I definitely don't want wood, but thanks for the suggestion. I'm a little bummed tonight because I went to buy a sample of the tile backplash I liked, but the shade of the current batch has more beige brown in it and I liked the charcoal greys that were more prominent. I was too delayed in buying it! Anyway, I did some looking and decided that Corian is not an option in a darker color. Didn't like it. Can't use laminate because of the undermount sink. Lab counters don't sound like a great fit. I think they might be too dark also. Here's my options I think: 1)Honed Granite: if I want to risk the staining issues. No scratching or heat worries right? Perfect color choice. 2)Quartz: risk of chemical stains, risk of heat damage from griddles, slow cookers. No scratches, perfect color choice. 3)Stainless: No staining, heat damage, and scratches only add to the look. Not a perfect color choice. 4)Soapstone: Great color, not staining, no heat damage. Chips easily? It would appear that stainless is a great option for the durability but I really want a tile backsplash. I liked the look of marble mosaic because the pattern was small and from a distance, it would look uniform. I want to look somewhat industrial but not 100%. My floor tile looks like a rusty metal. In the daylight, depending on the angle, it is very reflective, like an old mirror. Without daylight, it has the copper/bronze color more. It is the most awesome tile!! But, I want some warmth. I will have tongue and groove ceiling painted to match the cabs. So would stainless counters be too much metallic? Would they work with a darker tile backsplash. I also like a 1x2 multicolor slate backsplash or something like these: http://www.missionstonetile.com/products/17-Tabarka/tabarka-med-10 Here's my faucet and sink too: How do these compare to each other in price. I have no idea. We supposedly are able to get less expensive AB granite here because it is quarried locally.

nancy_east -- thanks for your nice words! How exciting about your kitchen -- this will be fun to watch develop! The widest walkway we have is 36 1/2" (countertop to countertop), with it going down to 34 1/2" where our apron front sink "jumps" out. From our cooktop to the widest point of the bowed island countertop is 35 3/4". The only times (or rather, areas) our aisles feel tight are when the dishwasher door is open and there's only 12" of clearance (between the open door and the island cabinetry). But so far, no barked shins! We're careful and aware. The other area is our refrigerator (which is 30" wide, all refrigerator so it's a wide door): when it's open the only one who can sidle by (and then it's just barely) is our two year-old. But neither of those conditions are permanent (meaning, the dishwasher is mostly closed and the refrigerator door is mostly closed as well). While 36" for an aisle isn't "ideal," for us it's working out fine. Our only alternative would've been to give up the island and that wasn't an option! We need the storage space. Your aisles will work out fine; if it there's an impediment in the 36" aisle (like a dishwasher), then you all will learn the same careful two-step we and many others have as well! Good luck with your kitchen-in-progress! (and whole house, too!)

I don't think its negative, its just the facts about a product. Would you rather be an educated consumer or a bonehead that believes anything they tell you? Its no different than the drugs that are supposed to help with ABC but they very conveniently forget to tell you that there is DEFGHIJK side effects. Or you go to buy a smart phone and the monthly price they told you was just for the line and not the data part of it. Same deal. When I started shopping I knew NOTHING. All I knew was formica and tile because thats all we ever had because you could do it yourself. All these places were throwing all these terms around - solid surface, quartz, natural stone. Each had its hype "this is the best", "you don't want that, its old", "this is indestructable", "its impervious to staining", "you can't chip it or crack it", "you can put hot pots on it", on and on. Than you start to read, there is no best, no its not old, no its not indestructible, yes it does stain, chip and crack and oh yeah you can't put hot pots on ANY of it (not that we do that). I work hard for my money and I want to know exactly what I am buying. We are not talking $1.95 for this stuff. They are all in the thousands.

Basically, you have to get the sink out and start from the beginning, after everything dries. "Mechanically" is in reference to the harness/straps used to apply upward pressure and the original sink clamps tightened enough to hold it in place. It doesn't mean using machinery. Your tops may be damaged when removing the sink. Unfortunately, there isn't a choice. You may be calling several fabricators to find one who will come out and remedy this. I imagine that they know (or at least know of) each other and might have a lead on someone who specializes in these fixes, like Joseph.