After many months of searching for just the right thing to replace the 1960s white-formica-with-gold-specks kitchen countertop, I think I've found it!
We've looked at wood, concrete, stone, composites, recycled jeans, and tons of tile, but here's what I think I really like:
This for the countertop itself – it comes in 16"x24", which is a really cool size I've never seen before. Unfortunately 24" is just a tad too small to go all the way across, so Al designed a layout in AutoCAD (the joys of being married to an engineer!) that uses the 16x24s and also 12x12s laid out sort of pavement-ish (staggered pattern). I think it'll be very cool.
This for the walls between the counter & the cabinets – it very gorgeously picks up all the sort of metallics and highlights in the countertop tile.
For the larger wall area above the cooktop though, we plan to use the Antares tile again, not the mosaic – but maybe a pattern of 6x6s or something. That's still up in the air. Then we'll get a thin metallic strip to go on the transition areas such as between the mosaic and the tile on the wall, or where the mosaic will end at the window, etc.
All this fantastic tile was found at Ceramiche in the West End.
And here's the new sink I found a couple weeks ago at Splash.
I think the whole effect will be very dramatic, especially when we add the small spotlights down onto the dark/metallic countertop. And we'll finally be rid of the stained old white counter, and the 8" gap where we had to cut it for the dishwasher…
Thoughts and opinions are welcome – I haven't quite placed the orders yet…
Where have the days gone? 
My wife and I are moving forward with concrete counters.
That's the sink I got or close to it. Mine is black granite. I love it. Good luck with the remodel.
Thanks for showing us samples of kitchen countertops that you used to replace what you used to have. As my mother has a plan to remodel the house next year, she has already been looking for tiles that will go well with her kitchen and make that look dramatic as well. I will definitely show your article to my mother to give her an idea.