In pursuit of the cutting edge

You can't go wrong with a granite countertop. It's durable, low-maintenance and attractive. But, with dramatic slabs of heavily veined marble and other, more exotic natural stones popping up in high-gloss designer kitchens and baths, those familiar tightly-speckled surfaces don't always bring out the oohs and aahs the way they used to. If you're seeking to set your kitchen or bathroom apart, other stone options are catching on that could one day bring America's decades-long infatuation with granite to a grinding halt.

By Wendy Cole, Special to Tribune Newspapers