Funny that you guys started to discuss this just when I am about to start this same project myself. Here are my findings. First off, if you plan of putting a counter on top of the new 3.8 cu ft FL, good luck, and have your pocket book ready. You see, the deepest "standard" counters are those for kitchens, at 25 1/8". Assuming that one leaves around 5" of clearance behind those newer FL machines for vents, air circulation, heat, etc, then you are looking at about 30"-35" of depth, depending on how flush you want the counter to come to the front of the machine. Having said that, there are 3 prices for laminate counters in the stores (like Home Depot). The counters you see in the store in stock are the cheapest, and will cost around $10 li ft. If you need to pick a finish that matches say the sink counter top in your bathroom where the machines are also located, then that is considered a custom order, even if it is a standard depth. This will easily double the price to $20 li ft. Now if you want to order a non-standard depth so that it goes from the back of the wall to the front of your new FL, then you are looking at $35-$50 li ft, depending on type of finish like rounded vs sqaure front edge, back ledge or no ledge, etc... Keep this in mind when shopping for a counter top. I would like my counter to cover the machines completely, so I might have to bite the bullet and order the more expensive counter top.... Again, I am talking about a laminate counter top, no fancy materials here.... I am from Canada, and here is what the local Home Depot quoted me in Canadian dollars for the 3 options.. 1) In-Store counter (limited finishes) 25 1/8" (standard depth) X 6 feet = $68 CAD Custom order counter (you choose the finish) 25 1/8" (standard depth) X 6 feet = $132 - $150 CAD 30 Csutom order counter (you choose the finish) 30-35" (non standard depth) X 6 feet = $222 CAD I believe the last option of non-standard depth only allows for a square front edge finish. If you want a rounder edge in front, like that found on your kitchen counter, the price jumps to $500 CAD, since the guy said that they have to charge for a full 4X8 sheet, and then cut the custom size from there, in order to get the rounded front edge... One other option you can do, which my brother did very nicely is lay down 2 sheets of plywood (for extra thickness), and tile the top and sides, looks really nice, but is a lot more work...

What about a piece of granite that has a lot of movement, and some burgundy tones in it? Honed finish, not polished. I know nothing about granites, but I looked under "burgundy granite" and found several that seemed interesting. Lambada was one, Maracana was another. Another alternative would be some kind of mosaic in a matte finish. Or, you could do a wood countertop. I am a big fan of zebrawood, so I could see something like that as a great accent on your pantry cabinet. Matte finish, very hard wood. Plus that is considered sustainable wood for harvesting, so eco-friendly. zebrawood counter

essdana, I put some olive oil on a paper towel last night and dabbed it on a couple of cornes of the sink cutout I experiment on. It didn't soak in, just sort of sat there. I let it sit there over night and this morning, I wiped it up. Because it didn't soak in, I ended up just sort of smearing it over about half of the top. Then that half actually looked better! Kind of like when I put the wood polish on only half the dining room table, the second half looks sort of "dry," if you know what I mean. This morning, I wiped down the whole surface when I did some leftover dishes-- knives and utensils with wooden handles that don't go in the D/W. It looks pretty much the same now. If you want to do your own experiments, you can get one of those small black cutting boards made by Epicurean. They are literally the same material-- the thinner thickness, I think they are scraps from the Skatelite product they make skateboard ramps from, but the same material. That way, you could test with products more likely to be abused in a bathroom, esp. of a B&B.

ugh.... we are just at this point now and realized that our new counter/breakfast bar is 12' with the sink cutout dead center. My wife is stuck on an undermount and we really wanted granite... we will, of course, be getting a few fabricators to bid it. But is it feasible to do the seam with a cutout at the seam? The front edge of the sink seems a bit vulnerable to me. Also the current layout has the dishwasher adjacent to the sink and I guess we'd need to get the cabinet built with a support at the seam. If we can seam at the sink it would be small, just the length of the front setback (breakfast bar transitions to countertop there)... how well does the bullnose normally line up on a seam? Do they polish it on-site? Are we better off getting used to NOT granite? The 12' counter is not negotiable in our design.