quartz is a man made product using natural stone and a resin material. No sealing and is stain proof. I have had my granite for 10 years. I have never had a staining issue and set hot pots down on it seldom, but it has never bothered it. I've sealed it maybe 2-3 times over 10 years. granite really doesn't stain. So, compared to quartz, they are very similar. It all comes down to what you like the best.

Dear Mr. Maverick, Hope you are doing great. Seeing at your post its very clear that you are a passionate person and taking your designing process seriously. Also you are accepting that you are not a designer yourself which is a good gesture against those clients who think themselves superior when it comes to design choices but knows nothing in real. I agree with above replies to share some information about your house starting with the floor plans as without these no one would be able to help you in any way. Also you need to understand that designing is a subjective and time consuming process and doesn't happen in an instant. If its just about getting ideas then you can find millions on google search. But being on Houzz platform is a great thing as its full of many talented professionals contributing to the solutions best way possible. I hereby offer my services and request you to go thru my profile and works and see if it interests you. I can show more interesting works if you insist. Let me know for further more as i am offering my services remotely as well including couple projects in Ireland. Best Regards, - Ar. Ravi Prakash Email- ar.ravi2013@gmail.com

Hi Rupal, Thanks for your suggestion. The layout is as attached. I cannot move the door which is opening into the balcony. The other door is the room entrance door. Unfortunately I cannot change any of the doors though I agree sliding would be nicer. Would would recommend in the current setup? Thanks

I have used both with good results. The main difference between Quartz and Granite are 1) price, 2) colour range. Granite generally works out cheaper, because you can buy the exact quantity you require. Quartz comes in large slabs of specific sizes- standard size being roughly 10'-0" x 4'6", so there tends to be more wastage if you don't plan the cutting well. But Quartz is pretty and comes in a wide range of colours and can be re-buffed at a later date. Quartz also comes in various thicknesses- the most commonly used being .75" to about 1.25". And especially when you use dark wood cabinets in a kitchen or bathroom, beige and white counter tops work very well. Some people go even with coloured counter tops like blue, orange, yellow. Natural stone in light colours tend to be porous and stain easily, so I prefer to go with pure black which is safe.