Joseph Corlett - your photos are my biggest fear! The black quartz is gorgeous, but I sure don't want to be worrying about my coffee maker (or crockpot) sitting on it. Megan - I think you are right. I have gone back and forth, and part of me was saying - just go with the quartz!! And I also left sitting water, lemon juice, etc on the little sample I had. All did wipe up without damage. I should have tried sitting a hot coffee mug from the microwave on it as well. But at the end of the day, it is more expensive, and both my husband and I like the Black Pearl granite (and are able to get it at a fantastic special price that makes it $2k less than the granite - and we will be just as happy I think). Also the risk aversion side of me would be heartbroken if I ended up with spots as Joseph's pictures show. I had a dark granite before for 10 years, and I know how it wears, so comfort level of the known and price win out. But yes, I am seeing that no matter which color or material, some will love it, some will not, and eventually you have to go with what you love. Carolinaflowerlover - I am thinking we will love the Black Pearl as well! Our cabinets are a medium stained cherry, and I tried to talk myself in to a lighter granite, but the dark colors call my name! We decided against the honed finish, as I have read about the issues with fingerprints (and it would gray out that beautiful black finish). Beautiful remodel Rob! And love the color choices in the new house you are building! I was interested in black cabinets for our remodel, but hubby couldn't see it. I love the Black Galaxy granite as well; my husband seems to prefer the Black Pearl and I'm okay with that. There is just something about the black against that cherry color. I did find myself irritated with the smudges in our previous house (we had Tan Brown granite). But we were in the middle of raising our 3 kids, and neatness was not in their vocabulary!! Now it is just the 2 of us, and I'm pretty neat, so I am willing to deal with it as it is the darker colors that catch my eye. I would have liked some bit of pattern in it to combat the smudging, but dear hubby isn't a fan. I finally gave in since every time I look at granite, the dark colors are what I am drawn to. So going to go with design/preferred color, having decided that mattered more than the smearing/streaking that can occur unless you wipe it dry.

The guys in the lab at DuPont are all saying "We told you so." to the marketing and design departments. The bald people at DuPont are all in the Public Relations department. They've pulled out all their hair. Swami Joe predicts they pull the plug on this; it's unsustainable because of the internet. I'd love to throw some Tenax Quartz Toner on that stuff just to see what happens.

Why not go for drama and try soapstone? You won’t have to worry about your beauty products damaging the stone. And you can get an integrated sink so you won’t have that scuzzy line where the sink meets the counter.

I would do a darker color— probably black. I think the white on white will make your floor stand out more. The black/white combo will make the cabinets pop.