Counter Samples

My sister keeps throwing words out there like, obsessing.  Over-thinking.  Crazy-kitchen-remodel lady.  Okay, maybe not that last one, but she thinks I'm taking my decision making to the next level.  I say, I'm trying to make the right decision, based on the choices I have.

So here's the thing, I love, love, love marble counters.  In fantasy world, I'd walk into a stone yard and pick out my slab.  This is the real world and our budget will include laminate counters.  Period, the end.  So I've been obsessively strategically searching online for photos of faux marble counters.  I'm not really liking the limited results I'm coming up with.  The products are fairly new, so there aren't a whole lot of examples of them in real life kitchens yet.

Just for the sake of getting you on the same page as the picture I have in my head, there are numerous examples of my dream kitchen on my Kitchen Pinterest Board.  I was going to put a few photos of them in this post, but apparently I'm an idiot.  I can't for the life of me figure out how to embed a Pinterest pin into a post since they've changed the format.  What am I doing wrong???!!!

Anywho, I ordered laminate samples from both Wilsonart and Formica.  The majority of them are marble look-alikes, but there are a couple other "stone" ones thrown in for good measure.

Your job is to vote on your favorite.  I keep going back to the same one, but I don't want to sway your decision, so I won't tell you which one it is.  There's another one that's a runner-up, but I think I'll order another sample of it, because the pictures of it installed that I've seen online look quite a bit different.

Okay, enough blabbing, here's the samples:

She's crying 'cause I wouldn't let her play with them while I took pictures.

I know, mean mommy. 

So these four are the marble ones (there are actually five marble ones total, but for whatever reason I forgot to put it up on the sill - or maybe Baby knocked it on the floor - you'll see it further down).

From left to right we have, Formica Bianca Luna, Wilsonart White Carrara, Wilsonart Calcutta Marble, and Formica Calacatta Marble.

Here's the Callacatta and Bianca Luna again with Travertine Silver in the middle.

Some of them have an etchings finish like this one, and others are smooth.

 

These are both the White Carrara, smooth matte finish.

Calcutta has a smooth shiny finish.

Roman Limestone has a textured finish that's both matte and shiny.

 

Carrara Santorini is also textured with the matte/shiny combo.

 This one is Flint Crystall in both a smooth matte finish and an etched shiny finish.

 

Here's another angle of all of them.

So whadya think?

Are ya diggin' the fake marble or should I just say no to faux?

Am I living up to my sister's accusations of obsessive, over-thinking, crazy-kitchen-remodel lady?