I am so confused and frazzled. Every time I think I have a handle on this durability and non porous thing, I choose a stone and after research find so many things potentially wrong with it. I saw a beautiful slab of Macaubus Fantasy, but have since seen mention that it will stain. I need something that is fairly indestructible. I live near the beach and have lots of company, but I am often away for a week at a time and not around to keep wiping the countertops. Even if I am home, I don't want to baby a countertop that will never grow up. Which of these stones should I stay away from and which are definitely good? Macaubus Fantasy "Quartzite" Allure Quartzite (does practicality increase/decrease if it's leathered?) River Blue Granite Or are my only sure choices Taj Mahal or Sea Pearl? I'd appreciate any feedback

Last year when, out of kindness to my husband (he was afraid of my reaction if he "hurt" my dream white marble countertop), I was searching for a white marble look-alike I investigated the white quartzites. I'm in Colorado and HOLY COW were they expensive! Granted, I ended up with an exorbitantly expensive marble but the quartzites were even more than that. But that's in CO -- prices may be (and hopefully are) v. different wherever you are. I still want to add my two cents that we've been living with marble countertops / backsplash for four+ months and so far, so good! They're surprisingly easy and hide a multitude of sins. (I have a messy husband who is the primary cook and a four year-old and two year-old who like to "help" bake [which we do almost daily], so our countertop has had the opportunity to be fully tested! And oh yeah, we make a lot of homemade lemonade, so it really does get [and pass] the acid test.) Based on your beautiful inspiration picture, in which I think the countertop has a v. grey tone, I still think the Mystic could be terrific in your kitchen. That Pionite laminate looks great (looked at it myself to use in case we couldn't find the right marble for our kitchen in time), but it is, at the end of the day, laminate. If you live in a neighborhood where the expectation is for granite, then it doesn't matter how gorgeous your laminate is it just won't cut it. People are superficial (myself included -- it takes a lot of eye liner and mascara to get my eyes looking this pretty!), and they get that goofy misty-eyed face when they hear "stainless appliances / granite countertop." It doesn't matter to them if those pieces are in a crap ugly kitchen -- they'd rather have those bragging rights than a beautifully designed kitchen with equally beautiful laminate. Go figure.

It can't be "unlaminated" without a very high probability of ruining the parts. This is one of those problems that results from inadequate communication up front. However, it's not always the fabricators fault. I had a similar compliant once upon a time and it was AFTER I had sent a drawing detailing the edge profile which showed clearly that there would be a seam. The home owner selected the edge over the phone on advice from her interior designer and did not come in to our shop despite our recommendation that she do so. So, despite a thorough effort at communication I still had a very unhappy customer. The designer admitted she did not know that a "laminate" was different than a mitered edge. I did the tops over with a mitered edge at my cost (several thousand dollars) mostly because the customer was a big builder and a repeat customer. I would not have re-done the job for an individual. I did not believe I was in any way at fault. However, as a business manager I occasionally fix problems at my cost simply to keep a big customer happy even though I didn't do anything wrong. It becomes a marketing expense.

Susanne, here is a photo from my local Home Depot. They have a display with Pietra and a full height backsplash. The cabinetry is a creamy white, and they did the side splashes as well. It's indoor, store lighting and no under-cabinet lighting. I haven't been able to decide what to do for a backsplash either. I've been sitting with different tiles leaned up against the wall for almost a year.