kharamarie - Congrats on your new home and kitchen reno! I have been in the same exact boat and just finalized my countertop decisions for my kitchen. I originally wanted black soapstone on the perimeter and carrera marble for the island. I too was worried about the scary stories about what could happen.

I finally decided on a beautiful Black Andes granite with an antiqued finish on the perimeter and calacatta gold marble for my island (antiqued finish no less) - and had to sign my life away in disclaimers regarding scratching, staining, etc. etc. etc. with the antiqued finishes and the marble. But I am OK with it because it's what I want - I will deal with the problems if and when they come along.

I also did have a sample of calacatta gold that was honed and a polished one and I did my wine, acid, sharpie marker, pasta sauce tests on them - they both fared well and couldn't see staining except the sharpie marker. The sharpie marker has eventually faded and is basically gone from the honed sample but not the polished one.

I am telling you all this b/ca I was a nervous Nellie, too, until I realized that I didn't want to settle on something that wasn't 100% to my liking because "something might happen" - and something might happen to the countertops you're not 100% in love with, too!

That said, I love your DANBY - it is gorgeous!!

All your choices sound beautiful. Both of those counters are gorgeous. If you really want to copy the Sally Wheat look, then the quieter Danby would be closer. If you want use her ideas but have a look that is unique to you, then the quartzite is also a great choice. Both would be beautiful there.

If you can get samples to test as mamabear did that would be best to confirm for sure if you can live with either choice.

Thanks to you both for your feedback! Please keep the advice coming!!!

What about using luce di luna quartzite on the island? There's a member on this forum that had them installed for her counter tops and she loves them. The veining is a bit more linear than the danby, but overall I think gives the same look.

I'm looking into using it as my island countertop if the pricing from my fabricator isn't too much.

I love love love both of your samples. Can you share any pictures of the interior of the home to help us share whether we feel the quartzite will be too busy? I am also (eventually) hoping for a honed white stone countertop: white granite, white quartzite, or white marble. I haven't yet done tests, but I can sympathize with your nervousness. Can you get a sample of the Danby and try out items you use (and spill) on a regular basis in your kitchen?

ravenswoodreno is right that the user sochi has a lucious luce di luna quartzite countertop that might fit your needs. Here is a link to a thread on sochi's kitchen.

If you are looking for a vote - then I'll bid for Danby. The quartzite is very pretty too, but it might steal the show.

Have you considered the Andromeda White Granite? It has a lot of the properties of the Danby - but it is granite. I think there is a discussion on it. If you search for White Granite you will see the pictures of some truely beautiful pieces. . .

The luce di luna is beautiful!!! However, the only quartzite available from my fabricator is the super white. I will check out the Andromeda White.

I think that looking at the whole slab of quartzite may be scaring you because of seeing so much of it and it is smack dab in your face. Once they cut counter size pieces out of it and lay it down, it won't be as busy.

That said, I love both choices in different ways.

I am in the midst of a kitchen remodel for my 1950s ranch that I recently purchased. I am putting my entire savings into this project

Please tell me you are exaggerating! Spend your money however you wish, but it isn't a good idea to put all your savings into a kitchen remodel of a newly purchased 60 year old house.

That said, I like the quartzite a LOT, but I would do soapstone in a heartbeat in that type of kitchen. I'd have it now if my kitchen wasn't so dark.

A while back someone posted pics of her/his kitchen and the granites used looked like soapstone and marble. Maybe someone will remember what they were so you could check them out??

I love both your slabs!!

kharamarie - Your kitchen choices so far sound beautiful. I have been quite enamored with gray these days. I am curious, do you like more of a single tone from counter to cabinet (say white cabinet and danby marble counter) or a little contrast (say gray cabinet with the danby marble counter?) But don't think I am lobbying for marble, you can get the same looks with the quartzite and swapping the counters. Personally, I appreciate both but lean toward contrast - where are you?

Full disclosure, I have a white quartzite island but LOVE marble (didn't think it was a good fit for our family) so I guess I am not really biased. You are choosing between two lovely stones. The surprising part of the quartzite is it isn't as 'loud' once on your counter horizontal and it looks amazing with soft white cabinets (my island is BM Dove Wing which is white with a slight gray/almost green to it.) It provides a some contrast to the white without being as dark as a soapstone (which I also love with white.) I did hone mine, which was a fantastic surprise (soft with small areas of quartz that shine slightly in certain angles.) Here are a couple of photos to get the big picture and see if it is the look you are going for (we have gray pietra del cardosa counters in the perimeter.) One of the first things that everyone comments on about the kitchen is the island - everyone (non-GW :) thinks it is marble.

Shot of kitchen with super white quartzite

A higher angle, just of the counter

Another thing to consider for counters are your "views." My perimeter counters are viewed from a distance, it is a more softer subtle look - like a gray soapstone - with tone on tone lines, some white and black veining - I call it calm and relaxing. It is a great 'backdrop' for the kitchen but when you are working on it or looking up close (which most people don't) is has a lot of interesting detail. I view my super white at both a distance and up close when you are sitting at it. You see the 'whole enchilada' were the perimeter is more bits and pieces and on an angle because you never sit at it.

If you were to use superwhite on a perimeter you would even soften it more because it was viewed at a distance and in bits and pieces.

So the three questions I see are: (1) Do you prefer more single tone to contrast(this hinges on your cabinet color) (2) do you prefer white with gray (marble) or gray with white (SW) and (2) do you prefer the clunking of SW (my husband said it reminded him seeing glaciers from an airplane) or the linear look of the marble.

Last question - is there an island in the kitchen? Would you consider quartzite on the island and the marble on the perimeter (or vice versa?) Not sure if that would be too busy for you. It is another play on the traditional soapstone/marble kitchen. I love soapstone and understand there are different varities that have different colors (gray, black, greenish) as well as durability (my friend has soapstone and I love it but there tons of chips in the sink which would bother me, must have been a softer one.)

I think you can't loose here - just what speaks to you. I have included a link to my nearly finished kitchen album. I could not get enough of photos of counter and cabinet combos when I was in the process. I would also recommend searching google images for "marble island" "gray cabinets." You may find some real inspiration. Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: My kitchen with Superwhite island

Wow! Thanks for the feedback...

idrive65 - I understand your concern about my comment. I was referring to the savings I have left for improvements/decor at this time after painting all walls and woodwork, gutting the bathroom and refinishing the wood floors. I'm not signing my life away to do this kitchen!

sparklekitty - Your kitchen is AMAZING!!! And your thorough response and willingness to help means the world to me! In response to your questions, I always thought I preferred contrast between cabinets and countertops, but since lurking through the FKB, I've seen beautiful white on white kitchens that are gorgeous as well. I guess I could be happy either way - it's just a matter of pinpointing the right materials and colors that intimidates me. Likewise, I've preferred a swirling marble effect - not particularly linear and not highly "clunking", but if you call your isliand "clunking", than I love it!!!

As for my kitchen, I don't have room for an island, so all counters will be viewed from a distance unless you're working on them.

Your quartzite is beautiful on your island - definitely a look I love! However, your slab seems a lot softer to me with more white and softer grays (which I prefer). Do you agree? The slab I found is the only one I can get my hands on locally. How is the maintenance of your quartzite? Any problems with staining or etching? Fingerprints? Is it easy to clean? How long have you had it installed?

Please keep the feedback coming! And thanks so much to you all!!!

kharamarie - Gray kitchens and the quartzite/marble decision is something near to my heart. I hope others can benefit on the crazy amount of time I spent on my kitchen :)

I wrote clunking when I meant chunking :) The slab you have seems similar to mine, very chunky with contrast versus swirly with less contrast.

Below is a link to some photos of white quartzite I had collected. The first and last two where of my slab, the first being the honed cut piece when it arrived at the truck and the other two taken at the warehouse (it was polished there) for reference. It is always hard to tell how dark or light they are from photos. We used the upper right hand corner of the slab for the island. I really wanted to use more of the white part but there was a nice crack in it :( But I am thrilled how it came out.

I believe the honing really softened the look of the slab - do you see the different from the photos in the warehouse (which is dark of course) and how it looks in the kitchen? We have been back in the house for two months and no problems. The honed surface doesn't look dirty, I have to look at it at an angle to find the smudges. There was some red wine left for a few hours last night and I just rubbed with a sponge and it came up. I don't know what sealer they used though. We have been really happy with the choice.

I think it would make a stunning perimeter counter - not as 'loud' as an island (not that my island is loud but you can hear her :) The edge of this material is fantastic and that would be much of what you see. Hope this helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Quartzite slabs

sparklekitty - You have no idea how much I appreciate your help! I helps a lot to see what your slab looked like in its entirety.

I went to a different stone yard today and they had just received 8 slabs of super white. I looked through every single one, and put a hold on my favorite. The lot had a lot of peach undertones (might be able to see in the pic) which I don't know if I like, but it might not be bad. However, it had a lot more white than my previous find (posted above).

super white #2

What do you all think???

Any Danby marble owners out there that can comment on the maintenance and wear issues??? My head is still swirling!!! I still love marble!

I've seen soapstone now at about 6 different stoneyards. I had an idea what it looked like in pictures but you really have to see it to know it. So many of the pics don't detail the colour variations and veining that you see in some slabs in person. I was expecting gently mottled based on the pictures here and didn't always find that to be the case in person.
As far as marble vs. quartzite, if you don't want to concern yourself with etching and stains, then I wouldn't choose a stone that you have to worry about which I think will be the case with the danby. And if you come to the point where you want a certain look more than you care about maintaining the original look of the slab, then I would choose the marble you like best instead of picking the most durable of the breed.
Lastly, I would try to put yourself 5 years or 10 years in the future--would you rather have an etched and stained slab that you loved from the getgo and can have refinished or a more wild slab that still looks the same but you may be tired of.

kharamarie - If you have not had a chance, you might want to search on Danby Marble in GW. There is lot of good info about marble in old discussions, including ways to seal that might make it more durable.

It looks like you found another really nice, more white slab of SW. I called every local fab & distributor, had them send photos etc. to find the right one and ended up getting the first slab we saw (after visiting several fab & distributors :) My slab also has some peach undertones - I think it really warms the counter a bit but not really noticeable. Let us know what you choose - there is no mistake in this decision - you have picked several great slabs. Find the one that moves you...

The slab you put a hold on is gorgeous!!!

I really like the new one and how some parts look like they were brushed with dark paint while the rest is more subtle. It is much less chunky/clunky than the other one.
I think you have found a real winner.

You have to baby marble..but it looks great. We americans want it to look new forever, europeans like it to develope the lived look...so it depends on your mindset.
That quartzite looks amazing and I like that it is easier to live with and looks like real stone. Nice Slab.
The other poster is right..the slabs look much more busy and loud when you look at them upright on display. Once they are cut into smaller widths and placed horizontal they are not so overpowering and actually youll find they provide great character appeal.
If you go with Marble...seal it really well. Also on the translucents like white make sure the adhesives dont stain the stone from behind..the good fabricators go so far as to seal the back of the stone first. I learned this lesson awhile back.