That does have a sort of quiet elegance, doesn't it? I am having the same toss- up with Silestone. There is something reassuring and easy to know that it will be what you chose, and not having to worry about the slab being right, etc.

I think that is pretty.

Believe it or not, it's still early days for Torquay installation. I really, really wanted to get a look at the real thing last summer when our plans were getting serious. Our previous kitchen had a white laminate counter that was 40 years old and still looked great; I could easily have done another basically white counter. I love the look of marble, but didn't feel it would be the workhorse I needed in this small space. Torquay looked very tempting. Do you have any idea how hard it was to look at a sample? Cambria isn't as easily accessible as some of the other quartz products. First I had to locate dealers, they didn't know anything about Torquay or when they might have some, they didn't seem very interested in the job, etc. etc. I couldn't even get the remotest hint on cost. Pfft! The cabinets were ordered, the sink and faucet were purchased, the old kitchen cleared and ready for work, and Torquay was still a big mystery. We did the only reasonable thing and went another direction. If this was our story in Sept., I suspect others ready to do the deed in the fall may have had similar experiences. So, as I say, still early days. Hopefully people ready to start their jobs from late Oct. on actually could see, price, and order that product. Maybe they've done so and we'll begin seeing finished kitchens with Torquay. We did have that one photo of a kitchen with installed Torquay a little bit ago, but I think it wasn't actually one of our GW kitchens, and I don't think the photo did it justice. Time will tell.

Plllog- LOL!

plllog--you are a hoot!

How wonderful would that look with cabs painted the same taupey colour as the veins running through it. Makes me want to redo my kitchen.

Not to interrupt today's episode of The View or anything ;-), but:

I saw a whole pile of large Cambria samples at a home show recently, and I was impressed. This whole industry was invented by the Italians--all the Israeli and American and Canadian quartz companies use the same Italian machinery and processes. Apparently it's been a physical impossibility until recently to produce more irregular patterns but the Italians (inventors of marble in kitchens) have been very hard at work. After looking at foot-square samples, I can say that they look very nice indeed. I don't think they can quite mimic marble yet, but still some of the patterns were quite good.

Suzannesl, I remember reading a number of threads about the frustrations you encountered, and I'm sure that had a lot to do with people abandoning Torquay for something else. I also remember those posted pictures that were so disappointing!

plllog, you are too funny. No, I don't want vanilla counters. My dad eats lots and lots of vanilla ice cream (he can tell you the location of every Dairy Queen east of the Mississippi) and he has plain white Formica countertops with a matte finish that are impossible to clean. I'm more a chocolate/peanut butter girl, so I want a countertop with swirls.

Marcolo, I'm glad the hard-working Italians were kind enough to invent fake stones so we could go crazy wondering if we want them or not.

If I did go with Torquay (or something like it) it wouldn't be because I think it does a great job of mimicking marble. I'd get it because I like if for the same reason I like marble - gotta have those veins!

Okay, at least you know why you don't want it no matter how lovely and perfect it is. Why don't you send your sample to Suzannes?

Does anyone know approximate pricing on Torquay? I am shocked at what I've seen with pricing on Corian Rain Cloud and want to explore my vanilla options.

I like vanilla, but I'm going to put it over "pistachio" [green cabinets] for a little different flavor.

Remember that there's a big difference in the ones we mary vs. the ones we date. Torquay will last "forever".

1929Spanish, I remember those green cabinets. I wonder if the Torquay would be a little too cold for them. Around here the price is about $70/sq ft and most edge profiles are included in that price. Caesarstone might have some good options for you. Although I'm not really a fan of specks in my countertop, I really like Caesarstone Nougat, and buttermilk and linen are very nice and quiet.

I won't get anything too wild - we're just not into a lot of pattern - so I don't know if Torquay would be too bland for me or not. Right now I'm looking at it across the room about 6 feet away and I can see the subtle pattern just fine.

1929 Spanish, we have green cabinets not far from a pistachio color, and Torquay would have been way too cold. We ended up with Caesarstone Champagne Limestone-- it turned out that colors in the sandy brown family worked much better than the whites or off-whites as a combination with the green. The combination looks very soft and organic.

@sas95...thanks for the tip. I'm in love with the Dynasty Omega Pesto, but haven't seen it in person. I also haven't seen Torquay in person. We should be meeting with the kitchen designer in a few weeks so it will start to come together and I will start asking a lot of questions!

We are using torquay in our new kitchen! With white cabinets and a warm hardwood floor (going for a very neutral base in the whole house). I will be sure to post pictures when it's done (sometime in late February). We had formica in our first kitchen, corian in our second, granite in our third, and now we will try a solid surface. :) I love the sample and we have put it through the ringer - including our two year-old with a marker!

Woops, meant try another solid surface!

I have a sample of it and to be honest I was a bit disappointed with the look. To me it seems a bit fake looking. Perhaps it was just too contemporary looking with what I wanted with a soft honed marble. I don't like the shine factor. Here are some photos I took of my sample next to Imperial Danby Marble, Corian Rain Cloud, and Corian Witch Hazel.

I posted about it awhile back and most felt the Torquay didn't look as nice as the other options and look like it was trying to be something else? Of course, I'm sure many love it. Just a few opinions. Plus, I was looking for an alternate to the Danby marble.

Here is a link that might be useful: CORIAN/TORQUAY/Danby

mpagmom- Can you really wipe a Sharpie off of the Torquay?? That's great!

I wonder how Corian stands up to something like that?

We tried sharpie and it did wipe off for the most part but there's still a bit of a shadow where it was...

2LittleFishies - I think you can get it honed to eliminate the shine? I read that somewhere...

You're right, 2LittleFishies, the Torquay doesn't look as much like the Danby (which I love), especially if you are comparing it to honed danby. If you look at it on it's own for what it is, it's a little better.

I was wrong when I said it came off with a damp cloth. My daughter wrote her name with a Sharpie and I had to bring out the Magic Eraser to get it off. But it did come off completely! I'll try it again and take some pictures of it.

The linked kitchen has Zodiac Bianco Carrara..... They posted more recent photos of their kitchen in November, I think.. (there were 6+- posts about kitchen details)... I know it's not what you asked for, but I thought it was interesting looking at their "slab" and its veining...

Here is a link that might be useful: http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/2011/03/countertops.html

Midwest/Ohio Area (Pricing Installed)

Cambria $75 to $85 per SF
Caesarstone Misty Carrera $73 to $80
Corian Private Collection (Raincloud) $63 to $69
Real Carrara White Marble $63 to $69

Does not include labor charges (ie sink cutouts, delivery)...add approx. $300 to $500 for extras.

Charmer - I really wish your countertops were in and you could post pics here. It sounds like our searches and kitchen decisions are very similar - white cabinets, dark wood flooring, and marble-looking countertops. Only I cannot make up my mind! I thought I had settled on Okite Bianco Statuario, but now that I've seen Torquay, I'm leaning toward it. Of course, a little part of me still thinks I should go with real marble, but all of my "advisors" say NO. (I'm not a great one for maintenance.)

I installed Corian Rain Cloud after looking at a variety of marble look a likes. I love marble, but it can be hard to maintain and I have a sloped kitchen in an old house...would stress the stone. I LOVE THE CORIAN! I think I like it even better than marble now. I had it honed (non shine) as that what the installers said they are doing with all the marble on direction from the designers. You can see pics of my counters here: http://gildedmint.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-to-update-your-kitchenwithout.html

Also, call around...don't go to Lowes or Home Depot. I went with a surfacing company and it was around $55 installed.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rain Cloud Kitchen Photos