Over the years there has been a lot of bickering back and forth between the makers of “engineered stone” and “natural stone” suppliers. Lots of arguments and misinformation about stains, heat resistance, and what looks natural. So let’s get one thing clear: they are different products with different advantages. Both are pretty easy to keep clean and sanitary. Both are very hard and resist scratching. Both cost about the same to install as a kitchen countertop. But in the interest of acquiring market share both industries have engaged in a winner take all approach. That was unfortunate. But designers and home owners have 
been turning the tables on both industries by coming up with “Two Tone” kitchen countertop designs that incorporates natural stone with engineered stone. From an aesthetic standpoint the reasoning is quite simple. The island get’s to be the wild or elegant show piece while the surrounding counters offer a complementary consistent color. The effect can be quite stunning. From a functional standpoint, it means you can take advantage of the engineered stone as a food prep surface while having marble as your centerpiece.