This is the kitchen and these are the exact cabinets I chose.

Buttermilk Caesarstone

Here is a link that might be useful: Buttermilk

Pay extra to buy another slab so you don't have to have a seam on the island if you don't want a seam there. That's why you have to have a seam there, not because the slabs are limited in size. It's just only so much square footage can be fabricated out of them. Or, go with the lower priced and have a seam there. It really shouldn't be a big deal if your fabricator is good. I assume you've seen the other seams that he's done? If not, then it's time to visit some past jobs.

Don't know about seams but maybe you could have a wood countertop for the island, they're pretty.

Hollysprings, I've already paid for all the material for the install, so no need to purchase another slab ..the island is larger than one slab allows because the slabs are 10x 4'7" This material has not been installed in any other of the homes. Most buyers chose granite or solid surface, so I can't see the seams.

I guess I should have asked, "Does anyone have a seam on their island and does it distract the eye?"

This is a brand new builder home, there isn't an option for wood. Which would look pretty there.

Thanks for your responses above!

This post was edited by caligal on Tue, May 14, 13 at 18:02

In looking at your layout, it appears your island is 60x75. I believe the Caesarstone is limited to a 55x120. Thus, if you choose this material, you will always have a seam. You are right, your design center person should have known this. However, you have a choice of where you want it. It could easily be down the other dimension. Since there is a slight pattern to the Buttermilk color, the fabricator will need to minimize any pattern clash that can make a seam standout. A more consistent color would make this task easier. If you can, go to the Caesarstone showroom and view a full slab.

I think there are a few quartz manufacturers with slabs available in a larger size. Silestone has a 3 cm that is 63" wide, for example, and Dupont Zodiaq is now available in the larger size. There may be other brands as well.

Granite slabs can be found that are wide enough, as well. I'm certain we can all chime in with suggestions if it comes to that.

I bought Buttermilk last year and wasn't happy with it. The samples show a nice circular pattern, but my slab had thumb-print sized white blotches all over it and very few circles. I'm sure there was a glitch in the production line, but they didn't consider it a defect. Fortunately, the installer messed up my countertop and had to replace it. We switched to Pentalquartz Botticino, which we ended up liking better.

The seams aren't very noticeable--they look like a long hair, for want of a better description. It depends on how talented your installer is though.

"Does anyone have a seam on their island and does it distract the eye?"

It depends on the "quality" of the seam.

• Is the seam material a good color match for the counter?

Are the edges on each slab at the seam clean/sharp and smooth?
Are the slabs the same thickness? This should be no problem b/c C-Stone is an engineered product and production quality controls should demand this.
Is the seam tight and very thin?
If the counter material has a pattern (regular or not), did the fabricators and installers do a good job at "matching" the two slabs? (Yours does not appear to have a visible pattern to worry about.)

If all the above are done properly, the seam should be almost invisible.

Regarding using a single slab - if you reduce the depth of your island, you should be able to use a single slab.

1.5" counter overhang + 24" cabinet + 12" cabinet + 1" door + 15" overhang = 53.5"
(15", btw, is the minimum overhang recommended for counter-height seating.)

This gives you full 24" deep cabinets in the front of the island plus 12" deep cabinets behind the island for seldom-used items.

Caesarstone slabs are 120 inches (3.10m) long x 56ý inches (1.44m) wide

By reducing your island depth to 53.5", you should be able to use just one slab - no seam!

Is that your main/cleanup sink in the island? I'm asking b/c it has very little landing or work space on the right - for me, that would not be acceptable, but perhaps you're OK with it...? IMO, I think you should have at least 24" on each side of a cleanup sink. If it's just a prep sink, then it's fine...ideally, I would aim for at least 9" to 12" on the non-working side of a prep sink, but if you can't fit it, then it will be fine.

Good luck!

Hi everyone, thank you for all your input and suggestions.

I am really limited to what I can do in my kitchen. It is a planned development with pre-planned kitchen. I can't move cabinets or sinks or extend or shorten the countertop. I can choose options and upgrades, but that's it.

Because my island is too big for one slab of C-stone I would have to use 2 slabs.

I just found out that Silestone has larger slabs (as gooster pointed out) and found an almost exact match - Tigris Sand.

Now waiting on word from my design consultant. If she says yes, I won't have any seams!!

Thanks again everyone!

Just an FYI-
We also did a build with limited selections for our prior home. I wasn't happy with any of the flooring choices, so they gave me a credit and I used my own flooring after we took possession. Also, I couldn't move cabinets either, but I did arrange to have some staggered, etc.
If you would really prefer wood, why not ask if they can just put a plywood counter down to pass inspection and give you a credit for the counter so you can have what you REALLY want. Their first answer was usually no, but I was persistent :)

Thanks meyersdvm, I am also doing that with my flooring and backsplash.

When it came to countertops, plywood wouldn't pass inspection as a finished product. The standard countertop option is solid surface and we didn't want to mess with taking that out.

I just found out that the Silestone slab is available, so now I won't have a seam! I'm so happy about that.

Time to start packing!

This post was edited by caligal on Wed, May 15, 13 at 14:01