That's just beautiful stone! I'm so envious.... I was looking for a white granite just like that! one of the suppliers I went to (three states away, even, I was on a HUNT!) had a tiny sample, but no slabs and no idea when they'd get any. I looked everywhere! I ended up with Carrara Marble, which I love, but your granite is exactly what I'd originally envisioned. Can't wait to see the finished product! Are your backsplashes slabs as well? Interesting templating. That is what my husband does in boatbuilding (and has done here when cutting cabinetry parts to fit wonky old-house walls, like the cover panel for teh refrigerator!) But our counter installers used a computer program: they took digital photos with special labels affixed to the counter area, and used a program to lay it out.

Hi All! Thanks for the great comments! Brooke - LOL! - Don't you just love it when they get that first burst of defiance? I think that makes you a SWMBO (She who must be obeyed)! Your boys are adorable! My son won't pose for anything lately without making a face -must be an 8 year old (I'm almost 9, Mom!)thing! Or, it's the fact that he is sick of remodeling :-)! And your puppy! One of my best friends named her son Genki - japanese for samurai warrior? I did order samples of a couple pulls, but not sure how they'll look. DH doesn't like cup pulls and not sure about cupboard latches either. Here's the link to the simple pulls I ordered - 2 diff. sizes in old silver finish: http://www.knobs4less.com/Liberty-Kitchen-Cabinet-Hardware/libp10210osc.html Truthfully, I'm not in love with them, but they don't have the drawbacks and foo-fooey details most others do. I also really like the imperfect quality of the finish, look aged. However, I think I'd like to have solid brass with some sort of nickel/silver finish - and, for the price, I'm thinking these are not brass. I did like the look of the marine ice box latch on the other thread.... hmmmm..... I think our problem is we think we can find something different if we keep looking. Truthfully, I found some very expensive ones I really liked, but we need so many, I can't justify the cost to myself. Same problem with lighting! I can't seem to find pendants I like! DH wants something simple. But I sure love your Dining chandelier! I think we just need to get out there and look more, there are certainly options. Problem is, we could go so many different directions. Oh, you will love this! My friend who is the fabricator, sent me an e-mail last week after the slabs arrived at their shop: "I'm going to steal your slabs from the shop and run away....... x K" - she loves the Calacatta too! cpang74 & rhome410 - Thanks - don't hold your breath on Monday, it might take me a few days to get the pics up! pbrisjar - Thanks to you too, I've often read your postings and followed your progress as well! Cute puppies there, for sure! Only 4 more days..... Thanks again all, you have been great support during this fun project!

You best said it yourself in the last sentence. "...Do I pick out other slabs which are not as pretty as mine and start all over again, further delaying my kitchen?" You live with what they did which is the colors you wanted or you go and get something else that won't be as pretty. I think you have the answer. HOWEVER, you need to hold the fabricator and/or Lowe's accountable for what happened. What you don't say is WHO put the template up onto the granite so you could photograph? The Lowe's employee? Or did the actual fabricator who was going to cut, polish and install the granite do it? If Lowe's did it...then that answers what went wrong. You go to Lowe's and discuss with the slab person what went wrong. They obviously didn't communicate a thing to the fabricator. If the fabricator put the template up onto the slab and you photographed then you certainly have recourse to get in his face and demand explanation. Not that I defend the fabricator all the time .... however, I have had the templates laid out for a client's granite and when the fabrication started the slab broke in a bad vein area, I have had the seams "blow out" and not match up right after that so another section was cut differently, etc. It could be there was a problem during fabrication. Research a little before you react. Good luck on the office move!

Thank y'all. I am treating this as a learning lesson. We had an episode before with the tenants when a misunderstanding had turned into them screaming (like banshee and I have never in my life knew how someone could scream and yell a that capacity) to us. My wife still remembers the incidents and does not wants to deal with them. At this point we just want this out of our lives. I am deducting material costs (total less than $50) from the deposit since. We will be repainting the house and replacing the carpet with LVP. One question I have is, shall I just email them and let them know the reason for taking the $50 out of the deposit, with cost of each materials we had to purchase? Or just return the deposit with the money taken out?