Why We Chose Quartzite Countertops

We had a momentous day in our remodel – countertop installation day!  I found my quartzite countertops early on in the remodeling process, and they were a big focal point for the direction of the design – flooring, cabinet colors, etc..  If at all possible, I always recommend choosing your counters before choosing your cabinet colors because it’s way easier to find a color to match a finish than it is to find a finish that matches a paint color.  You can do it, but you’ll be much more limited in the process, and who wants to be limited?

Quartz vs. Quartzite

Quartz and quartzite have gained popularity because they both offer the look of marble, without the maintenance (and sometimes, the cost) of real marble.  Going into this, we were originally quoted for quartz countertops as part of the design.  I know quartz is popular, and I’ve seen lots of beautiful quartz countertops in the work that I do.  But when I spotted quartzite, it was over for me.  The kicker with this quartzite is that it’s honed.  It’s like butter.  Sold.  Game over.

I think I’m just a fan of natural stone.  The veining, the natural movement, the colors of nature.  I just love the look.  Some of the quartz I looked at just looked … fake, for lack of a better word.  Not all, but some.  But this one.  This reminds me of bacteria that you would see under a microscope in freshman biology class.

And again, I was just drawn to the look of natural stone, and in this case, quartzite.  To clarify the difference, in case you don’t know already, quartz, while very durable, is a manmade stone.  Quartzite is still very hard and durable, but again, natural stone.  Although I have read that some stones that are labeled as quartzite, are actually other, softer stones – with marble qualities, which makes them softer, not as durable, and more prone to having issues with staining, etching, etc.. So you have to be aware, ask questions, and do your homework.  

Our Quartzite Countertops – Blanco Supiriore

This is the quartzite countertop that we ended up choosing.  I first spotted this color and style when I was helping a friend choose countertops for her kitchen.  We were still in the planning phases of our remodel, and not ready to make any big decisions, but that countertop stuck with me.  The countertop place that we worked with was amazing, and helped me source honed quartzite after I told them the slabs that I had seen and loved.  Ours are honed Blanco Supiriore, and they are spectacular.

By the stroke of luck vs. planning, we have no seams on our counters, and it’s glorious!  The island was actually supposed to be a little bigger, but we cut it down a bit to accommodate this beautiful slab.

The guy who came out to measure, was super knowledgeable and very meticulous.  He noted how the legs on this side of the island pushed out a bit from the rest of it, and we figured out a way to keep the same overhang with this curved detail.  

Really starting to take shape!

Cabinet Hardware Preview

And a peek at our cabinet hardware…  We opted for these Signature Hardware Strasbourg 8″ pulls on the larger drawers that we have, and the smaller 3 3/4″ pulls on the smaller drawers and pull outs.  In a happy accident, the larger pulls came with polished brass ends and were satin brass everywhere else.  I thought I had ordered satin brass, but really loved the polished and satin brass mix, and ended up going that route.  The knobs are Signature Hardware’s Osian Brushed Brass Knobs.

It’s funny, I originally spotted this style on an Everything But the House online auction.  Turns out the lot that was up for auction had more pulls than knobs than we needed, and wasn’t a good fit, but the style caught my eye.  I ordered some of the hardware online and ended up going with it.  A happy accident, because I probably could have spent the remainder of the summer searching for hardware at my usual pace.

So there you have it.  Lots of things coming together quickly now that the quartzite countertops are set.  Upper cabinets that sit on the counters, light fixtures going in, and appliances (refrigerator aside) go in next week!  Still need to agonize over a backsplash, which has been ridiculous, but the end is near!  I actually resubscribed to Cook’s Illustrated – I’m so excited and inspired to cook again in this new kitchen!

In case you’ve missed anything, check out my other kitchen remodel posts here:

Kitchen Remodel Plan and Inspiration
Kitchen Remodel Demo
Lighting Ideas
Going Custom with Kitchen Cabinets

Jenny