Don't let anyone rush your through the slab picking process.

Our first designer did that to us that my head was spinning and hurting! She tried to rush us through cabinets, granite and tile all at once.

I was surprised at how long it took us. I was growing a bit weary of the process, but felt so much better when we finally made our choice.

Good luck!

Giallo napoleon

There are some really nice photos in that recent thread "Calling all Fantasy Brown Owners" - did you see those? And yes, good idea to take your time and find exactly what you want. Best of luck!

Absolute Cream

I've seen some gorgeous Bianco Antico. If you like that, ask if they have Bianco Spring. It can be just add pretty but only slightly less movement for a much cheaper price.

Prices seem to vary by region, also by place. The same granite varied widely in our area. Bianco Antico or White Diamond in our area is not the absolute lowest priced granites but just slightly above. $3995 for 55 sqft installed. Also in some areas you have to buy the slab, others just sell by sf.

I'm posting my quartzite in the ginormous range post if you want to check out a different material.

Thanks, everyone. I decided to stay with the SC because it was a beautiful slab and goes nicely with my maple. Ediblekitchen, the fantasy brown gave me a lot to consider. I love it!

Well here's my new love. Fascination quartzite. I can't wait to use it.

Here are some granites I am considering. I have black and cream vanities and dark

brown maple cabinets. Granite is giallo ornamental, Santa Cecelia, and juparana gold.

I love my Costa Esmerelda granite. It is green with flecks of white, yellow, gray. Some look more gray than green. Not sure why it is sideways, sorry. Not the best pic either, but all I can find now.

Just purchased this for our build. Hoping to see it all in place in a couple weeks. Persa Avorio.

Here is our Magna Gold slab:

And finished kitchen.

How did you get on pollopicu?

Somersetlass, I decided to stay with Santa Cecilia. The slabs we were shown were nice and crisp. Once there I decided not to confuse myself further by looking at more granite. It's supposed to be installed Tuesday. Thanks for asking!


I'm having fun looking at everyone's beautiful granite and quartz though! keep the pictures coming! I'm sure others will find this thread useful as well!

It is really easy to get bamboozled by choice isn't it! I'd been here, there and everywhere locally to see granite, quartz, quartzite and marble. Only to fall in love with some carrara online. We put a deposit down and then I went to see it. Thankfully it was as beautiful in person so that was decision made. Ours won't be being fitted for a good couple on months yet though :-( as we are currently building the room that will be our new kitchen dining room.

You are so lucky to be less than a week away!

Good luck with instal, can't wait to see some pics!

This is honed Wild West Green granite, installed about ten years ago in my apartment kitchen; I have never sealed it and it is impervious to stains and scratches (so far!)

We are getting this Fantasy Brown installed on our island in less than 2 weeks! so excited!

Somersetlass, yes, it's so easy to get bamboozled indeed! this is the 3rd time I've started the process of changing out our counters to granite. The first 2 times I chickened out, decided to use the money to visit Europe instead. From testimonies throughout the years, from as long as I can remember, all I've heard is about the stress that comes with getting granite countertops. I knew we wouldn't be immune to the anxiety, and I didn't want to deal with all the logistics that comes with it either, but this year I knew I just couldn't work with my existing counters any longer. I think I may have the ugliest kitchen counters known to man-kind. They are formica swirly blue. They're so totally atrocious. We've been living in this house for 3 years now and they still make me cringe every time I enter my kitchen. So I finally took the leap of faith. I'm not even an "I have to have granite counter-tops" type of woman. I honestly would've been happy with formica had they been a neutral color. I like the simple things in life, and sure I like nice things like everyone else does too, but I don't want to lose my mind over them either, but it seems that now this has taken on a life of it's own. What I'm really excited about is our sink more than anything.

Do you sense the guilt I'm feeling over such an extravagance? lol