Yes getting a countertop for the island was such a long and draining process it requires 2 parts, and the use of quest in the title. The house was really coming together with the wood floors finished, but it was such a bummer to walk in and see no countertop on the island. Remember the Carrara marble was way too gray, so we had to find another white with gray marbling option for the island. It was kinda like a slap in the face every visit to the house (which by the way happens at least once a day). The prospect of getting what we wanted for the island was bleak especially since we were told there were no Calcutta slabs long enough for our island at ANY slab yard in the DFW area.
We decided to look into Quartzite countertops. Quartzite is different from Quartz which is much better explained in this link than I could attempt. I called our fabricator to ask for his distributor. I sent him pictures of which Quartzite we wanted to look at, so he would make sure they had it before we headed out with 2 kids. He called a place in Dallas and said they had Super White but not Luce di Luna. However he mentioned that sometimes the names change, so they might have that option too.
We headed out to Dallas which is about an 1 and a half drive from where we live with both kids. We got there, and the place didn’t sell Quartzite at all. Only Quartz which super white was just a plain white counter. I may or may not have punched a piece of Quartz so hard it broke in half. (That didn’t happen. I thought I’d add it for dramatic effect as if this story needs more drama.)
There was a stone place next door, so we went there because why the heck not we just drove over an hour for nothing. We walked in and what did we see first thing…a slab of Calcutta marble long enough to cover the island. This picture does not do this slab justice. It was gorgeous even in the disgusting light of a warehouse.
I called our fabricator and griped about the Quartz place. He did try to argue that there was no difference between Quartz and Quartzite. I did not send him a link to their differences, but I did think about it. At this point I was frustrated and also feeling like a huge brat for being frustrated. (Definitely feeling the glaring shamefulness of first world problems.) I told him to call the place next door and get this Calcutta slab.
Unfortunately, he had never worked with that slab yard, so he came back with an insanely expensive price. Totally worth the beauty of that Calcutta marble, but absolutely out of budget and not going to happen. However he suddenly found a slab that might work at the original warehouse we got our Absolute Black.
Are you still reading? Someone get you a medal. So we got to the other slab yard (no. 3 for the day) which was another hour drive and doesn’t allow children. We had to take shifts watching the kids. Guess what we found? Some quartzite. We figured might as well explore this option while we’re here since we thought it might be cheaper. Mainly it is more durable than marble which is a huge concern for an island in a home with 2 kids.
This is Sea Pearl Quartzite. The price was about the same as the Calcutta was going to be (possibly a little more since we needed 2 slabs). The Calcutta slab that was the right size wasn’t at this slab yard…it was at the one in Dallas!! Nick was ready to just get the Sea Pearl since we’d seen it, and this whole process took us literally the entire day 9-5. I wasn’t sold on it, but once I relented (mainly due to exhaustion) he checked it out again and decided I was, in fact, right there was too much green in it. We left for our 45 min drive home knowing that we’d have to go to Dallas the next morning to look at a Calcutta slab since we already learned our lesson about buying a slab before looking at it.
Loaded up the kids the next morning for day 2 of countertop shopping. Nothing says family time like a trip to a marble yard that doesn’t allow kids. Again this slab was prettier than it’s pictured. There was more movement and more brown to it than we wanted. I know you can’t really see the brown, but it was there.
We said get it. End the torture now. It is a 2 cm Calcutta Danby. Finally we could tell the fabricator get this one. After my many hours at the warehouse the day before, I learned a lot about edges and all things countertops. I told our guy we wanted a mitered edge on this countertop. End of story…oh wait no there’s a 2nd part. More drama and a beautiful reveal tomorrow.
HALLELUJAH! patience pays off!
but it’s not over… stay tuned 😉
I’m exhausted just reading about it. And what kind of warehouse doesn’t want small children frolicking amongst the incredibly heavy slabs of stone?! what fun is that?! can’t wait for part 2 and the big reveal!
I know what could possibly go wrong with children in a warehouse. I was more upset they wouldn’t let me take Beckett in the ergo. I mean what could a 2 month old possibly do. You know how exhausting outings with children are, but then add in this mess. Ugh. In retrospect totally worth it, but also completely unnecessary.
Oh no it’s not over? I love the slab though and can’t wait for the reveal!
My sentiments exactly.
Aaaaaaarrrrhhhhhhhhhh. Shoot me now!! Then what happened
Staying tuned 
Upside I’m not making anyone wait weeks for this!
Oh, the suspense!! Do I get my marble medal before or after Part 2? 😉
Technically both since it’s in the mail but won’t get to you until Part 2.
Any chance I could pay you some cash under the table and get more kitchen pics AND the story reveal TODAY…;)
How much we talking? 😉
Oh no, I think my comment got gobbled up.
I would have metaphorically punched the slab out of frustration too.
BUT – I’m really excited to see the reveal. Your kitchen is beautiful!
Well that would be a first because our spam filter has been terrible lately!!
Thank you Kenz! I’m glad I have a partner who will get metaphorically psycho with me!
This post brings back horrible memories of shopping for the counters for our house. I can’t even remember how many trips we made to different slab yards in Tucson before driving up to Phoenix. We spent 4+ hours walking around one yard trying to find a two similar book matched granite slabs that would work and I may or may not have broken down in tears. Not my proudest moment haha We finally found a set but then I had to make several trips to the shop that was cutting the granite to tell them the parts I wanted/didn’t want them to use. They still used one of the parts I didn’t want and it’s smack dab in the middle of our bar top
I really hope your countertop quest ends better than mine did but I sense it might not!
Isn’t the entire countertop process insane?!?! Surely it’s because we are both very picky about what comes in our homes. Or maybe this is how it is for everyone! Completely exhausting and you can’t leave anything up to chance with it. That’s smart that you went to the shop and gave them direction. I sent several pictures and explained which part of the slab should go which direction. I felt like I was micromanaging but in the end I’m the one who has to live with it. I care more than them, so I guess it makes sense why I have to be the control freak!
Man. Note to self. Building is about 1000x harder than I ever thought. Hope it all ends well!
Ugh I know. Everyone says it’s awful which it isn’t really, but it’s so time consuming and exhausting. It just dominates and looms over your entire life throughout the whole process especially once you start getting towards the end which for us has been several months now. Ha!
Did you cry?!?! I would’ve cried.
I most definitely cried several times during this build. Sometimes lots of rolling tears and other just very misty eyes.
Goooooorgeous. And I don’t think there is any better family quality time than looking at slabs of gorgeous.
Haha you need to tell Nick that. He was such a grump which is very much not like him at all!
This story is funny. Only because Nate and I went to the granite shop (or whatever such places are called. I don’t pay attention to details). We picked out our granite in 20 minutes. The end. But if I was to pick out granite now….totally a 2 part post. Probably 3. Just blame the blog and your incredible taste.
Haha oh is that who’s responsible!! Well darn it at least it has a happy end!
Pingback: Our Kitchen | Wills CasaWills Casa