I was dead set against having marble as the kitchen worktop material in our new house, as I had it in a previous house - my husband would spill soy sauce, we would occasionally have a replacement cleaner from an agency who didn't know what to use on marble. I was pre-occupied with small children and protecting the counter wasn't top off mind so it didn't look great, it had lots of etching (google etched marble counter tops if you don't know what I mean) & it looked dull.
So I was set on quartzite - a natural material but harder wearing - but all the ones I've found that I like are MORE expensive then the marble I like. I really like something with a lively colourful warm vein like Monet, Arabescato Corchia or viola - i won't consider anything that doesn't give me a look similar to the attached images as this is our 6th house so I've done all the plain looking stones. I've also had 2 quotes to have the marble protected (in a clear wrap that you can't see) - it was 4k for the cheaper quote which is out of budget! My question is - if you have marble at the moment - how are you finding it? I'm now at a place in life that I will be able to be a bit more vigilant with it, but not pedantic. I was also considering etching it all in one go on purpose - that is, rubbing a lemon over the whole thing immediately after install so it doesn't get etched unevenly through use. I've also looked at porcelain that looks similar to the marble I like but we have too many exposed edges and as you know with porcelain the veins don't run into the exposed edges.