta gold porcelain floor tile.

Belle Phoebe:

If you are still reading this thread, can you tell me the name of the stone yard where you found the luce de luna in Cincinnati? I am in northern Ohio and can't find quartzite anywhere. Looking for something more durable in the countertop department to pair with Calacatta gold porcelain floor tile.

Sochi,

Could you tell me what wood your floors are? I thought they might be hickory. Also, any information on where you got them. Not sure if you are in Western Canada, but we are in Portland, OR and there is a possibility we could find the same distributor down here.

I'm still confused why your Quartzite Bianca did not etch where other Quartzite Bianca (aka Luce de Luna) did. I have posts on other threads asking what sealer their installer used (although it should make no difference in etching), if they leave food overnight, if they have a sample to see if it cuts glass (or alternatively, cut it with a Swiss Army knife or stainless steel) to see if it more or less passes the quartzite test. I just don't get how this material, which I've been told comes out of the same quarry, etches in some but not all cases.

Thanks for your help!