caesarstone or cambria or the like. go ahead and get it the way you want with the best product so you will be satisfied-isn't that the point of the new build.You are better just putting it in now with all your other wonderful picks for your kitchen. You won't notice that it's more than the other options in the scheme of things once you look back.....and you'll be satisfied-that's worth a bit more money.

I agree if you can get the Caesarstone, Cambria or Silestone I would get it. I don't know if you have an IKEA near you, but they carry these and there prices were not too bad. I was told by IKEA some stores have a minimum, ours does not. You will be happy with any of these.

Thanks herbflavor & robinle! I probably really need to explore the quartz options in more detail - price is only one factor of many to consider. I have not checked with IKEA but will. Ours is about an hour or so away but worth checking.

I had honed white Carrara for many years in a kitchen and was very happy with it. It never stained, just etched, which doesn't bother me very much. I found it very easy to maintain, and now as I'm planning our new kitchen I just shrug off all the people who tell me not to get marble. Because I love marble it would bother me more on a daily basis looking at a "substitute" every day, if that makes sense, than to look at the etching on the marble that I love. That said I have seen some really pretty ceasarstone too!

Thanks happytimes - I am factoring the "regret factor" into my decision-making as I know myself pretty well :)

You said the granite is unsealed so it is going to stain. You will seal the granite in your kitchen so staining should not be an issue.

You have to factor in the regret factor both ways, and you seem like someone who'll regret etching and staining. I would do the quartz in your shoes. But personally I'm an etching regretter myself so take that for what it's worth.

Had marble in the ensuite bath of our prior home and that was enough to convince me I'm just not a marble gal myself. The etches bothered me every day (when the window light hit it they showed the pattern of bottle bottoms that caused the etching), and we had the surface rehoned before resale as we were concerned it might bother resale buyers too.

I wouldn't share that normally if you seemed okay with etches and could learn to love them as patina ... but given your concerns and your families concerns I would do quartz.

Thanks for the input - you all have given me much to think about. Now if someone will just make the decision for me we'll be set!

I actually own both of these stones...I have honed Carrara in my kitchen and butler's pantry, polished Carrara in my master bath and Kashmir white on my dd's vanity and the guest room's bath vanity. First of all...in the two years we have lived here (new build also) none has stained. Not even iced tea, tomato sauce or red wine on my marble. Very slight etching on both types of marble, and no etching on the granite.

I will tell you, though, that aesthetically...the Kashmir DOES NOT in any way, shape or form look anything like marble. The stone yard told me it would be a good, durable stone for my elementary age dd and it was the closest granite to marble. No, it isn't. I really wish I had just been brave and done the marble in those baths...it would have given them that "old house" look that I want. Oh well!

Don't know anything about quartz, except that I have 1 neighbor that has it. It seems serviceable, but again, doesn't look like marble. Not sure her color, though, it is whitish.

Thanks for your unique perspective! I think I am more concerned with chips/dings in marble than I am with etching. I think one has to look for the etches or have just the right light. Staining doesn't seem to be a serious issue. How has the dinging/chipping been in your kitchen with honed marble?

Using Kashmir White would be my attempt to get a light kitchen - same with quartz. My alternative to a white kitchen will be to use a black or grey top on white/cream cabinets.

I feel a little braver now...marble is a stiletto and everything else is a "sensible" shoe. :)

I don't have any chips or dings yet...I don't think it is inevitable, but maybe I have just been lucky? I do think some etching is inevitable, so definitely try to find an "in-use" kitchen with honed Carrara to ensure you are ok with that. Good luck!

Another option is to go with the black granite and choose a beautiful marble backsplash. That's what I did in my new build and I don't regret it.

Marble chips can be repaired, can't they?

I was where you are about a month ago. I finally gave up on trying to find marble-like substitutes and put a deposit on a gorgeous Calacutta slab for my island. I did "compromise" by going with Super White quartzite for the perimeter cabs. Marble makes my heart sing and all the rest just didn't cut it. I haven't even started demo on the kitchen, so I have yet to live with marble, but I really weighed everything and I just know I would have been really unhappy with cesearstone or some other "white" granite.

Super white is often actually marble sold as quartzite (see beekeperswife) and will etch. Before buying any you should do the "scratch test" to see what you're really getting.

Thanks marthastoo - I hear you about marble making your heart sing. I think many surfaces are beautiful but marble makes me swoon a little.

I might add that I also drive a black car which any number of people told me I might regret - it's too hot in Florida, shows dirt, etc. I don't regret it :).