Why We Redid a Kitchen We Already Liked (Part 1: How We Chose the Stone)
We didn't hate our kitchen. That's what made this decision harder.
It worked. It just never felt like ours. Over the next several weeks, I'm documenting the whole countertop process with Precision Granite & Marble, from picking the stone to what I'll need to do after install. This is the first post: why we decided to redo a kitchen we already liked, and every decision that led us to our stone.
"Full disclosure: I also help with PGMSA's marketing, which is how I know the process from both sides. This is my own kitchen."
Why we redid it
Our kitchen sits the farthest from the windows in both the living room and the dining room, so it never gets much natural light. The old backsplash made that worse. It had a heavy feel that soaked up what little light we had. The countertops weren't doing any favors either. They were basic builder grade, with no real depth or definition, and nothing about them said anything about our home.
Our house leans mid-century modern and organic, with a lot of greens and tans. We wanted a kitchen that matched that and felt custom to us, and we wanted it brighter. So we decided to pair new stone with a lighter backsplash and hardwired under-cabinet lighting.
How we actually use the kitchen
This is the part that drove the design. We cook constantly, we entertain, and the island doubles as a workstation. I bake a lot. So we looked at the layout and fixed what was annoying us:
More seating room at the island. On the far side of the island, guests' knees were hitting the cabinets where we keep extra dishes, and the cabinet fronts kept getting dinged up. We extended the overhang so people have real space for their knees and feet.
More prep space by the sink. We extended the countertop to the right of the sink by about 5 to 6 inches. That extra stretch is now prep space and doubles as a dish-drying area.
A better sink setup. We upgraded to a sink with a drying rack and workstation accessories.
If you're picking countertops, start with your habits, not the sample board. Walk through a normal week in your kitchen and note where you get in your own way.
Why quartz instead of natural stone
I love natural stone. It's gorgeous. But we looked honestly at our daily life: coffee, wine, friends over, and an island that's always in use. I wanted something I could put through the wringer without worrying about stains or extra upkeep. Some weeks are just busy, and I don't want to think about my countertops.
Quartz is engineered, durable, and doesn't stain easily, so it was the right fit for how we live. (It's low maintenance, not indestructible. Trivets under hot pans are still a good idea.)
Our choices
Stone: Calacatta Viraldi quartz . It's a quartz in warm gold and green with soft gray-blue and white. It has a directional pattern with green speckles that really pick up the light, which is exactly what we needed in the darkest part of the house.
Edge: An eased edge, with just slightly rounded corners for a clean, modern feel.
Backsplash: Full height, which adds drama behind the range and under the hood and keeps the whole wall clean and bright.
Lighting: Hardwired under-cabinet lighting, installed a few weeks after the countertops.
Budget: About $8,000 to $10,000 for the whole project.
Working with PGMSA on the design
Once I knew the stone, I went into Precision Granite & Marble. They helped me build out a design and budget and make sure the stone suited our style. They're the ones who recommended the full-height backsplash to brighten the kitchen, and they took my concerns about extra prep and cooking space seriously and built them into the plan.
The timeline
From here, we're looking at roughly 4 to 5 weeks start to finish. The stone has to be ordered, and templating (the exact measuring visit) happens the week before fabrication and install. I wanted this done before Thanksgiving, since we have family coming into town and we're rotating through everyone's houses for a night that week to share the load. A big island where everyone can gather around a charcuterie board, with the dining room table free for games, is the whole point.
If you're hoping to have new counters in before the holidays, the clock matters. Stone lead times and a filling production calendar are real, so book early. We cover this in more detail in our holiday timeline post: Want new countertops before the holiday?
Next up
In post 2, I'll walk through what happens after you pick your stone: the measuring, the quote, the deposit, and prepping.
Thinking about your own kitchen? Precision Granite & Marble is a Cambria Premier Partner serving Bluffton, Hilton Head, Sun City, and Okatie. Walk-ins are welcome at 11 Parmenter Rd, Bluffton, or call (843) 247-1935 to book a free design consultation.
