I have been researching all of the same options as you have, trying to avoid marble with no luck.

As far as the Ceasarstone Mystic Carrara, I would suggest you find a showroom that has it on display with white cabinets. You can do this by going to the Ceasarstone website and looking under showrooms. It will tell you what each showroom has on display. When I saw the misty with white cabinets it looks very very grey. You may be ok with this, but for me it just looked so different than I expected.

I have not seen the laminate choice but will take a look a it.

I found on GW a "White Dream Quartzite" that is very quite with no spectals. It appears to come in a few different colors but if you do a web search you can find it.

On a different note, do you know who makes the backsplash in your inspiration pic? I have the same page torn out but with no info.

It's Ann Sacks - I have the pic as well.

Tinker, if you go to see any more of these 'faux marbles' could you please let me know your thoughts? Since we have the same inspiration I'm eager to see what you think. I can tell I like your taste already. :-)

chaimama....my designer found the backsplash tile. I'll ask her who makes it.
I do need to look at a slab of the misty...I am worried about it being too gray too. But I might be ok with gray. I'd rather have something not busy then a white busy granite.

As I've said before marble is NOT an option...no way, no how.

I've seen a couple of people talk about White America and Palisades White quartzite or granite. I really don't know what the difference is. But I CAN NOT find either of these colors on the internet anywhere! I live in the Nashville, TN area and will visit a granite yard next week. I just wish I had a picture to show my designer or so she could try to track it down. Anyone have any more info on those????

Last year when, out of kindness to my husband (he was afraid of my reaction if he "hurt" my dream white marble countertop), I was searching for a white marble look-alike I investigated the white quartzites. I'm in Colorado and HOLY COW were they expensive! Granted, I ended up with an exorbitantly expensive marble but the quartzites were even more than that.

But that's in CO -- prices may be (and hopefully are) v. different wherever you are. I still want to add my two cents that we've been living with marble countertops / backsplash for four+ months and so far, so good! They're surprisingly easy and hide a multitude of sins. (I have a messy husband who is the primary cook and a four year-old and two year-old who like to "help" bake [which we do almost daily], so our countertop has had the opportunity to be fully tested! And oh yeah, we make a lot of homemade lemonade, so it really does get [and pass] the acid test.)

Based on your beautiful inspiration picture, in which I think the countertop has a v. grey tone, I still think the Mystic could be terrific in your kitchen.

That Pionite laminate looks great (looked at it myself to use in case we couldn't find the right marble for our kitchen in time), but it is, at the end of the day, laminate. If you live in a neighborhood where the expectation is for granite, then it doesn't matter how gorgeous your laminate is it just won't cut it. People are superficial (myself included -- it takes a lot of eye liner and mascara to get my eyes looking this pretty!), and they get that goofy misty-eyed face when they hear "stainless appliances / granite countertop." It doesn't matter to them if those pieces are in a crap ugly kitchen -- they'd rather have those bragging rights than a beautifully designed kitchen with equally beautiful laminate. Go figure.

I'm also starting on a dream white kitchen. I am leaning towards honed costa esmerelda granite for the countertop but also love marble and soapstone (husband has some reservations on those).

Anyway, I have also looked at a white granite called Aspen White. I know the names vary from place to place. I think it has a marble look to it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Aspen White granite

rmkitchen, I'm to the point that I almost would do the marble but for some reason my builder said absolutely NO marble in the kitchen! (remember this is a VERY controlled neighborhood) Its an amazing neighborhood but the building process is very odd, out of my hands in alot of ways.. But the fact that you think the mystic might be a good choice encourages me....you know I love your "eye for design"!

choux...thanks for the aspen white granite suggestion. I'll ask for that when I go look at granite next week. I hope something really stands out!

I have posted about a Corian countertop that was marble looking. I thought it was wonderful. I think I figured out the name was White Cloud. Let me see if I have a picture.

here are two pictures of the Corian. Not totally sure the color was white cloud. That is off the top of my head!

It's Rain Cloud. Here's another pic. In this photo it's the floor inset around the tub:

Here is a link that might be useful: marble-like corian

I just posted on the other white countertop thread. What about Luce di Luna Quartzite. It is so beautiful and does very well for stains. I have friends that have it and love it. I'm trying to get my hands on some for my kitchen.

Here is a link that might be useful: Luce di Luna