I understand that some water systems supply very hard water. Ours is at the medium point but I myself would never have a water softener installed. I hate the feeling that softened water produces, of being unable to rinse off soap and shampoo when showering. And making the shower floor slippery. We once bought a house that had a water softener installed. The seller had commented that the water in that area was very hard. I activated the bypass after a week and then had it removed. Some hotels have overly soft water too. I make a mental note of those so that I can stay elsewhere on any return visit to the area. Hard water can often taste better to drink because various minerals contribute to the flavor. Some water bottlers add minerals to the product for that very reason. Try drinking distilled water sometime, it's tasteless and not very enjoyable. The spring water we buy to drink is loaded with minerals and is very flavorful. Ditto regarding resurrecting old threads. Better to start a new conversation if the old one is getting moldy.

Laela, I like the look; I think the two go well together. I am going to replace the white stove with a stainless steel one and will install a stainless steel MW over it. However, I recently saw a granite less busy and more atypical that I so wish I had purchased! How DOES one deal with regret? I'm still in the grieving phase of experiencing that "sinking" feeling when I walk into the kitchen, even as I am grateful that I have the means to spend $$$ on a kitchen remodel. Oh well, I had to move pretty quickly to renovate the kitchen as it is a rental (I know, I know, such a pricey renovation for a rental property, but the extra $500/month I am receiving for the upgrade will pay it off in a couple of years and the resale value will have increased). And, time DOES heal all wounds! I will post a link to that granite soon. Here is a link that might be useful: Bellingham/Nexus BR BL kitchen

THINK TWICE BEFORE CHOOSING QUARTZ. My personal experience... it is NOT MORE RESILIANT, IT IS UNFORGIVING AND IT IS MORE WORK. Last year we opted to get a high quality quartz RADIANZ CHARCOAL counter because every counter company seemed in agreement that quartz was more resilient than Granite and less maintenance. It wasn't long that we noticed clouding on the counter in certain angles despite only using only a gentle dish soap to clean it (per company recommendations). Also it began showing shade differences under certain pieces on my counter... a glass plate near the oven... and toaster oven (btw it was not caused by heat... because we move it from that spot when we use it). The shading difference remained despite removing all items from the counter every week to do a full clean up. Our company recommended bar keepers friend... it did not help... may have worsened (caused clouding). I then accidentally ruined my counter while cleaning my humidifier... (a solution of 1 litre of water w 1 tsp bleach) which dripped on the counter ... When I noticed the liquid on my counter... I tried to remove it with dish soap... then barkeepers friend... it was stained. Our company was surprised thought the water had perhaps dried on... or was there for hours... and said that at that level of dilution even for 15 min it should not have stained because the counter is non porous. Many quartz companies suggest that a diluted bleach can help with some stains (then looking at some posts from people who have tried it... they mentioned yellowing and clouding). Many quartz companies suggest different solutions for stains but then say that it may cause clouding... I'm here to tell you ... it probably will cause clouding... this is not a solution! I have since done research on quartz counters... many complaints of permanent clouding... many stains that cannot be removed... I've seen posts saying that the only real way to clean the counter is daily cleaning with only hot water because dish soap and yes even the recommended bar keepers friend can leave a residue on certain quartz. We bought a high end Quartz product because we were told that this was the best way to ensure a resilient higher quality.. So my conclusion...Quartz is less resilient and more work ... it may not need to be resealed like granite ... but I'm sure I am working much harder than granite customers on the daily maintenance. Even before the stain... it began having cloudy areas... despite only using the recommended dish soap for daily maintenance. Finally it is unforgiving... I have not had granite and realize it may come with its own limitations... but at least a granite counter can be re finished. If you are thinking quartz... look for customers who've had quartz to know the real story. Currently I wash my counter with dove diluted with water and re rinse completely till all smell of dove perfume is gone... I did use a non scented natural dish soap at one point... but it was harder to tell if I was rinsing enough and creating a residue. Hope this helps.

My kids are 6, 4, and 2 and we opted to have quartzite countertops installed. I know a lot of people with young children who have quartz or granite countertops and they all seem to be doing fine, but i also understand the other POV that it’s crazy to spend a lot of money on something that the kids are going to beat up anyway.... but I’m not willing to wait 15 years to have a kitchen that i love. As an aside, my grandmother has always had a beautiful house. She favors very fancy decor with a lot of antiques, but was never fussy with her home and it was very well used. With 14 grandchildren and now 4 greats, she has always felt that the reason to make a house beautiful is for the people you love to enjoy it.... and I agree!!!!!