I feel your pain. I too really want limestone/marble countertops in my kitchen. My husband is not excited about this at all and keeps pushing towards granite. If I do cave and allow granite in the house it will be a honed light granite. I can't wait to see the advice people have for you :)

Marble (DANBY) Yes...

Limestone...NO!!!!

There's a podcast at Natural Stone 101.com that talks
about Marble in Kitchens - (also on Youtube)

HTH

kevin

I was told no to both at first, but as I continued looking and talking, even the folks who said marble was okay as long as I knew what I was getting into said no to limestone. While looking at my marble, I saw some slabs of an incredible limestone that I would have loved to have a place to use. They said it was best used on walls in commercial buildings -- low wear and minimal exposure to stains, etching, etc. I would have to say don't put limestone in a kitchen too, at least on counters -- don't know about a backsplash.

I can sympathize. I also want the look of light, uniform (but natural) honed limestone or marble... but for various reasons (mainly the need to sell the house in ~3 years and want the kitchen to still look "new") I am not getting either.

I had originally thought I would use a light honed granite. I had honed Kashmir White on a small peninsula in my last kitchen and liked it. Colors I have considered are:
Kashmir White
Imperial White
Bethel White
Arctic White
Solar White

I may still do one of these, but am now also considering a darker honed granite to look soapstone-ish (cherry shaker cabinets) like honed Jet Mist or honed Virginia Mist.

I think I am going to have to wait until the cabinets are installed to make this decision!! It's too important and I just can't find the "right" stone yet.

Please keep us updated on your decision-making!! What color are your cabs?

Stacey

I would not do either. You will be a slave to your countertops. There are some beautiful alternatives

Can't say about limestone -- I got the impression the stone just wouldn't hold up to kitchen use, but I have marble, have been using it for 2-1/2 years and am certainly not a slave to the marble, not even with the sloppy teens or DH or the dogs.

I love limestone, have it for shelves in my Master bath, but honestly I cannot see it as a kitchen counter surface. Unless it was for a desk area, where you don't anticipate any spills. Mine is honed and even dust collects in it, I steam clean it every so often and am surprised at how much dust comes out.

I also have limestone outside in my garden and there the natural stains look rustic and acceptable, wouldn't feel clean with those in my kitchen though.

Well, I was going to put a limestone in my kitchen, but the Napolina limestone I purchased turned out to be a marble. Good thing, I guess!

True Limestone will act just like a freak'in sponge for
any and all staining agents that hit the countertops - like
red wine, EVOO, meat juices, koolaid, grape jelly etc....

Many folks have had great success using Danby Marble, or a
variant species - and having it HONED. I would NOT recommend
using a polished marble in a kitchen - I'd rather go home
and hang myself first... :-o
Acids will etch and destroy the polish off of a marble countertop
Thus - the reason that pretty much ALL kitchens using Marble
are honed or textured in some way...

HTH

kevin