You might get away with two different surfaces if you only use two different cabinet materials. However if you use 3 different cabinet materials. I'd keep all counters the same. Otherwise it will become a case of where does one look first.

I think 3 will be too much with so much difference on the cabinets. I have painted and stained for my cabinets and will probably end up with 3 stones but that's because two were bought on clearance. I would prefer just two to stay consistent.

My bar area is different color cabinets and stone but they are on the other side of the room and completely removed from the kitchen.

I am a fabricator. We do high end homes regularly and we often see 2 stones in a large kitchen; typically one color for the perimeters and a second (often contrasting or more movement) on the island. I can't recall ever doing 3 different stones in the same "room". That said; the counters and island in your photo example are beautiful and I'd certainly go with that approach if that's your preference.

I would do 2: one on the L-shape perimeter plus island and something totally different on the walnut credenza (which would make it look like the stand-alone furniture piece it's meant to be).

On another note, why are you asking US when you've already created one gorgeous kitchen (that's been one of my favorites since I started here)?

p.s. I can't wait to see this finished kitchen!

Thank you for the comments. Seems to be a bit of a consensus for same stone on island and permimeter cabs, that makes sense. Pal and CK, as you suggest the credenza is meant to look like a piece of furniture and less like a kitchen cabinet. I like your suggestion of metal or laminate, quartz for the credenza. Wood seems natural there, but I think I'd like a thin counter in a different material, metal or laminate seem like cool ideas. Will look into that. I should go back to the DAT thread about laminates!

Re: colour, no decision has been made yet on uppers, I have a month or so to make that call. I had wanted all blue, but the images my bil (cab maker) gave me made it look a bit heavy. Ditto doing the uppers in walnut:

My preference is to have no uppers, but I think I need the space. So making them the same colour as the wall in an attempt to make them disappear makes sense. Y

i haven't finalized my blue choice either. Possibly Hague Blue by Farrow and Ball.

Floors will be ash, medium-light stain.

ck-squared - many opinions help me make decisions, my last kitchen was improved by loads of people here in GW. I can't tell you how much I miss my old kitchen right now. We moved in June and are living in the apartment / ground floor unit of the new house. The kitchen just doesn't cut it. ;) Our place won't be ready before early December, I'm getting impatient. Thank you for the kind comment.

Pal, do you think having the two tall blue cabinets for the fridge and oven is too much?

For reference, the blues currently in the running for the cabinets:

Hague Blue, F&B

Indigo Blue, SW

I don't, I think the ends anchor the kitchen, especially if you do the uppers in the wall color.

Look at Chemetal for metal laminates and solid metal sheets.