Hmmm, sounds familiar... the slab yard I was visiting had 4 slabs of Autral dream and they were sold. They received one more last week, which is nice but not as nice as the first four. Anyway, the guy at the yard said they are actually quartzite, not granite or marble. It is hard to find. Good luck.

Sounds like we were both at Marble Yard in Anaheim. We're debating the purchase of the Austral Dream slab they have now... but as you said it doesn't look the same as the firs 4 slabs. If you find any more in So. Calif. let me know, and I'll do the same.

Calicake - I was actually at Marbolis in Anaheim. Now I'm wondering if the slab you found might look more like the four I already have. They are holding one additional slab for me at Marbolis, but I think they have others as well. If I didn't already have the first four, I would take the new ones - but unfortunately we've already picked them up. I don't know how to post pictures, but if I can figure it out, I'll send you a picture of the ones at Marbolis. Maybe I'll get DH to come help me with that. Stay posted.

Calicake - our internet has been down all day - finally up again, so thought I would post this quickly. I contacted the Marble Yard and they sent a picture of the Austral Dream they have. It looks much like the slabs currently at Marbolis. Unfortunately, not like the slabs I already have. Have you made a decision yet whether to get it? I think it is beautiful, but my fabricator says it's fragile. Maybe that's why I liked it. I had originally wanted marble, but friends who have marble talked me out of it - they said it's a maintenance nightmare.

Thanks for the update, I also visited Marbolis this week, the slabs at Marbolis and Marble Yard are from the same lot off the same block of quartzite... dang! I'm going to try to extend my search outside Anaheim, but I need to hurry, cabinets are going in this weekend...

drdannie- I went to San Diego on Friday and found "Austral Dream", and that it is also classified as "crystalized marble" called La Dolce Vita. Tutto Marmo has two different lots to choose from, that's where we're purchasing our slab . You can call or e-mail and Massimo will send you photos of the slabs. He's really great to work with. Best of luck.

Calicake - That's so interesting b/c I was at Tutto Marmo a few weeks ago and they didn't have Austral Dream. Maybe it's just in or maybe whoever I talked to didn't know what they were doing. Or maybe b/c it's "crystalized marble" they didn't make the connection. This explains why my fabricator says some days he thinks it's granite and some days he thinks it marble. It doesn't surprise me that the granite at both the Anaheim yards were from the same batch - they looked so much alike. Thanks for the heads up - I will contact Massimo ASAP.

Calicake - just went on Tuto Marmo website and their La Dolce Vita marble is, I believe, my Austral Dream granite. I've e-mailed them (they're closed for the week-end) and will be there on Tuesday to take a look in person. Again, thanks for letting me know.

This is not helpful to you at all, but I wanted to post how TKO I am. I actually dreamed last night about being at a slab yard and I found your slabs and was excited to post to you about it. WOW staying up past midnight working on our kitchen is making me lose my mind. I think your post was the last I read before going to bed.

Good luck and I hope you find it.

Thanks slush1422 - it's nice to know I was on your mind. Hopefully I'll know tomorrow whether the slab they have here locally matches the ones I already have. Sure looks like the same stuff on their website, so keep your fingers crossed and I'll let you know. Yep - I, too am up late at night. It's usually after 11:00 that I get on this blog to check what's going on with others' remodels. What a wonderful forum for mutual support. Kitchen remodels are so stressful - so we need all the support we can get.

drdannie - I hope you found what you were looking for at Tutto Marmo! I was wondering what you are using for a backsplash in your kitchen with the Austral Dream/La Dolce Vita? I still have not made up my mind yet, I'm thinking a 1x4 glass brick in a cashmere/tan shade or maybe a white arabesque tile of some type. I'm waiting for the countertops to be installed before I commit...

calicake - sorry I've been out of the loop for so long - out of town for work and no time to check GW. I did go to Tutto Marmo and saw their La Dolce Vita slabs. It's definitely the same type of material and absolutely gorgeous - but just slightly different colors than the slabs I already have, so it's not going to work. My fabricator is coming on Monday and thinks we can make do with what we have, but it sure would have been nice if one of those big slabs at TM would have worked.

I've given a lot of thought to backsplash as interestingly it seems that's a sticking point for so many kitchen remodels. Because I have so little wallspace, with the exception of stainless steel behind the stove, I'm not going to have any backsplash at all. My prep sink is in the island, the cabinets on either side of the clean up sink go all the way to the counter, and that sink is in front of an arched window with a very deep counter behind going right into the window trim, so I'm not worried about water splashing. My wall treatment is earth clay which is very a very cool product - I'm really liking it - and to add a backsplash to very minimal areas felt too busy to me.

That said, if I were to go with a BS, personally I would use the same granite as my countertops. To me, it's just a really clean look. If that didn't work, I would definitely go with some type of glass tiles. Again, IMHO, even though many folks use it, I think tumbled travertine takes away from the beauty of gorgeous granite... (er, crystalized marble). Let me know what you decide and some day I am hoping to post pics of my completed kitchen.

Hmmm... I posted a message, but for some reason it didn't update the thread. I'm going to post this and see if that bumps it up.

I've been told that the Dolce Vita I purchased is also called Austral Dream by some dealers. Dolce Vita is from Austrailia and is a quartzite, not marble or granite. Quartzite is actually harder than granite and I was told you can even put hot pans on it whereas you probably wouldn't be able to do that to granite or marble without problems. Also, I've found out that quartzite should be sealed with either 511 Porous Plus or industrial silicone-based sealant GrandQuartz 413S. We've read that DuPont Bulletproof doesn't work on quartzite.

I've been told that the Dolce Vita I purchased is also called Austral Dream by some dealers. Dolce Vita is from Austrailia and is a quartzite, not marble or granite. Quartzite is actually harder than granite and I was told you can even put hot pans on it whereas you probably wouldn't be able to do that to granite or marble without problems. Also, I've found out that quartzite should be sealed with either 511 Porous Plus or industrial silicone-based sealant GrandQuartz 413S. We've read that DuPont Bulletproof doesn't work on quartzite.

I was interested in the Dolce Vita Quartzite - beautiful stone that looked like marble. The wholesaler told me it was from Australia. Every other wholesaler characterized the stone as marble. There seems to be so much confusion, even on the Houzz forums. This stone supplier in Australia identifies Austral Dream/Dolce Vita as a dolomitic marble. https://www.stonemarble.com.au/marble-products/