Hi Pineapplerose, I think there may be a few layers to your dilemma. The first is about fashion and taste (as it should be!!) Mid brown or lighter colours will provide a more contemporary look but you'd be best to surround it with fittings and finishes that with a modern shout out. That is, you can stylise the bench top further with your selections. The second is to look at composite stone products which will give you far more choice - usually with a lower price. Note: 'Granite-look' composite stone benchtops are a premium product but well worth the spend. An important question to ask about composite stone benchtops is the % of resign used as this will indicate how stain resistant it will be. (Note: the only products that are 100% stain resistant are glass or stainless steel) If you'd like some kitchen design inspiration, see: 101 Kitchen and Bathroom Design Ideas Good luck: Richard@themakeovergroup (Melbourne)

All stone in the home is a sign of quality. Stone surfaces are very "forgiving" and best of all, can be restored, polished or repaired. Consider the durability of natural and engineered stone in the home. The Marble Man specialise in stone polishing, repairs and sealing. www.themarbleman.com.au 1300 627 626 will always recommend stone!

Maybe anyone with an attachment on their drill? I don't know, bumping this.

Hi Janet, there's a trend towards thinner benchtops. We've gone from 40mm as standard to 20mm and sometimes even 12mm. The thickness you use should be determined by what the benchtop will be used for. For example, if the benchtop will overhang for use as a breakfast bar where you'll be eating and placing elbows or weight on it, the thickness should be able to cope with that. Most reconstituted benchtops like Caesarstone and Silestone will cope with a 20mm benchtop because it has a thick MDF or similar substrate underneath it to support it. Remember that the actual stone is never 20 or 40mm thick it's usually 12mm thick with a front face or apron making up the sides to make it look 20mm or 40mm. There are other products like Dekton's new range that are only 12mm thick that don't require any support and can overhang at only 12mm thick. Often, we will do a thicker, say 40mm thick benchtop for the breakfast bar benchtop section and a thinner 20mm or 12mm for the rest of the kitchen - and that will depend on how contemporary you would like your kitchen to feel. If you want it to feel edgy and modern, go 12mm, if you're more of a traditional or classic gal, stick with 20 or 40mm. Hope that helps! Yelda xo :)