My original inspiration photos featured dramatic marble-looking countertops, which I love. Marble is too soft and stainable for any kitchen that my family would function in, so my options are a marbled looking granite or quartz. The quartz countertops are much more expensive than granite, but I've narrowed my choices down to Calcatta Luccia Quartz (creamier background), Calcatta Leon Quartz (more of a true white background), Glacier White granite, or Bianco Antico Granite.
The Glacier White granite comes from China. As a natural stone, no two slabs look exactly alike, so I'd want to find one with more prominent veins and less of the common granite speckling. Some of them also have red or burgundy flecks, which I'd want to avoid. Below is a photo of the Glacier White Granite with the backsplash I originally selected.
The Bianco Antique Granite is completely different from the smooth, clean look that I envisioned, but the beautiful character of the Brazilian granite caught my attention.
It has a creamy base with brown grey colors that compliment my cabinet colors perfectly. There are patches of what looks like leopard print, glossy fish scales, bold black splotches and even some beautiful amethyst looking crystal highlights. It just feels so much more like "me." As it happens, this gorgeous granite is usually a level "D" ("A" is the least expensive, "B" is next and so on...so "D" is quite an upgrade) and the slab I found and fell in love with is on sale as a level "A" because of some irregularities (which are actually what I love so much about it!)
Granite Pros:
- Lower cost
- Heat resistant
- Stain resistant
Granite Cons:
- More susceptible to chips/cracks
- Less desirable pattern
- Should be resealed annually
- More noticeable seams
Quartz Pros:
- The dramatic look I wanted
- Doesn't require resealing annually
- Slightly stronger and more resistant to chips/cracks
- Because quartz is manufactured, not natural, the pieces are uniform.
Quartz Cons:
- Higher cost $$$
- Large expanses of white will take extra effort to keep looking neat (then again, I like clean counters anyway...)
- Can discolor (especially the white) if a very hot pan is placed directly on it
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