It may be that the person installing the counters is worried about a good tight fit against all the walls where counters will run. If your walls are not flat and straight, the installers can cover a pretty good sized gap with that thick strip of countertop material laid a few inches up the wall ( the older style installations). But with good modern templating, you should expect a good fit even if your walls are a little bit off, then the tile can come right down to the counter and still meet with a small caulk joint at the change of plane. Perhaps you can ask them if they're worried about uneven walls, or you can take a yardstick to them yourself to see how they look. If it were my kitchen I'd certainly want the newer style installation.

The only time a slab backsplash looks right is if it the same granite as the counter. We did bookmatching seams on our vignette here so the veins flow across the whole installation. If you want a single surface, consider sheet stainless or glass. Or large format tile.

Thanks for the input. I lean toward the Raven and Calacatta, too. (In fact we just told our contractor to put the order in for the countertop). I'm still not 100% sold on the marble tile, though, I originally wanted a carrera that would be more muted, but the tile shop we're using doesn't have anything that looks right with Raven. I just worry that the Calacatta is SO white. When I see kitchens like this: http://bungalowhomeinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/04/clients-home.html my eye is drawn to how cool the tile looks next to the cabinetry. Guess I'm also concerned that the calacatta has more movement in it, which could be distracting. I'm loving the look of this kitchen (also with Raven), but I don't know what the tile is: https://www.houzz.com/photos/south-pasadena-craftsman-traditional-kitchen-los-angeles-phvw-vp~14622889-Pasadena-Craftsman-traditional-kitchen-los-angeles Does anyone regret getting marble backsplash?

I saw a vanity display in a slab showroom where they used large format porcelain tiles to create a vanity top with a 4" thick mitered edge and an integrated sink. It looked like it was all carved out of a large slab of stone. I don't remember the brand, but the color had "Marfil" in its name. Take a look at the photos I posted on this earlier thread on May 16. (My firm blocks access to Photobucket, so I can't post them again in this thread.) You want to make sure you use a fabricator who has worked with this product before. I am using Kerlite for my shower walls, and there have been some issues with my GC's regular tile guy. Here is a link that might be useful: porcelain counter w/ integrated sink