Here is a pic of my favorite kitchen:

(Sorry for the small pic, but hopefully enough to give an idea of my vision)

I hope to do something similar in color and style, having creamy white cabinets, stainless or overlay appliances, with two walnut islands.

I adore the Calacatta marble, and have some beautiful slabs on hold, but after much soul searching, decided I have to put something else on (at least) the perimeter countertops, because I cannot live with the maintenance/etch marks associated with marble.

I will put a piece of calacatta slab behind the range, as shown, and I want to do the backsplash with calacatta subways, as shown.

My kitchen also will have two islands. One is larger 4'x8' and sits farthest away from the work area of the kitchen similar to what is shown in the picture, but my small and large islands run parallel to the range wall and center on the range. I plan to put calacatta slab on the large island, similar to in the picture. It will have seating, but will not be the main dining area, and will therefore be lightly used, so I feel okay with putting marble there. The smaller island will be the workhorse, and is more in the center of the kitchen.

My problem is in choosing what to put on the small island, and on the perimeter.

I considered soapstone--which looks lovely in photos, but I have not seen it in person, and it is not readily available in my area--also, even the more black/grey varieties seem to lean toward the cool/green color palate, rather than warm.

I do not like granites with movement, and feel that I need something relatively monochromatic, so as not to detract from the calacatta backsplash and large island.

Originally thought I wanted the perimeter to be lighter in color, but have come to appreciate contrast.

For the perimeter, it has come down to leathered Black Pearl granite, or a man-made quartz in a uniform graphite grey color to pick-up on the grey veins in the calacatta.

I am very averse to the idea of "fake" with the quartz--though I like the look of the small sample piece I have. I am worried it will look plastic-like with a large countertop though(?).

Also, I was considering putting a walnut butcher block top on the small island, but a few people I have told about that idea have expressed concerns about 3 different counter materials (Calacatta on the large island, leathered Black Pearl or grey Quartz on the perimeter, and wood on the small island) to be too much/too busy. Thoughts?

Opinions please--will quartz look plastic and strange next to a calacatta backsplash?

Would putting butcher block on the small island--a 3rd countertop surface, be too much? If not using butcher block should I bite the bullet and just use the marble on the small island as well, knowing it will etch, or use the same material as on the perimeter?

Would you pick Graphite Quartz over leathered Black Pearl for the perimeter?

Is there something else I should consider? (I considered several honed black granites--but they show fingerprints, so moved to leathered for that reason.)

Any advice appreciated!