lynn2006: Thanks and I am happy to share, just as others have shared before me. erinf8: Attached is a grouted picture; sorry this was at night with the undercounter lighting on; you see we are getting some reflection from the LEDs. It is not bad from far away, however, just at certain angles up close. The grout is Platinum. We went with this choice to make the veining the star, rather than the grout lines. The UC ighting is also a slightly cooler temp (3K) to emphasize the contrast. The tile was actually my second choice, my first choice was online at the Builders Stone Depot, but that did not work out. After some searching at dealers by my GC and I, I found these, in stock, at a regular warehouse called Liberty Builders in South SF. SparkingWater: Thanks. I did not get to view the slabs before hand. I jumped in with both feet first! I never made it to the Caesarstone local warehouse. Someone asked about the edge earlier: it is mitered and slightly eased, by about 1/8", I think, per the Caesarstone Warranty specifications.

Hi. Where did you get the 10x5 samples? I only see the option to purchase the 4x4 on the website. Thanks.

Hi Sahmmy, thanks so much for the article. I guess my issue is that I don't want absolute black. I want gray. So what would be the potential problem of getting a granite that is mislabeled as AB and is actually something else? I understand that if it is artificially made to look black, it would be a problem, but what if it is left gray? Also, the worker in the stone yard who cut me a sample told me that the sample cracked because it was a weak stone and that he would not use it for a countertop. I had thought (too wishfully perhaps) that maybe it cracked because AB is so dense it is also brittle? Not sure if that makes sense. I did choose a virginia mist as back up. It's nice in general, but I haven't been able to find a slab I love because I don't like too many white speckles/swirls and I can't find a relatively quiet slab. Romy718 - I am going to ask my fabricator today if he can do that and if he has opinions about keeping it gray. Gr8day - I checked out the caledonia. Thanks for the suggestion. The overall color is right, but I don't love the pattern.

Thanks farmhousebound and raee! Of the 3 new ones, I'm leaning towards the FC - one reason being, I need a countertop for my guestbath vanity* and there would be enough left from the kitchen to do the vanity top. But I am wondering if it looks to creamy against the white of the cabinets. I do want to warm up the ktichen a little as my cabs lean more towards a crisp white. No one has commented that doesn't look good with the cab white so maybe it's ok. I'm having such a hard time picturing the white/white with the rest of the space. Ugh! (*I really like Organic White better for the guest bath, but I am also try to save some $, and thinking FC would suffice.) Otherwise, it'll probably be Raven.