Hi Carmel, I'm not a architect and I do value everyone's professional opinion, but can't help thinking that perhaps you and your husband are both right. The breakfast table would look great in a natural stone, it is the where you eat, have tea or wine on, maybe a small project, entertain or have a fork fight on. Choose a granite or marble that's going to tie in with the splash back and your lovely timber floors and go with a wow factor like a stand out vein or run of colour in it. Makes it interesting. As for the rest a dark or even black solid surface or laminate is ideal. I find them soft and touchable, easy to maintain, a pleasure to work on and it adds the extra modern elements that's missing from this lovely galley style kitchen. Corian is another brand of solid surface but a textured dark laminate from A reputable laminate supplier should do it too. Make this room an energy that you want to be in not just look great. Kind regards Marina.

Thank you for some concrete information. Those samples could actually be different batches of the one colour. The flecks and shading are almost identical. Is the new version the low silica option following legislative changes? If so, you’ve been caught up in a change that was beyond the Manufacturers and your control. It would also explain the same name being used, something typically not done because it causes problems. PS you assumed I’m a guy. I’m not but I do have 25+ years of dealing with contracts, vendors and projects. Half my life is spent trying to get suppliers to do things they may not want to do, and it all comes back to the paperwork particularly the disclaimers and exclusions. I can’t see any resolution for you.

There is Quantum Quartz 'Cloudy Bay' which is a lovely stone similar to Caesarstone 'Oyster' and doesn't show too much up as it has markings in it already. Also you could consider Caesarstone 'Clamshell' which has a small amount of white & darker greys through it. Hope that helps.

thank you for your advise. I have put images of the outside of the house as that where the dining room is from there we will be bringing the decking out 3 metres which will create an out - indoor eating. this is the most finished room giving you an idea of the colour and house. all blue grey tones. sorry about stuff around but a reno house is hard to find spaces below is kitchen as is looking out to the dining through that open servery but we are taking most of that wall out to make an open space - its very small step down below into the dining through the left door way. below is the now dining. the table is very small and hard to pull chairs in and out of hence the indoor out door considerations. belwo is the outdoor looking in. from those doors we are putting a 3 metre decking i think. we have a lot of yard so its easy to do