Ok guys I'm back looking at counter tops again and would appreciate your feedback. The left you've seen a million times London Sky and the right Viatera Calacutta which of these two so you like? I don't know why but the larger vein Quartz is growing on me :)here is the slab they pulled for me today of the Calacutta: I also went to another place and looked at the Neolith porcelain which I can't stop thinking about because it's really really pretty...but I'm so worried about having issues either with fabrication, install or use :/ I've read every Neolith thread which some sound risky and watched demo videos which some look impressive. i love the polished but no way to the potential scratching so was considering the silk finish. While I was still in the showroom area discussing the Neolith with one of the salesman a couple came in and looked at the large island sample of Neolith and I overheard the woman say to her DH what's this it looks like plastic. I don't think the salesman heard her as he continued to brief me but that took the wind out of my sail a bit when she said that :( We proceeded to the warehouse where he showed me the slabs. My opinion...still so pretty :) Thoughts?

You've got quite enough sparkle already. No sparkle in the countertop. If you want a plain white countertop (which would look very nice), do Corian in Glacier White. It will appear completely seamless, it will wear like iron, and it will be easy to keep. If you're set on quartz, use a Carrera look-alike that is plain and has as little movement as possible.

i have grown to like it but still wish gray veins were more visible for contrast and interest. The full backsplash was the splurge. i was given a good discount at final payment. was told parts of slab they cut can have less veining and have more white. Each brands slabs (color & pattern) of quartz are the same but NOT where they CUT. i should have looked at slab and pointed out what to use for backsplash. thank you all for being supportive and making me feel better! all the best!

Anyone have any ideas for lighting? There is a hanging pendant that may still work. It is from MacKenzies-Childs and has just the right amount of whimsy and lightness. Plus, it is already hanging. (That's a biggie, I mean a huge biggie.) Here is the pattern from a different site: I'll also need a new fixture for over the table. I'm open to anything but what I have. The table seats six and has a beautiful finish. We covered it with the table pads and table cloth for the winter and construction. (Also, the Mackenzie-Childs pendant can be seen just a bit by the beam in the kitchen.)