Whether to go down to counter height with the opening: Are you tidy? Do you leave things around the sink and will it bother you to see the backs of the things you leave around the sink from the other room? If you want to have a bit a screening around the sink I would leave it and you can create a countertop ledge/bar area at the higher level, the seating would have to be bar stools, not counter stools. If you don't want any screening of the sink from the other room, open it down to counter height.

I really don't like granite. It's too speckeldy, too pretentious, too cold, too ostentatious, too expensive. And maybe it's just me, but doesn't most of it just look like rust stains? I also researched all the other countertop choices. Throughout our homebuilding we've tried to remain focused on our twin goals, Durable and Low Maintenance. And so we've come back to granite. What I found out is that granite showrooms only have a tiny selection of slabs onsite for you to look at. And most of those are ugly speckled rust stains. BUT, when you've found a company you want to work with, they'll hook you up with the huge granite yards where you go to pick out a slab and they send it to the installer. In our case it's a two hour drive to a huge city where there are a half dozen granite yards and acres of slabs of granite to choose from. You walk around for a couple of hours dragging your husband (who really doesn't want to be there and doesn't like anything unless it's cobalt blue) and your kids (who are fighting over a piece of gravel they picked up in the parking lot) and suddenly you turn a corner and find The Perfect Slab. And you hear a heavenly chorus that swells to drown out the sound of the kids squabbling and the perky salesperson who doesn't have a clue what you're really looking for (you couldn't tell her because you weren't really sure either.) And tears of relief and joy spring to your eyes, your husband drops to his knees in shock when he hears the price, and then you're done. Then you get to choose a backsplash!

Kmgard, I am so sorry this happened to you. Don't give up yet. Sealing the granite with a spray on bottle of sealer recommended by my installer helped me with stains. The sealer is a barrier for the stone. That way oil, vinegar, wine, butter, lemon juice... are unable to really soak into the stone. That oil on your counter will need to slowly evaporate. Talk to your installer. Recently I posted to Jan Jan my true granite anxiety. You are not alone in your granite woes. ~boxerpups ------------------------- Hi Jan Jan, I totally know what you are going through. You have no idea I am far worse than you. I watch my granite like a newborn. Touching it, smiling at it, checking every little corner, seam and enjoying this piece of rock like it was my first born. I am not as bad today (2 months later) than I was when my granite was first installed. I was constantly cleaning it, drying water droplets, checking it over and over to be sure some fool did not spill wine, water, soda, oil, vinegar.... I told everyone in the house they had to use the kitchen table to eat their salads with olive oil. Vinegar was contraband. I started drinking only Pinot Grigio. No red. I became insane. There was always a clean towel in my hand ready for the spill. My eyes darting about in fierce protective mode. My girls had a gang of even more teen girls over here. They decided to bake brownies. I was so stressed watching them spray Pam all over pans, spilling oil, eggs, flour, chocolate... Laughing and not taking the counter care seriously. I caught one rolling her eyes at my daughter. Saying. "My mom was pyscho when we got new counters too." I realized I had to just walk away and come clean when they were all out of the kitchen. My DH and Kids tease me endlessly that I love the counters more than them. My granite is dark, sealed and one of the strong less pourous ones. ( I am told not sure) And yes I obsess over it. I am a little better now than I used to be. I started drinking red wine, and even spilled a little. Calmly cleaned it. I have let water dry up on it's own without being rubbed down with a soft cloth. I calmly told one of the subcontractors to please climb off my counters when he climbed up on them. I wanted to say "You DUMB A , what are you doing? Can you afford to replace these? Do you know how long it took me to find the right slabs? Get your boots off my counters NOW!!!" ............. I did not scream.......Every day I am a little better. I keep telling myself it is just a rock. That there are many who eat off of stained rocks and that it will all be okay. I will be okay. A few deep breaths and a glass of RED wine and I am okay. No worries your counters will make it and you will too. And you will come to enjoy red wine as I have. : ) ~Boxerpups Here is a link that might be useful: Granite

A properly repaired crack will not be any threat to crack again in a horizontal use situation as long as it's supported properly and that support doesn't shift over time---and it's not an inherently weak stone that is prone to cracking as some of the pricier already mesh reinforced and resined ones are. It will still be visible as a vein in the granite but should be mostly smooth to the touch, similar to a fissure. I wouldn't personally have any fears about installing such a stone in my own kitchen as long as the fabricator was well experienced with epoxy repairs. If you are uncertain, let them repair the slab now before fabrication and see what you think about how it looks. And thoroughly inspect the stone for mesh and resin reinforcing as your choice may be one of the ones that is fragile.