I suspect I will end out being in the minority, but I really like the Iced White with your choices.

Cawaps I appreciate your honesty that's what I'm looking for. Can I ask why you like that one better?

I like both for different reasons but I don't want to say why for unbiased opinions :)

I like London Sky. We ended up going with natural stone but nearly did London Sky. I find the speckled quartzes look like they were printed on.

I prefer London Sky, but only because I'm not fond of speckles in either quartz or granite. If you like speckles (you must), then I kind of prefer that background color with your cabinets.

I like London Sky. We ended up going with natural stone but nearly did London Sky. I find the speckled quartzes look like they were printed on.

elizabeth thanks for the feedback yikes yeah wasn't going for the "printed on" look. would you mind sharing a pic of your london sky?

suzanne nope not fond of speckles but sometimes fond of consistency as it feels like less of a commitment and maybe more options with back splash choices ?

oldbat2be glad you chimed in too! I feel bad I left you hanging on my hardware help thread but you left me with some homework and i went back to the drawing board. It was you who sent me running back to look at hardware in the stores and hours combing back thru the inspiration photos i've saved. You asked me to share inspiration pics which i have a ton of but i didn't dare share as i didn't want to give the wrong impression of what I like. It's tough because i like a lot of things! I tend to like a casual contemporary look, but on the other had love sophisticated, elegant, luxurious looks. so i stepped away from hardware and thought i'd go back to the cabinet and counter top decision. so the cabinets have been selected and assumed the next decision i should make is the counter top??? that's kinda where i'm at.

you know i love your kitchen and value your opinion. what did you decide first? what is the order to make these decisions if any? i'm sure it doesn't help that i like a lot of things lol. but to answer your questions;

Floor = large white matte porcelain tiles (staying for a little while)

Hardware = undecided

Lighting = recessed cans in main kitchen and keep currant chandelier or do orb chandelier

Ceiling = vaulted (contemporary Mediterranean home)

Backsplash = undecided (like marble subway and keep getting drawn to arabesque)

Paint = Ceiling white (needs a refresh) Walls will be Worldly Grey like Great Room.

I just realized you didn't ask me for paint...i get extra credit for that one hee hee :)

Hope that helps!

Appreciate any and all input!

oldbat2be btw I like how you pictured them side by side like that. that helps to see what they look like better next to the cabinet. I think I might need better light on those 2 samples?

I like the toned-down color of the Iced White better with your cabinet color. Not that the London Sky doesn't "go," but I just find the color combination with the Iced White more harmonious. My comment about expecting to be in the minority was based on previous polls that have shown a clear preference for swirly over speckled granites and quartzes. But not every counter material has to be an attention-grabber, and sometimes you just want an unobtrusive backdrop for whatever prep work you are doing.

Thanks for your feedback! I found another Quartz I'm interested in ...

just don't know if it's too crazy ? It's the Neolith Calcutta. The pic below is the polished version also available in silk (matte). Which do you like best now?

upper left? Neolith Calcutta Polished

bottom left? Iced White

bottom right? Zodiaq London Sky

Neolith is not quartz, it's sintered. A giant piece of porcelain tile with no resin binder.

Wow Joe thanks for the clarification! I'm getting so stuck on this Quartz picking because they seem so dull and almost plastic. The polished Neolith looks more like real stone to me. When I spoke to the greeter at the stone yard she said people are starting to go back to real stone because they are saying Quartz is blah and that quartz doesn't have as much wow factor. Not sure if that's true? i see your in Florida any great places you know that have a great selection for Quartz/stone?

my pick - london sky. iced white, i don't like the dots either. calcutta polished just looks like fake marble, not a fan of the fake look.

but in the end, you have to get what u love!! its your kitchen!

Sprtphntc I hear you...I think that's what I'm struggling with that I don't like the fake look. I'm having a hard time finding a Quartz I like. Do you think the London Sky has the fake look? I love love love real marble so much but I just can't do it on the counter (we have in our master bath and while gorgeous it's too fussy for me in the kitchen). I would totally do real marble backsplash hence why I considered the iced white Quartz as I thought the 2 would not compete with each other ? I'm just having a real hard time liking the look alikes :(

i don't think the london sky looks fake b/c its a smaller scale, if u will, of the marble effects. if that makes sense !?...Different marble look alikes

maybe that link will help?

one thing that's been discussed here is putting a fake marble with the real thing., the experts consider this a no-no. so i wouldn't put a quartz counter with a real marble b/s.

i agree with u about doing a marble counter. i could not handle the stains and especially the etching. I'm just too OCD for that.

we went with granite b/c i loved the all choices., i just couldn't "love" any of the quartz's.

how about quartzite? real thing and lots of choices sea pearl quartzite sea pearl is really pretty!!

Sprtphntc yeah I've read thruu the look alikes thread a couple times and have a headache :(

I did read that was ano no about putting the 2 together I assumed that was a look alike and the real thing ... I think I might have to agree unless the backsplash were patterned. I think it would be easy to see the faux one. do you think the iced quartz is fine with a marble type backsplash since the iced Quartz is not a marble look alike ?

Btw I am OCD like you so no go.

also I do love the sea pearl and took several screen shots early on of it but when they showed me at the stoneyard it didn't look like any of my screen shots ? They only had one slab of it. Maybe I should check again. It is really pretty!

"i see you're in Florida any great places you know that have a great selection for Quartz/stone?"

Onmincron has a large indoor stone yard in Sarasota, but you'll probably need a fabricator to get in.

Anyone looking for marble look-alikes must see Geoluxe. This stuff is amazing. It is tougher than natural or engineered stone (you can use it outside) and every bit as pretty as the real thing. I've seen it in person.

Wow that's a coincidence Joe! my KD just gave me the name Onmincron this weeek to visit! I've been to their website, but not the business. I see they are closed today I will get there tomorrow and check it out. Thanks!

I've not heard of Geoluxe and I see it's not sold at Onmincron.

The iced white looks awfully gray in the first couple photos. Much better in the third. I'd say your choice should reflect the overall look. The London sky is more classic, and iced white will take you more transitional. I like both.

Towncakelakes I apologize that is the wrong pic in the last collage...good eye! I think that is sea foam and was in my screen shot file. Sorry geez!

The first 2 pics are correct! One is the collage I put together and the other is one Oldbat2be labeled and those are from pics I took of the actual slab in the warehouse. So that is the color ...under the warehouse lights anyway. I did not ask them to pull out in sunlight because that will not be realistic either. I guess I need to go back and see if I can get a sample piece to see in my kitchen space and light.

here it is again showing the same slab but where I peeled some plastic away in lower left to see it better...thoughts now?

I hear you about London Sky being more classic and that's good because I do love a look of contemporary with a traditional twist. It helps keep a space inviting and warm.

I like both for different reasons...I'm just not sure if the iced white will be too boring and not enough going on. That's not my personality :D

Ok guys I'm back looking at counter tops again and would appreciate your feedback.

The left you've seen a million times London Sky and the right Viatera Calacutta

which of these two so you like?

I don't know why but the larger vein Quartz is growing on me :)here is the slab they pulled for me today of the Calacutta:

I also went to another place and looked at the Neolith porcelain which I can't stop thinking about because it's really really pretty...but I'm so worried about having issues either with fabrication, install or use :/ I've read every Neolith thread which some sound risky and watched demo videos which some look impressive. i love the polished but no way to the potential scratching so was considering the silk finish. While I was still in the showroom area discussing the Neolith with one of the salesman a couple came in and looked at the large island sample of Neolith and I overheard the woman say to her DH what's this it looks like plastic. I don't think the salesman heard her as he continued to brief me but that took the wind out of my sail a bit when she said that :( We proceeded to the warehouse where he showed me the slabs. My opinion...still so pretty :)

Thoughts?