Do I really need to spend a fortune on quartz or is granite good enough?
I've been driving myself crazy trying to decide between quartz and granite countertops for my kitchen remodel, and I feel like every time I think I've made up my mind, I read something that makes me second-guess myself. I love the look of quartz and the fact that it's non-porous and doesn't need sealing, but it's definitely pricier and I'm trying to be mindful of my budget. Granite is more affordable and has that natural beauty that's hard to replicate, but I worry about the maintenance and the fact that it can stain if you're not careful about sealing it regularly. I'm also planning to replace my cabinets at the same time, so I need to think about how the countertop material will look with the cabinet color and style I choose. I'm leaning toward a lighter color scheme to make the kitchen feel more open and airy, but I'm not sure if that works better with quartz or granite. I've been looking at showrooms and saving photos of kitchens I like, trying to get a feel for what would work in my space. I've also been reading about companies that specialize in San Mateo countertop and cabinet remodels to see what options are available and get a sense of pricing. I'm hoping to find someone who can help me navigate all these choices and give me honest advice about what would work best for my lifestyle and budget. For those of you who've been through this decision, what did you end up choosing and are you happy with your choice? Any regrets or things you wish you'd known before you made your decision? I'd really appreciate some real-world input because I feel stuck in analysis paralysis at this point.