While waiting for some suggestions, check the Finished Kitchens Blog in the granite category. Click on a granite and look at a kitchen or two with it. If you don't like it, move on to the next granite.

Here is a link that might be useful: FKB Countertops

Thanks, I have been looking at that. The Golden vyara kitchens look just like the slab I saw, as opposed to the granite web site, which shows a photo that doesn't look anything like the slab I saw.

Oh well..

Sue

Take a peak at the white granite thread! There's lots of suggestions and pictures there. White Fantasy and Winter Moon come to mind. I have Andromeda White, but it doesn't have the movement that the two I mentioned above have, and it's a little spotty.

Here's my andromeda white granite:

Here is a link that might be useful: white granite thread

Some of the quartzites have an undulating pattern, rather than a frozen oatmeal or wildly variegated pattern. They tend to be expensive. Could you ask to see their quartzites, or is that still not specific enough? Luna White, azul macauba. Run a search here for Cloudswift's quartzite, Azul do Mar. How about granites like Iguana green?

We decided on Verde Esmeralda, a darker green with little bits of maroon in it that you hardly notice without looking closely, but with big washes and swirls of a light green. Costa Esmeralda was too expensive for us also. If you can find the right slab you might like this. We put the piece with the biggest movement in light green on our island, and it looks great. I can't post a pic right now because photobucket is down for maintenance.

Good luck in the morning!

coast green aka verde agave aka verde portofino is a lot cheaper than costa esmerelda and soe of the slabs have a good deal of movement. i thought of thye costa as soon as i read your thread title -- i also like marble-like granites. i've moved away from costa because of the cost, newer slabs having too much black, and generally decided a gold tone might work better, but it was mmy 1st choice for awhile. vyara, i think is a juparana. so if you like that, there are several others that have a lot of movement. i am looking at them and golden beach. i attached a link to a picture of it i took at a yard.

Here is a link that might be useful: Golden Beach

p.s. - sue - since you mention the northeast, is the "ct" for connecticut? if so, where's the igm you're going to? always looking for recomendations!

Yes, ct is Connecticut. IGM is in Windsor, RT 91 exit 38. About 10 minutes from my house, actually.

Here is my "potential" slab. It is on hold for a couple of days. The color is much more pinky looking on my monitor, but is hard to describe, has more of a terracotta/peachy/little bit pink colors in there. My hesitation is actually because I am not so much of an orangy person as beige, pinky beige, browns, creams, tans and will be making those slightly orangy type colors more promenant.

Here is more of a close up:

Let me know what you think.

I wish someone would answer the post with details about this stone. I would not want to choose it only to find out after it is installed that it is one that tends to have a lot of pitted or filled areas, etches terribly, or needs to be sealed within an inch of its life and repeated frequently to make it livable. I am not a fastidiously neat cook. :)

I did get a sample I can play with for a couple of days.

Sue

oh, well -- i'm in the "ny suburb" part of ct.i'll be driving right by there thanksgiving night, though. :)

that is a nice stone - definitely the marble/veiny look. name?

Sue, get a sample of that slab and test it yourself to see if it's prone to etching or staining. Put a lemon slice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Tobasco sauce, red wine etc on it, let it sit overnight and rinse it off. If there's a problem with staining or ecthing, you'll see it.

The name of the stone is Golden Vyara. I will try to do that. Don't have much time or access to food sources right now - no kitchen! But I should be able to come up with a few trial liquids.

Glad, They are closed the day before and the day after Thanksgiving, as well as the actual day. I noticed that sign up about their closing today. If you are looking for a particular stone you could always call them to see if it would be worth the trip, or if you will be staying over somewhere for a few days you might be able to catch them on the way back.

I think they have both the older, lighter Costa Esmeralda and the newer, darker one, but the older one is probably getting harder to find and the cost is still going up. I saw both and am no near as fond of the newer one. They said it comes from Iran, and has to go to Italy then here, and therefore is getting very hard to get in these times. I am not sure anyone in Iran is willing to import directly to the U.S. anymore. Politics and war effect everything, even kitchen countertops.

They didn't have any of the other stones mentioned, but I will look them up on the web. I could always ask if they were likely to get any in the future.

Sue

thx, sue. i'm probably a month from being ready to reserve -- but it is fun to look. :) when i first posted i thought they had more warehouses in ct, but i see now it is just windsor. btw, in addition to the politics, the falling dollar is not helping any of us who want to buy foreign granite!

good luck with your sample testing!

Alku05: I like your faucet. Which brand is it?

Sienna, it's a Brizo Floriano in SS finish. It's a pull down faucet, and you can switch between spray and stream. Love it; and we have the full size at the main sink. It can be pricy, but be sure to call or email the big plumbing websites before ruling them out due to price. Many of them carry it significant discounts but aren't allowed to advertize those prices.

Sue, how'd the stain testing go?

I never got to it. I just decided the orangy colors of rusts and peaches in the stone were probably not neutral enough for what I want. I still have the sample if I change my mind and will do the tests then. There is a granite I found they called Savannah Gold that has more of the colors I like the browns, tans, etc., but it is that very spotty type granite again.

I wonder if a granite exists that I would love anywhere near a price I could afford. Other than costa Esmeralda. You what I immediately went for when I went to the stone warehouse? Limestone and marbles. Inappropriate for the durable stain resistant surface I want in the kitchen.

I am beginning to wonder if I really like granite for my own kitchen. I love the idea of it, I think photos of many of the kitchens are really beautiful. But in my own kitchen it starts to look very busy to me.

I am going to try to forget about it for a few days and see how I feel then.

I just think if I am going to spend thousands of dollars on a counter top, I better love it.

Sue

I am just noticing that Corian has new colors that look like marble. Take a look at the burled beach for instance. I will have to investigate this. I am not a fan of the composites, but some of these new colors look interesting. Look under the tab named Private Collection.

Here is a link that might be useful: Burled beach from Corian

"I am not sure anyone in Iran is willing to import directly to the U.S. anymore. Politics and war effect everything, even kitchen countertops."

sue_ct
Actually the reason we can't get stone directly from Iran is due to U.S. imposed trade sanctions which have been in place in one form or another since the Carter administration.

But I must agree, Costa Esmeralda is a beautiful stone. :)

Doesn't do much good to say we have trade sanctions and then just ship through a third country and pay more for it, and still get the same item from the same country. Kind of like saying we will buy your stuff as long as it doesn't look like we are buying your stuff.

Is it just me or is it very difficult to imagine these large slabs as a cut out counter tops? I don't usually have a problem visualizing things, but some that look good in a slab when I step back a little, look very busy when I place a sample on my counter and imagine looking at it every time I cook for the next 15 years. At the same time, some that seem to have too wild movement in the slab, when I see someones photo of the same granite in a counter top that is only 25" wide or so and has cut outs, it doesn't seem nearly as wild.

Had no problem at all picking cabinets. Having a very hard time with the granite thing.

Sue