You need to stick with what will make you feel happy because you are going to be cleaning it for a number of years. Do you really like a herringbone pattern? Do you really want a tile backsplash? Maybe you would like to use the same quartz on the countertop and the backsplash? Why does he want you to look for a "real" stone? Some of the real stones stain and don't hold up well to water etc. you really ought to take a sample of what you're thinking of and subject it to ketchup, lemon juice, red wine, mustard, wet can bottoms, etc overnight and also try to scratch it with the bottom of your pots and pans, etc. and see what it's going to be like to clean it. Dark counters may well show every speck of dust. In some places there just isn't much dust but others of us deal with a great deal of dust all the time and would never select dark counters. If I could have afforded it, I would've gone with red or green counters. I really am not in favor of the current trend towards "mixy" neutrals.

My sister's kitchen is all white on white and nothing boring about it. Her backsplash is shell and her counters are a white quartzite. Even the couches in the sitting area near the kitchen are white as are her counter stools.

Use different sizes and textures of white to bring interest.

I think you will be happy with the white quartz you originally selected. Your GC is not a designer and will not be living in your house. We are all apprehensive that all our choices will not work together but you need to choose what you like and take a leap of faith, it will all come together and be beautiful!

Cambria Berwyn is still light but has movement, I love it's sparkle.

If island cabinets are white as well try white quart on perimeter with a walnut wood island

If island cabinets are white as well try white quart on perimeter with a walnut wood island

I'm not much help. I love all white.

And you can always (and probably will) introduce color with rugs, small appliances, window treatments, light fixtures, food, dishes, art, cookbooks, etc.

Just stop it.

If you don't have a counter choice by tomorrow, tell your contractor it's his fault. The sky won't go black, the earth won't devour you. It's a counter. When you've chosen it, you'll let him know.

You need to rely on your inspiration images - or find new ones. Start with the decisions you've already made "white Shaker cabinets maple floors" and scroll through images until you have settled on the major materials. Then choose and don't let your contractor talk you out of your choice.

Take a breath and look at pretty pictures. It really does help. (And yes, if you choose darker perimeter counters you can still have a bright kitchen).

Pental Misterio island with dark perimeter counters:

You can also still have a grey or blue island or amazing lights. It's just a matter of putting things together, altering them to your will. Pick an image and stick to it. You'll be happy you did.

I realized that although I love light and bright - most of the white counter and white tile kitchens I pinned on houzz had something else to make the space not feel so bland - amazing lights, gray or blue islands, amazing windows, etc. I am thinking if I stick with my white on white on white it will just feel too boring.

This article might make you feel better (ie, having a "boring" blank slate vs a styled room makes a complete difference to the space. The photos on Houzz are styled).

http://mariakillam.com/blankslate/

I personally like white on white on white :)

Don't second guess yourself. With white you can bring in color in so many ways if you wish to later. Here's a link that has pictures of white kitchens that I don't think has any specific spectacular windows or other spectacular features that is outside your reach. Maybe that will help you.

https://101bathrooms.com/101/all-white-kitchen.html/interesting-all-white-kitchen-easy-furniture-kitchen-design-ideas-with-all-white-kitchen

1. Stop with the meltdown. If you need more time to choose a counter top material, take it. The world will not end if you miss tomorrow's deadline.

2. Tell your contractor to chill. You get to pick the material and you'll pick quartz if it suits you. I have quartz and it does a darn good impersonation of real stone.

3. If you had planned on light counters, don't get dark. My quartz (doing a darn good impersonation of real stone) is dark and I long for light. You can't see anything on them (definitely not dust) except salt, sugar and white flour. Oh, and spilled milk. You can't see anything else until your fingers discover something sticky or crunchy or slimy. If you like clean counters, dark will drive you crazy. They look good, but they annoy. Also, I think they're harder on the eyes.

4. Don't pick your backsplash until everything else is done.

A little repetitive with everyone elses comments...

If you heart's desire was white, then stick with white. If you really want a grey or blue island, then go for it (and put the Pental quartz you have chosen everywhere). Besides accessories and color, interest can also come from texture (dimensional tile, for example), pattern (herringbone bs), or beautiful materials (that special hardware, lights, etc).

It's your kitchen and you are the boss -- tell your contractor your decision.

If you don't want dark, don't pick it. The only dark I warn against is gloss absolute black. We have it in the loft and it does show dust and dirt. The more semi-gloss mid-dark finishes like Piatra Grey CS don't show dust or crumbs like that material. They do show a bit of grease smearing, but that just means you need to wipe down better. BTW, my latest project is going for white on white to keep things light and bright.

Thank you, everyone. The links to the Maria Killiam and pictures were very helpful. I have never been great with decisions (it runs on my family, LOL!) so when I was challenged by the contractor and various others I didn't have a strong enough conviction to ignore them. I fought for my design with a few different designers, and felt very strong with what I wanted- but that was because I knew the functionality I wanted. With this, it is aesthetic so I question my own taste too much. The good news is I went back to two different stone yards today and can definitively say that I do not want the granite or quartzite that I am being encouraged to use. It's beautiful, but didn't fit my vision. Every pin I have on house is either white Quartz or white marble- non are granite or quartzite. So, I think I can at least say I am solid with that. I am going to go back and really look at all these comments snd photos again tonight and try to regroup. Thank you again, everyone. If I ever do another remodel I will know to include the cost of therapy in my budget, LOL!

Hi busymom03! I looked at your favorite photos and none of them have dark perimeter counters, so I feel very confident telling you not to swerve 360 degrees. Stick with your white quartz with your white cabs. I thought you were at the backsplash stage....you don't need to be, wait until your cabs and counters are in. At that point, you can add contrast if you want to, as others have said but a classic white kitchen is just that...classic.

I don't know why contractors give design input. They are almost always two steps behind. I picked a black french patio door and my contractor questioned me on my choice. I simply responded, yes black. Not white

Barncatz- yes I know I am not at the backsplash stage, but unfortunately I am one of those people that need to have the whole plan before I can make a move. It's the same reason I haven't been able to replace furniture in an adjacent room....still working on one element so unable to move forward on the others "jus in case". Drives my family crazy.

Well it sounds like you used a good method to narrow your counter choice back to quartz. I know I've read we're all suffering from having too many options.

busymom03: Just to pick up on one comment you made in your OP (other quartzites were too linear which ruled out the macuabus), calacatta (or calacatta gold) quartzite is the cross-cut version of macaubus and looks less straight-veiny.

Such as these:

Exactly what everybody said.

So happy I listened to the same advice given here(which is not to rush just because you're told to) when having to choose a countertop for the master bath "by tomorrow". Nobody was devoured by Earth, and in the end the GC loved my choice no less than myself. In general, he was of much higher opinion of me by the end of that remodel, lol. Well, we spent like a year and a half together on that remodel and it's still not completely done. One gets to really know one though:)

So go with your vision, and if it takes another 3 or 5 or 8 days-nobody will die. It's not an open heart surgery.

Not an open heart surgery! Love that.

its funny how they can delay and delay but you can't have time to decide!

I know what you mean about it being too much white. We painted our cabinets white, have a very white carrara marble for our countertops, and have white subway tile backsplash (light grey grout). It is a small kitchen, and I don't believe it feels like too much white. At first I did kind of feel like it was too much white and there was not enough contrast for it to be pleasing. I ended up accessorizing with some navy blue/white items, such as utensil holder, tray, and flower pot, and I think it really pulled it together. It did need something. In my old house where we completely redid the kitchen down to the studs, we had white almost shaker cabinets, white subway tiles, and Vermont slate countertops. The slate was a very very dark grey, honed. It was sleek! I loved it! However, I will tell you that I enjoy working on the white carrara counters more than the very dark grey counters. For me it is just a little more pleasing to the eye, up close. Also, the white counters stay cleaner looking, in my opinion. Remember that you can add in pops of color here or there in a completely white kitchen.

Stick to your guns and go all white. I love calacatta gold with unlacquered brass hardware. That alone would make the kitchen feel warm and so pretty.

I'm not a super huge fan of tiled backsplashes at the moment because I feel like they can sometimes just be too much. I feel like they stand the risk of becoming overdone; the next granite countertop trend that people are finally getting tired of. That said, have you seen these pretty tile's from Clé? They are gorgeous.

https://www.cletile.com/collections/white-tiles/products/zellige-terracotta-weathered-white-4x4?variant=

softpunk - you described my dream kitchen with the calacatta gold and unlacquered brass. but at $100 per square foot on the calacatta I can't do it :( I think that is ultimately what my biggest issue has been. There really is nothing at all that can compare - either manufactured or natural.

I went to 2 completely new places today as well (ugh!) and looked at both quartz and natural stones. When all is said and done - although I talked myself into the quartz - everytime I actually see a slab I completely flip and don't like the raw product. Have seen a few installs - and some I have thought were great and others not so much, but I keep telling myself that if do it it will look great and match the pictures I see online. The dark grey I thought I would do with the quartz though look WAY to glossy --- immediately made me say "no way". If I did dark on perimeters I have to do a honed granite I think - the quartz option just is too modern. I finally am starting to think that against all the warnings and the red flags, I might just be happier putting in a carrera - knowing that every few years I would have to have it rehoned. Even factoring in that - it is way less money that the quartz or a quartzite. But it would still end up being predominately white - but something about marble makes it seem less boring to me.... AAAAGH.

newmember4 - would you consider posting a picture of your kitchen? What you are describing is my latest thought - even though i know it isn't the most practical options but still hard to get out of my mind.

That's expensive. Just imagine how much costlier it would be here in Canada!

Wait, what do you mean you'll need to rehone the marble every few years? Do you mean reseal?

The reason marble isn't boring is because while it is classic and timeless it's also dynamic and alive.

And if you like unlacquered brass check out old hardware lots on eBay. I got my knobs for less than $2 a piece Canadian (would have been a little over $1 US to ship within the states). I plopped them in a pot of boiling water with baking soda and the lacquer just melted right off them. Save money there and buy yourself fancy lighting.

softpunk - not sealing (i know that is yearly, but can be done on your own). actual rehoming to take care of any major etch issue and filling chips etc. great tip about diy lacquer - I had no idea you could do that!

To me the beauty of marble is when it does etch and get some wear on it. Think of marble floors and tables in restaurants. They aren't perfect but they're still beautiful

I agree with cpartist. Wabi-sabi.

If you love marble, have you considered the plain white Quartz for a counter and a marble backsplash? We did that and I have been extremely happy with it. We have 4x16 calacatta tiles and they are long enough to be able to see all the beautiful movement in the marble, without having to worry about it being on my counters. My husband is the cook in my family and there have been many days I've seen the mess he left me in the kitchen and thanked goodness we went with Quartz.

you described my dream kitchen with the calacatta gold and unlacquered brass.

If you love marble, go for it!

But it would still end up being predominately white - but something about marble makes it seem less boring to me.

I think you are absolutely right here - marble has depth, movement, character, beauty, etc that warm up the all white kitchens.

I finally am starting to think that against all the warnings and the red flags, I might just be happier putting in a carrera - knowing that every few years I would have to have it rehoned.

I agonized over marble in my kitchen for months. I looked at so many pictures, went to showrooms, parade homes, stone yards, demanded to see full slabs of the marble-look-alike quartz products, tested samples, read posts here about marble (staining, scratching, and etching-oh my!) and was set to spend a lot of money on a calacatta quartzite. BUT, when I went to the stone yard to finalize my slab selection, the quartzite slab was placed right next to a beautiful marble slab and I knew that I had to have marble.

I did carrera marble on my kitchen island and master bath and polished absolute black on kitchen perimeter since I was still scared of the marble and new that the perimeter is where most of my prep would be. The absolute black is a showstopper and looks great, but it is definitely not the all white marble kitchen look that I loved in the inspiration pictures.

Now that I have lived with the marble, I would do all marble the next time. Are there lots of etches? Yes. Do they bother me in the slightest bit? No. I haven't had any issues with staining (and I am constantly wiping up day old coffee splotches from my husband). The fabricator sealed the slab.

If you love marble, have you considered the plain white Quartz for a counter and a marble backsplash?

I have seen pictures of this also, and it allows the marble backsplash to take the attention and looks great. If I didn't have so much counter top space (4' x 11' island and 13' perimeter), I might have done this but personally thought it would be too much solid white.

Good luck!

I was you a year ago and almost had a breakdown as well the frustrating thing about getting feedback about marble counters is everyone is so bipolar about it. Half say they would do it again in a heartbeat and half (including my mother who has to die for honed calacatta) say they wouldn't. I could never find a Quartz or quartzite I liked well enough and was ready to do honed absolute black on the perimeter and honed calacatta on the island and I knew it would look fantastic but I had lived with a busy granite four years and really just wanted a white countertop that would show any mess so that I could clean it up right away. I finally found a quartz that I really thought was pretty all on its own: Quartzmasters organic white and so I ended up just going with that on everything. I still had many sleepless nights second-guessing my decision. Is marble more beautiful than Quartz? Of course it is! But I have loved my kitchen and feel like I got that white look and the maintenance is so amazing and works so well for my family lifestyle that I don't really have regrets. There was a small adjustment to The all white look, but I did a blue island and tried to accessorize and now I am used to it and love the feeling. The problem is we have too many choices and it makes us second guess everything. It's going to be gorgeous! Good luck!

Hi busymom03, yes I am happy to share photos. I am out of the house now, but I will try to post them later today. We have only had the Carrara counters for a month, but so far I have no regrets at all. In fact, I enjoy them more now than in the beginning!

katieleabrown86 - thank you for the photo - the blue island looks lovely - and I really like your chevron backsplash.

alley2007 - i wish i had just one main prep area and could isolate the marble. unfortunately - the island gets heavy use all day (lunches/breakfast/baking/laundry folding (don't judge!), etc.) and the perimeters is where I do all the chopping / slicing/ dinner prep.

I had a wakeup call this morning when I came down and my husband so graciously made coffee for the day. Unfortunately he didn't see (or care) that the coffee pot also overflowed/spilled all over the countertop - under the coffee pot, and about 8 inches to the side of it and a few inches before. I wish I could say that was a one time thing --- but I have had to clean that up many times before since he never "sees" the disaster. I think that was a not so subtle message that I might be asking for trouble with the marble. :( My tailspin continues…..

You can, of course, seal real marble so that it doesn't change colors and isn't stained over time, but you must re-seal it regularly. Honing the stone is also a good idea. Once you've removed the shine it will be harder to identify etched areas.

It seems to me that you ought to go back and consider marble looking quartz again before you make up your mind, just because etching and staining aren't as likely with quartz.

That said, I don't think your kitchen design is one that benefits from two different counter types. Your perimeter counters are somewhat small and disjointed. Consider using the same material throughout, or if you really want different surfaces, don't use two different stones. Go for the marble or quartz on the perimeter and butcher block on the island.

Thank you so much EAM44. You have just validated the little voice I have been hearing that said the 2 tone counters won't be balanced enough to work well. One side of my perimeter (which now has full hutches down on either side) is about 90 inches long and the other side (with L) and sink are about 120 inches. But the island is smaller and really it would end up being mostly dark in the space. I am going to go back tomorrow and view the quartz slabs again, and come to terms with the idea of a little more colorful backsplash, not just white.

Great advice from Eam44. And a maple butcher block island with marble perimeter is exactly what I'm doing, with white shakers and wood floors. I'm not doing a backsplash at all, though the marble is light grey and not white. It honestly doesn't feel too white or too neutral. It's bright and open and the brass hardware really warms it all up.

Honed and and sealed marble may show etching but it wouldn't absorb the coffee stain. And even if a stain is ever absorbed you can apply a poultice. I've read up on it a lot because I was worried about running the marble up as the backsplash behind the range.

Kitchens a should be lived in and used anyway. Yes, keep it clean and maintain it well, but if you get some etching or if your floors get a little scuffed and scratched over the years, is it really the end of the world?

I have never put pictures on here before, so please bear with me. This is a test photo.

Okay, so I still plan to do a reveal. We just got the kitchen finished and have not put handles on, and we are still accessorizing. I am hoping seeing the carrara marble with subway tiles and white cabinets will help you busymom03! I have a scratch on the marble and I have no idea how it got there - I think it was my husband or kids! I included a photo of that. Would that bother you? It does not bother me! That is how I know carrara works for me. Also, we are huge coffee drinkers and often spill it on the counter and it is not wiped up for hours. We have not had trouble with coffee staining!

newmember4 - the combination is lovely! thank you so much for posting. I really like that your walls are light too - makes it easier for me to visualize. It is such a difference seing "real life" kitchens over just what is on Houzz - make things seem more livable. I will keep everyone posted - the cabinets came out today - and I really don't want to delay just because of my indecision. Honestly - even given more time I would be in any better place to make a decision :)

Yes, all white is truly boring, and while it will never rival avocado green and harvest gold, it will assign your kitchen to a certain point in time when it was all the rage. A little color someplace will break the tedium.

..I like white kitchens(as any kitchens really-the mood is important, not the color, and there are hundred of different moods and i appreciate them all if I can feel them for what they want to say) but wouldn't probably choose to do one myself-it's simply not me. I take very small baby steps with white, and black too btw-I have one study by a French painter, in black and white, and already feel very daring..))

Together with that-I say..let's not try to beat the time..time will beat us anyway))

I just did white with white marble (sold as quartzite but really probably marble) and a darker island. My backsplash has a little color but I even have white floors. I have to say I love how bright it is. It was dark before and now I am happy every day.