It definitely looks like BA and the slabs appear to be very pretty, but one thing to consider- the larger chunks of creamy colored stone are going to be all you see in certain sections of countertop. if you have an island, it will look just like the slab, but when you start templating your counters, you may not be happy with larger chunks of without the BA dark brown. Does that make sense? I hope it does.

Thanks, BKW and Brianadarnell; I appreciate your comments. I, too, think I will know when I see the "right" slabs, but I'm thinking option 1 above just might be it. We'll see after I visit a few more spots.

I love your options.
For me sometimes I worry to much about
" will it look good to others" and less about
"will it look good to me." Do you love the first stone?

Your last post said "I'm thinking of option 1."
Deep down inside I wonder if you love it too but perhaps
just doubting your choice.

Here are some pics of similar stones so you can see when
cut up into counters it can be stunning.
~boxerpups

Granite Gurus

The Stone Cobblers

The Stone Cobblers

From Hardrock Stone works (This is a bit more gray)

I would add, don't be so stuck on the Bianco Antico name. When we were looking, we wanted something in the Bianco Antico "family" so to speak. We visited 4 granite yards, and they each had something different, often called something different. So we saw slabs called Bianco Antico, Alaska White, Bianco Delicatus, White Delicatus, and one more name I can't remember. We ended up with Alaska White, but I must say, they all looked either very different or very much the same, and it had nothing to do with the name. If you don't like the slabs you've pictured, go to other stoneyards and just ask for granite with a white background with browns and taupes, without specifying the name, and see what they have that way. Granite counters are expensive, and pretty permanent, so you want to get the one you love, not the one that you think is close but not quite right.

I totally agree with alwaysfixin. We loved bianco antico and alaska white delicatus. The BA we saw had lots of pink in it and we didn't want pink undertones. We ended up going with the delicatus and we LOVE it. It is so beautiful. Don't be stuck on a name. Ask to see something in that family and you might be surprised. When you find your slabs, you will know. You also have to look at the slabs and envision your cabinet layout. that is so important. Envision what pieces of the stone you want to see everyday and ones you don't want included in your countertops.

"For me sometimes I worry to much about
" will it look good to others" and less about
"will it look good to me."

Good point BP, I know I am guilty of this kind of thinking. However the older I get, the more I tend to do/get what "I" want and not worry about what everyone else will think.

Like alwaysfinin said, this is a major purchase and one you probably will not change out anytime in the near or distant future, so get what you like/love... the one that speaks to you!

i totally agree with everyone's advice here. i went to several granite yards and really liked alot of slabs, but i just felt i had to keep looking. then i went to a yard, saw this beautiful slab of granite and just knew "this is it"!! we had a couple more places we could have gone, but i said "no, i don't want to go to anymore places, this is it, i'm done" i made my choice then and there. when you feel there is "no comparison" between what you previously pick out and considered and the "it" slab, you know your search is over

i knew it was the slab because i wanted to "throw it on back" and take it home then and there!

it really is true, and i was doubter, you really will know when its "the one". you don't want to see other slabs and you know your search is over.

i also agree with the "name of the slab". don't get caught up in it. each yard can call slabs by different names so just look for the colors you want and then everything will fall into place from there. my is called "sedna" and when you google it, there is nothing like mine on the web. so they might have used that name, but another yard can, and they do, call it by another name.

get what you love, not what you think evveryone else will love or what you "should" you get.

best of luck.. when you do find "it", you will know, and all your searching will be worthwhile because you will walk into your new kitchen every morning, and you will fall in love with it all over again..

HTH

I just had to say to Sprtphntc, that was so beautifully put!

I fell in love with BA here after seeing it resemble your first ones. When I first looked at slab yards, I was finding them to look those. Then a year later when we were finally closer to needing slabs and I could pick ours, all the BA I saw had big chunks I didn't like. I couldn't go there just because it was BA. It wasn't the right BA.

Putting the name and what you think BA SHOULD look like aside, do the first ones thrill you to the bone? If not, don't settle. I'm glad I didn't.

Have you looked at the other similarly colored stones? Alaska White, White Springs, Cold Springs, Lennon, and Delicatus White are all similar and lovely.

I'm also in the "you know it when you see it" camp. Bianco Antico was one of the first choices I made in my kitchen...I made so many changes along the way, I can hardly keep track, but I never really found anything I liked as well as the BA granite. When I got to the point of selecting my slabs, we were so confused and scared that we wouldn't find "the" one. Many had pinkish or even purplish coloring or the waves of color were more olive green, than brown or black. Then, we found our slabs and there was no question. I went back after finding it and it thrilled me the second time I saw it and knew it was the one (well two...). The fabrication part was also tricky...I wanted to make sure that I had all the beautiful blingy stuff where I could see it prominently and make sure that the best parts didn't get cut out. I have some creamy waves, which I love...but my favorite is the blingy brown/black and mica parts and it was important that I had a lot of that. I would look at more slabs and then go back to these and you'll probably know if these are the right ones for you! Did I mention I love BA? :)

thanks alwaysfixin, much appreciated :)

trying to give back alittle to others for all the invaluable advice i have been given over the last few months.

many thanks to all gwebbers!!!!!

I was wondering where you purchased those White Arabesque Tiles. They are absolutely stunning

Wmathew--those tiles belong in member Beekeeperswife's kitchen. The beveled arabesque tiles are from Mission Stone and Tile. Since this shape has become popular, there have been a couple of copycat tiles being manufactured. Try a google search for Mission Stone and Tile or beveled arabesque tiles. They sure are beautiful

E--have you picked your stone? BA? Do tell!