I just had a number of threads open in my browser about this very question before Safari quit responding and I had to force quit. I'll see if I can pull them back up. The almost unanimous consensus was that AB honed was very difficult to keep looking clean. Some of the lighter grays and/or a different finish were easier. I was all set to go with one of the engineered stones, same dark look, but then saw boxerpups's granite which looked, IMO, as much like soapstone as a granite can, from the pictures.

On the brink of ordering, I stopped looking at quartz. I decided I wouldn't be as happy with it as a 100% stone, but many who have it love it. There are many threads that go back and forth about which is better for a variety of reasons. The dealers will tell you quartz is lower maintenance, but I learned from here that there are plenty of granites that are just as easy, if not easier, to maintain. The cost comparison also varies; some quartz will be more, some granites will be more. It depends on what you choose.

In my search, some of the others that were mentioned were Nordic Black, Cambrian Black, Jet or Virginia Mist (more medium gray than black), Impala Black, Labrador Black, Blue in the Night, Blue Polare, and Pietra Cardosa (not a granite). There may be others, but those were the ones I encountered. My fabricator also found Andes Black for us to look at.

Some other finishes to look at are antiqued and leathered.

Yesterday, thanks to GW member jrueter, I discovered Marron Cohiba in leathered. We found a supply very near us which I think is going to be ours. It has brown undertones though overall does not read brown but gray, to my eyes (jrueter agrees). I only saw it under the warehouse lights and a spotlight, but I will go back on Monday for them to will lift it up in front of an open bay door so I can see it in the natural light. It has incredible variation and character. It would be more visually interesting (i.e., variable, not speaking of attraction) than most of the others I listed, so if you are not looking for the counters to stand out, it's probably not for you. But I couldn't see a single streak or mark wherever I put my hands. As jrueter said, it looks more uniform from a distance but as you get closer you see the variation.

Marron Cohiba, at Marva Marble Raleigh location (dealer for East Coast, mid-Atlantic region)

These two are at Avanti, another East Coast dealer
Andes Black antiqued

Impala Black honed

The dark streaks on the last two are where the guy licked his finger and rubbed it across the stone to show me how it fades (or not). I was amused that he felt free to do this in front of a customer, but I assume that when they finalize the finish on it, it is clean.

HTH!

Copy and paste this into google search and read those threads and see if you need more information after that.

honed black granite site:ths.gardenweb.com

I've had honed absolute black in for about 2 weeks. I initially paniced because it was showing every smudge from fingers and cooking oils. On advice received here, I bought Method granite cleaner and it's made a big difference. The smudges don't show after several applications. I can see that my granite is more work than some of the busier, polished surfaced friends and relatives have, but I really wanted a matte, simple finish, so for me the extra work is worth it.

asw

I knew looking for granite I wanted a honed surface - after many tests this one -
Close up "Victoria Classico"

It is similiar Verde Peacock

Bullet proof! It was the only one that stood the tests that we performed -
oils, mustards, wines, ketchup, lemon juice over night - even knives

Installed

It has been installed for 4 yrs & virtually looks the same!

Best to you

Boxerpups, seeing your granite is bittersweet. We haven't committed yet but are on the brink of going with the Marron Cohiba/Antique Brown because the available slabs of VM wouldn't be able to be installed until Apr. 14. That's way too long! We've already had cab;nets in for over two weeks and it will be another 7-10 days until install with the slab that's readily available. It will be wonderful and DH is excited about it, but my first "love" is your honed VM. Sigh.

OK, I'm ready to move on. (Oh, we still have b@throoms to do later. Maybe....)

jsweenc... just an observation/opinion here but if I LOVED a granite, one way over the other and the difference was just two weeks... I'd throw some plywood down where necessary and wait for what I loved. In the long terms of living in your kitchen, two weeks is absolutely nothing. Especially, when considering getting what you love most.

Remodelfl,

We id that! We threw plywood down for four or more weeks.
It became my huband's joke that if I could not find the
slabs I wanted he was going to keep the plywood.
I felt pressured even with the plywood to find the
right slab but at least we could use the kitchen.

jsweenc,
Get what you love and if you love the brown go for it.
~boxer

jsweenc,

I know you have gone back and forth on this decision, and it sounds like you do love them both, just maybe one more than the other. Somewhere else, on another thread (lighting decisions, maybe, I wish I could remember...) some wise person suggested doing a coin toss to pick between A and B - not so much to actually make the decision, but to gauge your immediate reaction to the result. If your immediate reaction to A is yippee! - you know A is your winner. If your immediate reaction to A is closer to disappointment, maybe you really like the B better.

I do think 2 weeks overall isn't so bad to get what you love, but then I am not living there...

J

as jsweenc mentioned, I had considered honed, but got scared by some comments saying smudges and fingerprints were as difficult on honed (usually very dark stone like AB) as on polished. When I saw a leather finish I fell in love. I literally found it while researching in the slab yard for ideas, prices, etc. and reserved the slabs before I had hired my GC. My marron cohiba leather finish was installed yesterday and it is wonderful. It feels soft and velvety and doesn't show a fingerprint (I am a bit OCD and would obsess over every smudge and crumb on a polished surface - I know, I see them at my friends houses) Plus the different facets of crystalline material is fascinating to me.

Sorry I didn't give you info on the honed, but HTH anyway

J

Here is a link that might be useful: in progress pics with granite installed

remodelfla, I so appreciate that input. Last week I would have been ready to do just that. The VM was truly the first one I was excited about. I would even have taken it sight unseen (with some trepidation.) But this week I really do have two that I love. It's not a settling for 2nd choice, it's a choice of having to let go of a really strong first and loving almost as much a new first. The difference in the two for me (I wrestled with this over the weekend so I know this is where I am) is not strong enough to drive 4 hrs to go see the slabs before I commit to them (which I have to do in order for them to hone them) and wait that long to have them installed. We've had cab;inets in for two weeks and are ready for water in the k;tchen again (besides the fr;dge). For that much effort and having one readily availble, the minute difference is equalized.

Plus I just saw another member's newly installed leather MC, and it looks incredible. I hope she will post pictures sometime today or tonight so I will say no more, but I have the inspiration I need.

But I have totally hijacked this thread and still don't know if the OP has what s/he needs. Any thoughts, aswierk?

Sorry for the crossing of posts. As I was working on my response to remodelfla, jrueter posted and unveiled herself! So glad. Hers is the one I was referring to. It's just beautiful to me and very much the look I want. (I also love the mitered edge and the veins!) I still love the VM, but I think the MC will be right for our k;tchen, especially since DH loves it too.

I'll just offer another vote for honed Jet Mist. It is soft and lovely. It does need a bit more tender loving care or else you can get streaks, but I don't mind. Here are some pictures of mine (I'm like Boxerpups: can't resist showing off).

I don't have it yet, but I have all but committed to Antiqued Jet Mist. I drooled all over my monitor seeing boxerpups and jeanteach's counters. Lucky for me I found a local fabricator who has it in stock. And DH loves it as much as I do.

bump

I know this is an old thread, but it and others like it has helped me make up my mind. I am after a contemporary (possibly a little transitional) look, so I'm going with white shaker-like cabs, large white subway glass tiles backsplash, trying to eliminate upper cabinets at least on one wall and I want a charcoal grey matte countertop. At this point I have almost decided leathered Virginia Jet Mist, possibly with a dark grey enhancer. Perhaps I'll go for an all-grey granite though, since I normally dislike big movement-granite. Argh, choices - feel free to give advice!

But anyway! The real reason I'm posting is to give some feedback on the leathered black granite I had in a house where I used to live, but is now rented out. If you're not a landlord but are planning on being one I have some free advice for you: Do not put anything finicky, anywhere!!! Get stuff with proved track records and that does not need tenant-input because it doesn't matter how nice your tenants are, there will be things they neglect to do - guaranteed :)

I have polished impala black on my kitchen countertops (including pics because why not), and leathered black granite on a bar top in a rec room, and in the master bath. My tenant (who is a kitchen designed/installer) told me it's absolute black, but in reading some threads I saw Cambrian black and that definitely struck a chord in my memory banks - they are very similar in any case.) I did the countertops (all of them) almost 10 years ago, never sealed any of them, and they are all still perfect. I definitely do not have a problem with fingermarks anywhere. The house has been rented out for 7 years, so these choices are tenant-proof and landlord-recommended.

Good luck!

Countertop with cute cat

Bar countertop

There are some more pictures of the kitchen here: http://imageevent.com/vanderryst/22133pebblebrookln2/mainfloor and of the bathroom here: http://imageevent.com/vanderryst/22133pebblebrookln2/firstfloor