We originally designed our kitchen around an Icestone countertop. We had it all planned out, were ready to splurge on it, as well as driving over 2 hours each way to pick the slab up (the dealer was on the way to my parents' house). We decided we really should get a real life sample, and I am so glad we did! It was just boring. If I moved into the house and was here, I would have been fine with it, but it was not something to design a kitchen around. On top of that, it failed every test we tried- everything stained it, it etched, it chipped when tapped (I know DH, he will stand next to the counter and drum a fork on it without thinking). I wanted so badly to love the stuff, and every "well, maybe it will be ok with this" just ended badly. I didn't try cutting on it, because I just don't cut on the counters. I should add I think the quote we got last summer was $31sf, and we had to buy the whole slab, without fabrication. We did get a sample of Shetkastone, and we loved it. It did scratch once, but I was trying to scratch it with a fork. It did not scratch when I skipped it across the really old concrete driveway (I was trying to hurt it at that point!). It has not scratched since, and the cat knocks it across and off the coffee table about once a week. I will definitely use it in my next house, but we're remodeling for resale here, and we went cheap with really pretty marble tile.

Vetrazzo has a cement base, but I thought that Icestone used a resin base similar to quartz counters. (I could be wrong.) Yes, look at Vetrazzo--they have several styles that have the same glass mix but different matrix colors (Alehouse Amber and Alehouse Amber with Patina). I do think that it would be a difficult DIY project. Not so much to construct the counters--I've read instructions on how to embed decorative elements in DIY cement counter. But to do through-and-through glass chips I think would require a lot of grinding and polishing at the end. Which would take the right equipment, and be time consuming and messy.

I also have ECO by Cosentino in my kitchen, from 2017. I was impressed by their claims that it needs no maintenance (sealing or other) and now I have severe dark staining around the kitchen faucet (possibly due to our hard water), and no idea how to clean it, as their recommendations are to avoid all caustic or abrasive cleaning products. (Might have to experiment, since it's hard to imagine anything will make it WORSE.) (Btw, this replaced a Corian countertop & built-in sink that had a HUGE CRACK running through it, so yeah, no complaints about glass pop-outs or staining, but...) I have Vetrazzo (also recycled glass) in the bathroom, and even though they say to re-seal it, I never have and it looks great 12 years later. I don't know how it would hold up to coffee, red wine, or soy sauce spills, but at least it hasn't had a problem with water! The bad news is that Vetrazzo was bought by Polycor, which has really under-promoted it, and now it's very hard to find. I managed to get a Vetrazzo fireplace mantel in 2017 from a fabricator who had a remnant, but now neither they nor the fabricator who did my bathroom still carry Vetrazzo. I have also had Icestone in another bathroom since 2017 (I guess I am inadvertently testing all the recycled glass countertop materials) and it has also held up well. No water stains. Of the 3, Vetrazzo is my favorite because of the look (the glass bits are bigger than Icestone and just beautiful, IMHO), but I would also go with Icestone again. Don't buy ECO if you're going to have water.

I like the idea of a basic white something, but not marble. I know, I'm the only person in the world who doesn't like marble. But something in a soft white with a slight color varation -- that's a good possibility. Lovely kitchen though. Very much like the layout I'll have. Yeah, no surprise that it's a "premium granite". However, I'm not splurging on a whole lot of things, so I can have this; and I do want a "good piece". I've read in several places that this is something you want to go pick for yourself because all slabs aren't equal. Cool that it's the same stuff as security holograms. Nice conversation item. My kitchen'll be small . . . but will have a fairly large amount of natural light. I do agree that light is going to be the best choice. Love the suggestion to go with a nice cut edge. I wouldn't have considered that the inclusions would be spectacular in that situation.