I don't have it, but when I saw it in the showroom I thought it was GORGEOUS! Not in our budget tho :-( I do like the solid surface counter we ended up with, very practical for our lifestyle and pretty in the kitchen. Rain Cloud was totally knock-out though. I hope someone can post an action shot!

I don't have Rain Cloud, but I believe the black speckles are normal in that color. The Corian website photo and description mention small bits of black. I have Tumbleweed, same collection and movement style. The back side of a piece of Corian looks a lot different from the front, I assume from the way the particulates settle during manufacturing.

Thanks for the input. When we saw the RC in IKEA, it had very tiny black spots, but the sample came with large back flecks.

The veins on the backside were not subtle brown/yellow at all. I looked all over at the counters in the display and saw no hint of that. I am just worried that most of the counter will be fine but a large brown vein in some spot would totally not work. We have no beige/brown tones in the room whatsoever, so it would stick out like a sore thumb. The RC did seem like a warm gray which works with the warm gray in the Marmoleum floor, but brown or yellow would be so off.

BTW - Melle: the reason we are able to afford the Corian is IKEA is running 40% off of counters if you buy a kitchen through them by 11/28. We are also opening a credit card that day for another 10% off. It comes to just over $37 a square foot. ;)

That's an awesome deal for countertops!

I saw that special when I went (last week) to try and purchase an Adel Birch/Nexus Birch pantry set-up for our kitchen (we remodeled two years ago) -- and learned that Ikea changed the color >:-( Our counters are LivingStone "Volcanic Ash"

Can you post photos of your sample? :-)

Private Collection at $37 a square foot???? No Way...really?

Yep. IKEA is saving us money all over the place ;) With the cabs, counters and install of both, it is coming to under $10k. The cheapest cab estimate without installation was $17k elsewhere and we had a high of $35k. I think I got 5 prices all together. We are going with white slab front cabs, so it is not like I have a color or design issue to force me to one line or another.

I just called the Corian/Dupont people and was assured that the brown will never show at the top. I guess something about it makes it show up on the back side. As for the flecks, the lady sounded surprised that I saw them in our sample so prominently. I want to go back to IKEA to see if they were as big or is it because it is on such a small size that they are more noticable.

I will try to post pics of our sample later on.

I am not super talented at drawing or playing an instrument, but I sure can find a deal or bargain. I do put the effort in to do so, but it is a well honed skill by now that comes naturally. We live way better than we would if I did not have this "talent", lol. Our kitchen is part of a renovation and extension so I don't have hard numbers on kitchen alone, but the materials so far are:

Cabs, counters and install - IKEA with tax, approx $10k
(btw - no tax on the counters through IKEA since they install those themselves)

Appliances -
separate Whirlpool fridge and freezer set , 30" wide each, $2k total
(a few dollars under with purchase and shipping), bought for new kitchen 3 years ago and using in our garage
for now
Chambers Stove - $600 plus gas/tolls to pick up in NJ

Monogram wall oven - CL, brand new, for $700 plus $50 to have electrician test it, just in case

DW - Bosch, top of line model bought at PC Richard scratch and dent outlet $325 plus tax and $70 to Bosch for new kickplate, cutlery basket and manual

Vent - island chimney style $1,000
(a few dollars less, inc tax) at Sears scratch and dent, forget the brand but I know it retailed for $2,400 3 years ago, stored in our garage since buying

Sink - Kohler with built in sideboard and backsplash, from 1940, on freecycle - FREE, like new condition from someone's bsmt

Faucet - wall mount, chrome, Chicago $150 (forget exact number)

Floor - Marmoleum - to be determined, approx $3k for kitchen part

BS - still working on - approx $500 (our biggest "splurge")

handles and knobs approx $100, ebay, 2 sources, the majority are brand new vintage in original packages

Vertex bottless water cooler/instant hot approx $500

Paper towel/foil/wax paper holder, vintage, wall mount, ebay, $30

canister set - chrome, vintage, ebay $20

Decorative white board for family messages - Walmart $14 plus tax

total so far: just over $19k plus hook ups (not sure if we should count the new construction part, i.e. walls, ceiling, skylights and floors being built in our total number). The kitchen is being moved and extended. It is an L shape and fairly good sized, approx 11 x 5 and 16 x 9.

I forgot the Chicago brand "Tapmaster" from ebay for $65 plus shipping.

Garbage can - white metal step can - $30 plus tax, Walmart

I will also get the Never MT set up for the sink, but have not purchased that yet.

I am hoping to find a pull out cutlery tray like I have seen online, but which seems to be discontinued. sigh. If not, the similar recipe book pull out tray may be able to be modified to hold knives.

dianalo- Your kitchen sounds great! Can't wait to see pics when it's done. Did you ever figure out the rain cloud/black speckle issue? I'm very interested in using it for my island and like you the samples were kinda ugly and the actual "slab" I saw was very nice. PS Saw your post on snow days, and I just realized what your "handle" stands for :) Jen