Thanks Pragati, it looked to me like some sort of high polished quartz stone and if this was the case there would be a way to hide these joints by filling them with an appropriate material and polish them thereafter. So I guess, the framing-idea with the LED-Strips which pollyannagal mentioned would be a good option. You could also tape some sort of accent-tape over the joints or even just LED-Strips to hide these ugly joints. Cheers Bertram

I think the marble naysayers have jumped on the bandwagon without really living with the stone. I have statuary in my bathrooms and love it. Most stains can be removed with a simple baking soda and water poultice. Acid etching is harder to deal with since it removes the polished surface, but its part of having a living stone in your home. If it becomes too bad, you can have it repolished. With a darker stone, you won't have as many issues as a white marble. In order to really know if you can live with it, I suggest you get a small sample of the stone and do some tests. Here is an example. http://www.dohiy.com/2013/04/21/marble-countertops-the-post-acid-test/ Please note that she used bleach and oxyclean to clean the stone after her test. Stay away from both since they can etch the stone just as much as an acidic food. Instead, clean with a ph neutral cleaner like isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), and for heavy stains, the baking soda poultice mentioned above. You have to remember that marble has been used for centuries as flooring, table tops, countertops, etc. throughout the world and most of these installations are still here and aren't stained and etched to the point that it has been ripped out and replaced. Just think about all of he luxury hotels in Europe and how many times they have been exposed to Hangover type guests without any damage.

Hi. I hope the counter is thick enough to take the weight of the sink and water. atleast 25mm to drill in the undermount sink clips. Drill clips are available easy, you can look up Blanco and Franke EL undermount clips. If the counter is thin, you risk cracking while drilling, in which case it is better to use epoxy sink clips. A brand you can find in India is Solartime. They are expensive but you can get your local fabricator to make you a dozen clips and get them galvanised to prevent rusting. Do remember to apply silicone sealant between the undermount sink and the quartz generously. I know how you feel, things that are easily done in the west can be a pain to achieve in our country, especially places other than major cities.

Had another question - I have been told that any granite that’s non-black is not suitable for kitchen platform usage. Is this true? Are lighter shade of granite prone to discolouration or other issues?