catkin - The finish on the Silestone Leather is matte and smooth and has a very nice feel to it. It is gorgeous IMO. I've been testing the sample that I received to see if it is easily stained. So far I've put oil, coffee, blue listerine and I smeared dark brown eyeliner on it and let each one sit for several minutes. The only one that left just a faint shadow of a stain was the eye liner. I'm sure I wouldn't have even noticed it had I not been aware of exactly where it was, but I wanted to see if I could get it out so I made a "poultice" of BonAmi and water and let that sit on the stain for a few minutes and that completely removed any trace of it with no harm at all to the Silestone. I would not expect the same result with hair dye, but for most things that would come in contact with a bathroom countertop, the Leather finish should be just fine. This photo does not capture the true color, it is creamier than this, I'll try again later in better light. ">

Blue and white kitchens are a whole style! You can also do blue and yellow kitchen. There is no such thing as too much blue. You will just have to narrow down a focal point. For example, in that purple blue kitchen photo the focal point is the patchwork quilt backsplash. If you do a patchwork quilt portion just where the range is that could be the focal point. Or above the blue and white mural tiles is the focal point. Notice how the blue and white picture tiles lead your eye towards the focal point mural in the center of the room? The focal point could be the island color. For example blue island paint while rest of kitchen cabinets are say white. Or the focal point could be the island countertop. eg blue bahia granite (really wild blue and white stripy) or bright blue quartz or pale blue quartz while the perimeter countertop is a navy quartz. Colored appliances are coming into style so you just might be able to get a blue range if you really want it that is less expensive than an aga. Or you can have your range painted by the car people. (see other threads).

Well, that's one of the reasons I like Corian, it can be repaired inconspicuously in the non-swirly not too random patterns. But I don't think that you should really buy anything that you can't afford to use like a regular "thing", and or afford to replace (perhaps with insurance) if something happens to it. Nothing is more annoying than the Quattroporte straddling two parking spots. Makes you want to scratch it. So if I am going to have Pyrolave (I'm not, but theoretically), I am going to be no more or less careful with a skillet than I am with laminate, within the normal tolerances of the material. The thing that attracts me to it is that it is a material that comes in actual colors --of course it's not made in America: where everything durable has to be an earthtone neutral or else it's a "too-taste-specific-bound-to-get-tired-of-bad-for-resale-mistake.

Pip is always right. Give some serious thought as to whether you're going to want to see that on all your horizontal surfaces for a very long time. It makes bs selection challenging...boring, you choose. Most use the ubiquitous 4" self-splash. Meh.