You mentioned that you like the honed surface -- I think the piece you pictured looks nice, especially if you will have an island to show off the lovely big pattern, BUT if deep down inside you really wanted honed, and that one is has the usual high polish, then maybe it isn't really right for you. Just don't want you rushing into a decision that is part compromise.
Not sure how easy it would be to find a honed slab tho.....

The fabricator materially benefits when the customer chooses a more expensive countertop option, trends cycle - if you find something you love why not go with it? Even if you plan to sell your home in 2 years, there's no way of knowing what buyers will want by the time you're putting it on the market. Everyone is always focused on the resale value instead of making upgrades designed for enjoying their home over the period of time they live in it. I wouldn't say that nobody likes/wants/uses granite in their homes anymore, though some are choosing other countertop materials because they want to be 'on trend' above all else (newness and novelty of having something not many people do starts to lose its appeal when more and more people latch onto a trend, but most people can't afford to do a complete gut renovation every 2-8 years). What happens if you spend a huge sum of money to have 'trendy' countertops, and everyone is completely over that particular option (a highly likely situation), having moved on to something else entirely by the time you're looking for buyers interested in purchasing your home? This is why worrying a great deal about resale value is a trap that homeowners should, and can easily avoid.

And the majority of granite is quite low maintenance as well as durable.

I don't think you are crazy for going with granite in 2019. Yes, I know, the quartzite and quartz crowd seems to have the newness going in its favor, but I think granite in and of itself will never be wrong. I know some of the busier patterns are not viewed as appealing anymore so there are trends in patterns, but granite is a work horse in my experience and I think the slabs you found are very attractive.(and in particular will have a good amount of versatility to them with the color)

About 1 out of 5 kitchens we sell have granite counters, 1 laminate, 3 composite. Nothing crazy at all.

Who wants what everyone else is doing? I have granite in one of my homes & quartz in my second home. I prefer the granite. It’s easier to maintain & I don’t have to be careful with what I set on it. And yes, granite is still being used, even in higher end builds..

We choose granite in 2018 & I would choose it again & again. It just depends on what look you are going for. I personally do not like quartz. It just seems so fake & not my style. I do love quartzite, but with 88 sq ft of countertop it was just not in our budget. Select what you like & what works for you.

Looks lovely to me. Way better than any phony quartz.

Can you post a pic of your cabs? I’d choose what you like and what works well with your cabs and floor.

I am a fabricator. Most of my work is mid-high end residential and it is still far more often natural stone (including quartzite) than "quartz" or, more accurately, engineered stone. I would not hesitate for a moment going with granite if there is one you like and the fabricator has covered the material properties which mostly refers to whether or not you have to seal it periodically.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with granite. We still sell about 70% granite. There are so many variations and you won't find anything that beats it as far as durability. I actually took quartz out of my kitchen and installed granite and I would do it again in a heartbeat. There is nothing wrong with any choice you make as long as you are educated on how to care for it and when you walk into YOUR kitchen your heart is HAPPY!

IMO granite is a much better choice than quartz and I love those slabs , the fact it can go behind the stove you can put a hot pot on it are pluses in my book.

That pattern is lovely and has the "feel" of a marble. It looks great with the cabinet. Don't let them make you second guess your decision. If you love this then its the one for you!

What a silly comment - there is a plethora of granite choices so for a fabricator to say that no one is doing granite anymore because it is off trend perhaps reflects the paucity of choices or imagination. Perhaps it is fair to say that the builder grade speckled brown or Uba Tuba are not seen in upscale homes but there are some amazing and unique granites there.

I am in the crowd that doesn't care for quartz particularly as I prefer natural stones - at least in terms of the kitchen I recently remodeled. If I were living in a classic MCM home in Palm Springs, I would probably lean more towards quartz as - at least to me - it has more of the "machine age" feel of that era.

FWIW, I wouldn't rule out Carrara marble in a kitchen. My friend installed it in her kitchen about 15 years ago and even used a slab for the kitchen table. The kitchen is much used and believe me her husband who did a lot of cooking was essentially a pig and her children for sure didn't baby the marble. It still looks great - no stains and there is some amount of etching but it's pretty subtle and you only see it if the light is striking it right and you look for it. Don't forget in a normal kitchen there will be things on the counter and you don't spend your time squinting to find the etches :-). Marble is around in bistros and those counters get plenty of use. And don't forget that marble can be restored relatively easily and inexpensively by a professional if you really don't want a patina.

I tend to be one who falls in love with new materials cause I get tired of the things you see over and over. With that said, a granite with a beautiful pattern will always be ok, no matter the date! The one you've chosen is beautiful...and we all know how durable granite is compared to marble. I think you should go with what you love, despite your fabricators comments.

Side note: I would make sure you select a backsplash that is not too busy. That granite has a lot of movement and begs for a neutral partner.

Daisychaino1 here is a picture of my cabinets. They are a true white, so think it would work. As Glo European Windows & Doors- suggested, if I go with this granite I will have a white subway tile because the granite already has a lot of movement:) Thank you all for your comments, so nice to hear Granite is still ok! LOL! I have included pic of cabinets and river white granite and carrara marble I was considering.

Helen, thanks for your comment as well...now you made me reconsider the Carrara! LOL! It's soooo beautiful:) My husband is just afraid because he knows how much I love to bake, have a 3 year old that loves to bake with me and my mexican cooking also has me and family making a lot of red chili sauces! He says it will be hard to keep stain free. I'm not afraid of the scratches or etches as I know they will develop into a nice patina over time. I just haven't seen pics of marble that is in a kitchen for as long as your friend has it hers. I'm still torn between the granite and carrara.

I am looking at the wonderful diagonal pattern movement in the slab and fantasizing about it continuing up on the back splash, at least in the most high visibility area. That could be really pricey; I have no idea about that. But it sure would be an enviable focal point! As long as the fabricator understood pattern matching....these aren't the best photos to show the diagonal pattern continuity, but just to give some ideas:

That granite is beautiful. I recently bought a remnant slab for my bathroom vanity and was appalled by how much mislabeling of the stone i saw at the stone yard. Having read a lot on this forum, including Karin-Mt‘s wonderful posts, I knew that many of the stones they were selling as quartzite were actually marble. My point is, labels don’t matter - choose something you love and TEST it yourself to confirm what It is so you know how it will behave. Karin’s threads explain how to do this and it’s not hard at all. Good luck!

I like both, marble and the granite. Please consider taking it up the backsplash and back of range hood, it will be stunning. That is beautiful granite. I chose soapstone last year when everyone tried to sell me quartz..I really wanted soapstone and my quotes for it were so ridiculously high because I was being steered to quartz. I found a fabricator who turned out to be the best in our area and the most fair and I have fabulous beautiful, soapstone for half the price of what others quoted, because It’s not popular any more He said..I guess they didn’t want to keep the inventory.

@Tish - Go with what your heart wants - my experience with Carrara marble in my friend's kitchen is that it looked fine after 15 years of non-pampering.

So if that is what stands between you and marble for your kitchen, at least to me it's a non-issue. I would have gone with marble but went in a different direction for aesthetic rather than functional reasons.

But the granite you chose is also quite lovely. I am NOT a pro but I think Carrara marble tends to be softer and more traditional - which is a matter of taste/aesthetics rather than function.

I would have no problem with the counters being granite. The material is fine.

My issue would be that it is gray, and that is 80% of what has been installed the last 15 years and I'm tired of seeing it. Not a problem if YOU love it and aren't doing it because that is all you have seen others do.

The granite is gorgeous.

So is the marble. If you're ok with etching on marble, then go with the marble if that's really what you love. If etching will bother you, then stick with the granite.

As for backsplash, I would pick up one of the lighter grays in the counter for the backsplash because the white will never match the cabinets and will always look "off". A light gray will give a bit of color too while not overpowering the space.

I think you will be very happy with the granite - that's a really nice-looking slab. I have ZERO issues with gray as I have always preferred it as a neutral and I adore white kitchens - so it's just a natural pick for me. Enjoy!

I have found that with marble there is a break in period. It gorgeous , but the imperfections will come and they are accompanied by absolute remorse! If there is just one area that has a noticeable flaw of etching or discoloration it really stands out. But over the years when the entire piece leans itself to the patina of time it is beautiful again. Sometimes I think babying a natural surface like marble does no favors as it just prolongs that break in period and makes the surface linger in a state of no longer being pristine nor having developed the patina marble is known for.

not crazy! We just finished our home and finally found a granite for our kitchen and put quartz in our bathrooms. I actually wish I'd chosen granite in the bathrooms now. The quartz is bit too predictable, but it matches very well. Our granite has more movement and less speckles. It turned out perfectly.

Gray is the color these days. So many builders are doing it all over town. I was afraid to use it, because I thought it might be dated quickly (but everything pretty much does get dated at some point). Trust your instincts and buy what makes you feel good. I can't count how many times our builder said " no one is doing that." I am happiest with the decisions that my husband and I made....not so much with anything the builder talked us into.

There is granite and there is granite. Builder-grade granite is usually busy and ugly and quite pedestrian; the granite you're showing is far from that. It's a lovely piece of stone.

As with any material, do your research. Not all granites are created equal but neither are other materials. Don't fall totally in love until you test the granite for hardness, staining, etc. but the same goes for other natural stones. Also, don't assume that even a good sealer will prevent issues. Granite is not maintenance-free. I'm not saying to not get it but just be sure about your choice.

You can read all about my debacle with Kashmir White granite HERE. At the time, I didn't know what I didn't know and erroneously assumed that everything labeled granite was indeed granite and behaved like granite should behave (tough, durable, resistant to staining/darkening, etc.). Again, I'm not trying to discourage you from your choice but just trying to caution you to due diligence.

Definitely test your proposed slab before it is on your kitchen. Some white granites will stain with oils or vibrantly colored foods. As long as you test your slab, you will be fine. I have granite and I would choose granite again.

well as long as it's me choosing the stone, and not umm..somebody else choosing it for me...)))

I'd go with my heart

Stones are so very personal. They've so much character. they're like people, in that regard.

i usually prefer marbles and quartzites to granites-but this is a beautiful slab

as for imperfections in marble..well it's, again, personal. I'm fine with patina. Very true about break-in period.

there's virtually no material out there that wouldn't have its pros and cons

granites are also all different..some are almost bullet-proof, some aren't.

Our builder did talk me into quartz for the new kitchen-but it wasn't as opposed to granite, or marble, or stone at all. I wanted butcherblock..))

Thank you everyone for all of your comments and advise! :) I met with my contractor and fabricator at stone yard yesterday, requested they put granite and carrara side by side again and we chose the granite! I just love the soft grays and movement in it and in a way reminds me of marble. We will be meeting with fabricator later this week to plan out the placement. Now I will wait util granite is installed to select the backsplash! Hope that goes a little faster and easier:) I originally wanted a statement tile behind the range, but may have to reconsider because this is a busier countertop than I originally envisioned. I will post pics when granite is in! Thank you again for all of your comments and wise advise! You guys made the decision a lot easier for me:)

sometimes light granite was labeled granite but it's actually is Dolomite- sort of in between marble and granite . It edges. Please do your research.

Do you know the name of that granite? It certainly is a lovely stone - definitely let it be the star!

It is River White granite. I did test and abuse a sample! LOL! and it passed all tests, including scratching glass! It had to stains, etching or scratching even after samples left overnight :) I was worried about that too, but relieved after tests.

That doesn't look like any White River granite I've seen.

I agree with mark_rachel. Names are notorious to change from vendor to vendor, though. White River/River White and Kashmir White are both very similar in properties (and are often mistaken for each other) and I can promise you that you DO NOT want a white granite with those properties.

It might actually be what this vendor calls Salinas White or White Valley.

https://www.archcitygranite.com/our-inventory

I like your slabs. Go for it!

I also really like those slabs. Our granite in our kitchen is 15 years old and looks the same as the day it was installed. I feel like you can't beat the durability of granite. Those other "stones" require too much babying.

Let me throw this thought out to you; hopefully you will see this before you meet with your fabricator!

You said at one point you wanted a statement backsplash -- please consider letting that statement be the continuation of that amazing granite pattern up the backsplash behind the stovetop (if you can afford it). That is, assuming that your fabricator "gets" the concept of matching the cuts to allow the pattern to continue from a horozontal counter to a vertical backsplash. It might turn out that it would not require purchasing an extra slab to do that so maybe it would not be much additional cost -- it could be worth asking.

I think a “ statement” backsplash would be a mistake unless you have solid counters with no movement. JMHO.

Ah, maybe you are right -- with the big island so close to the counters on two sides and lots of activity on that island! The other thought I had was pattern matching between the island and the other horozontal surfaces -- this seems obvious when we look at the kitchen, but the guys cutting the stone in the shop won't have any idea about that if it's not planned out for them and communicated clearly.

Hi Karenmo and Chessie, thank you for your comments regarding backsplash. Yes, I agree, it will have to be a simple light gray or white subway or something like it, nothing too busy because the countertops have lots of movement. Statement backsplash would have been the case if another plain countertop had been chosen. I will have a meeting with fabricator later this week and plan on making sure the pattern movement matching for island and other countertops, everything in moving in same direction. We already mentioned this when we selected slabs and they will plan it out with us before cutting :) Thank you all for advise!:)

Karenmo, forgot to add... I thought about adding piece of same slab behind the range as well since slabs are huge and probably will have left over, but I am not sure. I will have to wait and see how busy everything is after counterops are installed before making that decision.

Mark_Rachel, than you for pic! Really like that backsplash:)