One mistake you are making in your thinking is a common one - that all granites are lumped together in one group. There are thousands of granites. Some are carefree and will not stain and can take all kitchen tasks for years and years without showing anything. In the other extreme are granites that are more stain-prone, require sealing every few months and can be etched and/or stained. My granite counters are more than 10 years old. They have not been sealed. I do not baby them, and have spilled things like wine and tomato juice on them while cooking. They look like the day they were installed. I have never in all this time grown tired of their natural beauty. Go to a stoneyard, and ask to see granites that have "low absorption rates", i.e. they are dense, and therefore won't stain. If you see a granite you like, and can't find information on its durability, get the name, and also take a photo, and post on this forum. Likely someone will have information on it.

It looks like marble, but more than likely it is quartzite (similar to marble.) Especially since it is stored outside. Quartz is not good out in the elements. Be careful if you are choosing it for your kitchen. Quartzite and marble will scratch and etch. Unless you are not much of a cook and the kitchen is more ornamental, I would choose quartz or granite.

I have a question for you guys. Is it too outdated to have a cointibayoon do the quartz for the badksplash(only the 4inches) without having to add any other back splash? I worry about making my kitchen Look too busy and having a hard time matching colors , so i was hoping to just install a quartz counter top with that extra 4 inch lip without doing any other backsplash . That is assuming my counter top isn’t too bland . Also, can I get away with a gray? What about the Silestone calacatta gold ? Are the speckled quartz outdated ? Thanks! My floor has to be changed because it’s got a lot of holes and pkaces that are showing the underneath black rubber. it also has stains . My dream is to have white cabinets , a Taupe counter top(warmer gray like), and wood floors . If calacatta gold form Silestone , Bianco drift from Caesarstone , cambria Torquay , or viatera “sol” would work with white or warm cabinets , I’d pick one of those maybe. It’s a small kitchen, and I don’t have a huge budget .. but I do want to make a big enough change beginning with the counter tops that were never sealed properly, flooring, (and our back wall behind the sink that needs to be replaced ) . Thanks, again. I like honesty .

I have mustang quartzite in my kitchen and my fabricator allowed me to cut the stone on an angle so the lines meet at my “L”. This is not the common way of cutting— I’m sure it’s not preferred (maybe because it’s more difficult… I don’t know). I have had it like this for over a year with no issues… I don’t walk on it. 🙂 With that said, I used Brown Fantasy (a leftover piece on the fabrication yard) to do my bar area and I absolutely love it. If they are not willing to cut the linear stone on an angle, I would look into brown fantasy.