I am struggling with the same decision! I am planning white cabinets (with walnut island), and adore the look of Calacatta marble. There really is nothing else like it! I totally "get" your comment about the fluttery feeling-lol. After reading many, many posts in Gardenweb about marble etching, scratching, etc., and getting some samples and testing for myself, I decided that using marble on the countertops was really not the best idea for me, though I still want to use it on my backsplash (Calacatta subways) and solid piece behind the range. I have a butler's pantry and plan to use the marble on the countertop in there. That began my search for something else for the kitchen countertops that would go-with or compliment the Calacatta. I have never liked the look of granite much, as I prefer a more uniform "quieter" look. I looked for a uniform white granite--and there isn't one--I do not think any would look good with the marble. I do not like the man made materials either, (though I have to admit some of the plain white ones do not look too bad!) I found that Madre-Perla quartzite looked pretty good with the sample of Calacatta Gold I have, but was too beige with the Calacatta Classico (which has more grey veining and a whiter background). I also found that in searching on Gardenweb, looking at kitchens with Madre Perla (aka Mother-of-Pearl) the overall effect, seeing it actually in a kitchen as opposed to just a sample piece, while it is very beautiful, was not the look I wanted--or at least not with the Calacatta. I finally decided maybe a dark countertop was the answer, and looked at basalt (grey color would go well with grey veining in marble) but found that while very hard and scratchproof, it is very porus and staining is an issue. Then looked at honed dark granite (Absolute Black, Antique Brown), and thought I found my answer, until I learned (and proved with a test on a sample) that Absolute Black etches just like marble, and all the honed dark marbles show greasy fingerprints like crazy (put some hand lotion on and touch the surface in the stoneyard). Then I went on a soapstone adventure, and it does look really beautiful with marble, but soapstone is not readily available in my area, and always has a slightly greenish-tinge, even when oiled, which does not go with my planned more creamy palette. (Though I think it looks gorgeous with grey veined marble in kitchens with more blue-green palettes.) So what I am pondering now, is using a leathered black granite for my perimeter. I like the look of the Cambrian Black leathered. I am thinking of putting marble on my island and just doing the black on the perimeter so it will not overpower. Some other observations: I was never drawn to Super White, which is often suggested as an alternative to marble, until I saw Bee's recent post of her Super White install. Funny, I think Bee once posted saying she did not like the look of the "blobs" in Super-White, which is the same issue I have with it, but she found some slabs that just have gorgeous, uniform veining, and are so lovely. Wow--that kitchen is one of the prettiest I have ever seen, and could definitely make me a "convert" to Super-White! Those were some super-gorgeous slabs! I would not mix it with marble though, and I have heard that some Super White etches, and some does not, depending on the particular slab's calcite content--so it is not necessarily going to solve the etching problem, unless your particular slab doesn't etch. I think (and I say this having not experienced marble in a kitchen, though I do have it in a bathroom) that how good it looks (regarding etching) depends a lot on how much natural light you have in your kitchen. In some kitchens the etching is not noticeable, and in some it is more so because of the light shining on the countertops. If you like shiny, I would pair shiny on the splash with honed on the counters to minimize the visibility of the etching. I've read a lot in my research where people who had shiny marble countertops ended-up having them honed in place later. Sorry for the long post--let me know what you decide, or if you find any other options that appeal, as I am still thinking about what to use.

Hi everybody!! As usual, all of you Gardenweb folks have generously given of your time to help me out...THANK YOU!!! (and especially cawaps, who posted the mock-up, which helped tremendously to get a very good picture of what it is going to look like.. That "kompy" kitchen is so much like the one I have, its scary! That being said... I still like the slate and I think the thing that helped the most was hearing that the granite I pictured could well work and is not too busy. My house is actually very rustic and informal... its a contemporary design in the country that is very open airy floor plan (except for the kitchen) and currently has almost all off-white walls and darker wood trim. It has an almost "lodge" feel to it, so to answer blfenton, I guess we are indeed going with a rustic look. A modern, white kitchen would not work in this house. Even so... too much of a good thing is... too much, and I totally appreciate the concerns about all the stone and gray. To that end, I think I will indeed wait till everything but the backsplash is up to make the final call. I think the granite choice will stay about the same, and the variable will be the backsplash. beeps, I think my doubts started when a friend, who I trust with color, looked at everything and said it was "too heavy". The truth is, this is the look I have wanted.. every picture of a kitchen I have been drawn to is mission/shaker cherry cabinets with slate tile.. so thats what I was looking for. As long as the colors work, I think it will work in this house. Unfortunately I am extremely lacking in in judging what works... colors, clothes, etc, so second guessing is second nature..to doubt is normal ;) Thanks to you all so very much! I wish I could pay you back, and I am going to try to put my "two cents" in on this forum in the future whether I'm sure or not :)

Hey, barncatz: Every word of consolation and support helps. I'm trying not to rush the BS decision, but I know I'll feel much better about the countertop experience once I'm not staring at these sliver add-ons. One of my very early inspirations was Majra's kitchen. She, just like pipdog, used the mosaics for a lovely effect. And this is why I spent so much time last year looking at mosaics. But the mosaics seem a bit too busy (for me) up close. The rest of my kitchen is a work in progress. Lotsa 9-1/2' walls that will need to be painted again (probably a cool white -- the next challenge!), and a ton of natural light coming in. Baseboards, pantry door and trim are all semi-gloss white, and ceiling is white. Kitchen is open to the family room: taupe walls with a white fireplace/mantel -- white trim throughout the entire house. pippiep: Matching grout it is, then! One decision down. :) I've marked out the areas that will require BS tile. As you can see, it's not very expansive, and each one not very large. So, I need to find the correct scale/dimension tile that will look right in these spaces. I think using larger (3x6) tiles in a herringbone pattern will leave me with a bunch of chopped up squares in the bartop and cutout window areas. At least with the newest elongated hex pattern, most of the hexes will be retained.

I'd take the first sample because of some warmer brown/copper I see running through.Everything else looks so cold to me. I would probably default to a subway in some whitish with a beige leaning toward warm tan grout. Think about warmer hardware [orb?] or maybe white porcelain hardware. You need some warmth for your palette but I like everything.