The only think about the santa barbara is make sure all the pieces match that you will use for your kitchen. The closer to the end the more likely you will be to have unmatched pieces. Don't worry santa barbara is a pretty consistant quarry so you should be ok. You will also notice the unmatched slabs when they are unoiled. The Santa Barbara in the NJ location will only be in smaller rips (I may be wrong). If this works for your kitchen, your in luck because you will also have many more slabs to choose from. Also go with no prior conclusions. Go there and see what you like, I've had so many customers come in saying one thing and leaving with something else they are totally excited about. Also don't go nuts with the oil. Oil small sections untill your really interested in one type of stone. Meaning narrow down your search before you oil. When you narrow down your choices then ask them to move some slabs for you. Remember the more you move slabs the more likely you are to have an accident or break them. The less we move slabs the more comfortable it makes us. Respect when they say they can't move the slabs. They should give you a reasonable explanation. Most times it's when the slabs are stacked on an A-frame. Most likely the ones under are pretty close if not exactly the same as the one on top. Also take a pic so you can day dream about your countertops!!!!

I'd shopped at FLS a couple of times before we ever moved to NC. One time we ordered from there, the other time I actually got a better price (by $600) ordering from a local (in IL) furniture store--now that surprised me. So, now I know to at least check with my local stores who carry the brand in which I'm interested...after seeing it at FLS first (when I'm doing this, I make sure not to bother any sales people there by saying I'm just browsing). I think FLS represents enough furniture lines that you don't need to go anywhere else to LOOK. You can always call the other places to see if they have a better price on the item(s) you want. Have fun!

I had soapstone and White Princess at my old house and we are starting demo of my new(old) house, so I am going through the thought process again of whether I can live with the marble. I like that that you have reiterated what I seem to hear on this forum--that those that want marble and go into the decision with full disclosure and info gathering, find it to be a wonderfully beautiful material. I am leaning toward marble this time, mostly because I have not found that the color of the White Princess quartzite these days to be the color that I am looking for. Thanks for adding yet another opinion--that's what I love about these boards. You hear both sides of most every material/decision.

I've used the German gels but it's been a while. There was the green one for whites, and the blue one for colors. For me the German gels produced so much suds I could hardly use enough to get them to clean, since they are designed to work in very hard water.. well harder than my 14gpg. I still have the blue one for colors but it is very hard to get rinsed; for me the USA version rinses better. To me it smells exactly like Persil Pro liquid. Its been a while and the formulas have probably changed so please let us know your experience. There is also a Persil sold in the UK, but it is made by Unilever and has a different composition.