I just had to post here...OMG...the lady that wrote Laminate and luxurious in the same sentence.."NO". I hope I never have to meet someone like you in my lifetime. What a bunch of snobby, snarky..people! I am sorry..I think you can have a beautiful, luxurious kitchen without paying for granite, quartz, soapstone...etc. My goodness. I am building a house now and get to hear from our subs about all of the snooty women that they have to deal with...literally walking out of a house because the closets aren't big enough... What kind of country have we become? I say..if you want to buy high end appliances...beautiful cabinets..and put it all in a laminate kitchen. I think it can be stunning! Don't listen to all of these snooty fruities.....do what YOU want..and the people that matter...won't walk into your kitchen and take a mental note of your laminate..I would think it was beautiful! And for those of you who think that I must be some low life...my husband is a doctor! There....rant over! :-)

Beth09, you can order samples for free from Formica and Wilsonart. I have a stack of 12" square, 5" x 7" chips, and even a few odd shapes from the local fabricator. Idstarr, Could you post pics of your marble-look laminate??? We are settled on Formica's Carrara Bianco, but I am worried about edges and visible seams. We have a peninsula floating into the center of the room. The current laminate is bullnose, but it has a flat surface at the end of the peninsula. The local fabricator doesn't offer the curved edges on all sides. Ideal Edge looks like it is a mitered veneer glued to all exposed edges? I have only ever lived in houses/apartments with laminate. I have spent time in vacation rentals with granite, and I really don't like it. Noise, coldness, keeping it shiny and streak-free... While I may still seek out a quote for quartz, I doubt that anyone can beat the $700 estimate for laminate (over 50 sf counterspace). Our neighborhood definitely leans to expensive finishes in remodels and new construction, but we are doing this kitchen refresh for us. Honestly, I hate to put an expensive countertop on existing cabinets/layout. We completed two bathroom gut remodels in the past two years and didn't skimp on countertop materials (one Staron solid surface; the other marble), but my gut is not telling me to upgrade for the kitchen. If I receive an unexpected large infusion of cash in the near future, I will gut the kitchen and mix soapstone and butcherblock :)

This hinges on two questions: material quality and fabricator skill. I went with Silestone when I did my built-up mitred counters in five rooms (five years ago) and have had no chipping. But that's because my fabricator was great and does solid-surface work only. Ensure you get a great result by working with a fabricator who comes highly recommended, who creates a full physical template of your counter plan, and who understands your expectations about finish quality and durability. Do your homework and you can work together for lasting results that will stand the test of time. Cheers!

6cm is a very very heavy look, as is chiseled. Chiseled is also complicated by the fabric damage that it can cause. It's best used as a bar or buffet rather than a working counter. You can have clearance issues, unless the cabinets are planned for that from the beginning with your Kitchen Designer, as it will be taller than the average counter unless you choose custom cabinets. The trend has been towards a more modern look, with thinner counters. But, what's appropriate depends on the overall context of the design. The price is a bit modest for the work needed to upgrade the average kitchen to a 6 cm look.