Since I field so many questions about this particular white quartz countertop we chose for our renovated kitchen, I’ll try to enlighten you as best I can in 15 Smart Reasons to Choose Minuet Viatera Quartz.
Choosing a material for kitchen counters can be a daunting one, and I personally spent a fair amount of time mulling over options even after deciding on bright white quartz.
Five years later, I still love Viatera Minuet quartz! This is not s sponsored post, by the way. Nope…I paid hard earned cash for these pretty quartz counters!
This post contains affiliate links which I hope you will use since they won’t cost you a penny extra yet may earn this blog a small commission.
15 Smart Reasons to Choose Minuet Viatera Quartz
See Our Kitchen In Person!
In this short video I made (ignore me, just watch for the countertop in our kitchen!) you’ll get a glimpse of Viatera Minuet.
No. 1: Quartz Offers a Healthy Surface Free of Formaldehyde
Because quartz is not porous like natural marble, it won’t absorb nasty unhygienic substances left behind on the countertop.
While a countertop material like laminate is also solid, it may contain formaldehyde which can be toxic. Since I’m allergic to formaldehyde, this solid surface keeps me breathing freely.
Read more about the benefits of Viatera quartz here.
No. 2: Minuet’s Veining: Not Too Subtle, Not Too Bold
I am often asked about Minuet’s veining, and I would have to rate it somewhere in the middle in terms of its boldness.
Other samples of quartz I viewed at home were slightly more subtle. For example, Caesarstone London Grey, Viatera Cirrus. Additionally, there were plenty of samples with bolder veining (i.e. Silestone Pietra).
But is it too busy? Not for my taste, although this is a subjective matter. Order or borrow samples from the showroom to see what pleases your eye.
No. 3: Minuet is Reflective & Bounces Around the Light
The surface of Minuet was an important factor since our kitchen receives filtered Western light and shaded Northern exposure.
Since I crave natural light, I didn’t want dark expanses in the space, sucking up what light we do receive.
Viatera Minuet’s polished surface is graced with the right amount of sheen for my taste.
Additionally, we chose a polished marble for the backsplash wall. We even hung a mirror above the counter to bounce the maximum amount of light around!
The kitchen’s light changes throughout the day, and this ‘before’ pic gives an idea of how dim it can get. (All the cabinets, counters, appliances, flooring, etc. were replaced. In fact, the window seat is about all that stayed!)
No. 4: Lots of Lemons & Limes Sliced Here
I adore natural stone and white marble, but you don’t want to mix your citrus with those materials! There is plenty of proof in this story that lemons show up in our kitchen frequently!
While lemon juice won’t stain marble, its acidic content can etch it. Do you spill coffee or red wine frequently on the kitchen counter? Quartz may become your best friend.
No. 5: White Sinks Pair Beautifully With Minuet
Truth be told, I never gave a thought to how Viatera Minuet quartz would pair with the fireclay farmhouse sink chosen for our kitchen design.
The sink was one of the first purchases for the kitchen and remained in the box until installation. What a triumph they harmonize so well together!
No. 6: Sings With a Polished Marble Mosaic Backsplash
I am frequently asked about the marble subway mosaic tile chosen for the statement wall in the kitchen. With so many options for a tile backsplash, it was important to decide on the counters first.
Polished venatino mosaic subway tile (found on the shelf at Lowe’s is right here).
No. 7: Scratches Happen But Don’t Jump Out
If you’re like me, you freak out when the first scratches on your perfect new quartz countertop occur!
Our Minuet quartz was installed in 2015, and subtle scratches have yet to bug me enough to get them buffed. It is a forgiving surface that doesn’t easily etch or scratch.
No. 8: Feels Like a Dreamy French Pastry Worktop
Even if you’re not going for a French bakery look, you may appreciate Viatera Minuet quartz’s crisp clean look!
No. 9: Minuet Accepts a Fair Amount of Abuse in This Kitchen
Occasionally I am asked whether I’m one of those bloggers who actually cooks and bakes. YEP. I’m not just styling pretty things to market.
Ours is a real working kitchen, and since it’s not very large, every work surface with quartz is regularly used and abused.
In addition, I’m kind of a kitchen klutz in terms of dropping pans, dishes, hot soup, you name it. Minuet looks awesome after years of abuse.
No. 10: Ethereal Grey Veining is Forgiving
While I love the look of some calacatta-imitating quartz options, their large expanses of white give me pause.
The amount of veining in Minuet brililiantly conceals everyday crumbs and the occasional scratch. If you have lived solid color countertops, you may understand what I’m getting at.
No. 11: Doesn’t Evolve Like My Carrara Marble in Bathroom
This point relates to the previous one about Minuet’s forgiving nature. Since natural carrara marble was chosen for our bathrooms, I can report evolving changes in the marble.
Parts of the marble counter are discolored from age and use. Also, there are multiple scratches in the marble.
Additionally, the porous marble vanity tops absorb liquids. Let’s face it, corrosive substances (whether from personal hygiene or cleaning products) can harm natural stone.
Carrara may have caused me headaches in the kitchen!
No. 12: Gentle, Lyrical Veining Movement
With so many white quartz options on the market, you might find the process of choosing one dizzying.
Some of the veining patterns themselves can be dizzying!
I like Minuet’s gentle pattern which (1) doesn’t feel overly faux, yet (2) is fairly uniform.
In choosing quartz, I certainly wasn’t trying to ‘fake’ natural marble. That should never be the point. Rather, I simply wanted a hardworking surface to work harmoniously with the balance of design elements.
No. 13: Sets a Serene & Cloudlike Mood
Light grey veining in Minuet provides sufficient contrast with the quartz’s white background while also remaining subtle.
If you’re after an elegant, timeless, and tranquil mood in the kitchen, this countertop color may also be right for you.
Another Viatera quartz color I fell in love with was Soprano.
We put Soprano in our Arizona kitchen when we completely gave it a makeover without any demo…just upgrades. See it RIGHT HERE.
No. 14: More Elegant, Formal, and French Inspired Than the Earthy Quartz in Our Last Kitchen
In our prior French country kitchen I designed, a warm sand-hued quartz worked well with creamy cabinets and travertine marble accents.
While it was a wonderful quartz to live with, I prefer the elegance of Minuet, which imparts less of a beachy organic feel.
No. 15: Imparts a Classic Look For a Variety of Kitchen Design Styles
How can I be confident Viatera Minuet quartz works well with other kitchen designs? Because my sister Jo chose it for her modern classic kitchen with its wraparound raised bar counter.
Let’s peek at Jo’s kitchen.
Minuet Quartz in a More Modern Kitchen
She continued Viatera Minuet material in the baths throughout her newly built home and still has nothing but love for this quartz.
A few years back, we bought a vacation home in Arizona to fix up and completely made over the kitchen, choosing Viatera quartz for the counters.
We went for a warmer, creamier look with Viatera Soprano…see that kitchen HERE.
FIND MORE TIPS FOR CHOOSING A WHITE QUARTZ in this story HERE and do discover WHITE KITCHEN INSPIRATION HERE.
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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I have minuet in my kitchen & absolutely love it. Remodeled kitchen & now I have to move!
So, here we go again! I am going to have to paint cabinets white & reproduce my kitchen all over.
My dilemma is flooring color. Yours in the pic looks really nice. Could you recommend a flooring color ?
I was thinking about wood look porcelain tile, can’t find one I like. Have any suggestions?
I didn’t want anything too dark.
Author
Hi Vicki. Our floors are white oak hardwood left natural with just poly on top. I love them and they are much more comfortable to stand on than tile. They are 5″ wide planks, and here’s a similar pre-finished product: https://rstyle.me/+nRKIeS4ArC_vhYdK8Iqe0g Here’s a blonde porcelain tile with a similar look: https://rstyle.me/+0AlTqJ-EHFDSOBZ-Lo3AEw but keep in mind most of the tile in this price range (around $2/sq.ft) are 24″ long while wood planks are considerably longer and random lengths. For a laminate option mimicking white oak or French oak, this is similar to ours: https://rstyle.me/+ONVXGtYEsfit_VHlNS81IA Hope this helps! Let me know how things progress.
Hello! Do you remember the exact color that you have in your kitchen? It looks beautiful and I would like to do the same!
Author
Hi Lindsey. Yep – it’s Benjamin Moore White – the base white used to mix all their colors. You can have them mix it or just get the ultra white off the shelf – no undertones so it won’t be yellowish, tanish or greyish. But it is very white and bright. Let me know if you have other questions. 🙂
Hi! I love everything about your kitchen! We are about to remodel ours and I’m basically using all of your recommendations, the quartz, the background, painting the cabinets BM White etc. The only difference is that our floors are a very dark. I’m trying to picture it in my head and make sure it will all still tie in together – are there any changes or suggestions you would make if you were doing this with a dark wood floor?
Thanks!!
Author
Hi Lauren. Dark floors will look great and maybe just a bit more formal. I’m not sure I have taken a picture of the vintage wood bread boards I placed behind the cooktop (against the marble tile backsplash) which brings in some rustic, natural warmth. But you could definitely bring in the tone of the floors with cutting boards or even a wood sign if you feel like it needs some repetition. Hope this helps! 🙂
We had Minuet countertops installed 3 months ago and words can’t describe just how beautiful and serene and cloud-like soft looking they are. We painted the walls SW Light French Gray, have white cabinets with a fair amount of glass fronted cabinets, BM Oxford Gray island, and chose a marble backsplash from Elon Tile which is a kaleidoscope of honed pacific gray and pearl white. I would choose Minuet again in a heartbeat.
Author
The combination sounds amazing, Mary Beth – thanks so much for reading this and letting us know. 🙂
What make and model cook top and double oven did you select for (perhaps photo #17 shows both quite well) you remodel? Thank you for sharing your wonderful taste and all the research that goes into your blog. You are the BEST!!!
Author
Hi Penny. They are Bosch – the 800 series. We have the dishwasher (behind a Shaker panel) and French door frig from the series as well. Thanks so much for the kind words, and I hope you’ll visit often. It’s always great to hear from folks around the globe, and I appreciate your time. 🙂
Please only post Penny as the author in my last comment and not Penny … in your answer to my question. Thank you so much.
Author
You got it! Made those edits. 🙂
Hello Michelle!
Your kitchen and whole house is – well – lovely!
I noticed you used real marble on the backsplash, which is what I wanted to do if I chose a quartz. ( I HAVE to have some real marble somewhere !)
Could you please share what type you used and did you have any problem coordinating it with the Minuet?
Any help would be appreciated and thank you for your blog and many pictures. This process has been DAUNTING and stressful to say the least!
Stay well!
JJ Taylor
Author
Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m happy to share the info about the backsplash. The exact product is right here, and I hope you love it as much as we do! https://rstyle.me/+i4mci6-VcBbjqrdWhy9wqw Don’t be alarmed at how white the marble may appear in the photo. Since it’s a natural product, it has this wonderful variation, lots of grey and grey-blue veining, and the collective result is stunning. 🙂
What col0r are cabinets? Love your kitchen. I’m refinishing cabinets and getting new counters. We have a off white/creme doors and baseboards and struggling with what color white To go in kitchen. Thought alabaster but didn’t know what counters would go.
Author
My cabinets are maple and have a finish called “White Icing” from the maker (Schuler). I’ll try to color match it so I can be more helpful for folks who want a precise paint color to complement the Viatera Minuet quartz. I think the white paint color for your cabinets is going to depend on the age/look of the cabinets. If they are simple and Shaker style, a brighter pure white may be just fine for an updated, fresh contemporary look. If they are very traditional and heavy raised doors, I might recommend a white such as Benjamin Moore White Dove. It is a white I have used to paint many traditional furniture pieces and better suited for say, an oak door where the grain will be coming through. There are plenty of non-bright-white countertop choices that will look great with white cabinets. Silestone Lagoon reads very light grey to me and is a lovely neutral to use with a range of whites. No need to get matchy, but it is far wiser to start with your counter choice and then choose a paint color based on the sample which you view in your kitchen and not just in a showroom. Hope this helps, and let me know if you need further clarification.
beautiful kitchen! Both your and your sister’s. Can you please tell me what type of subway backsplash is in your sister’s kitchen? We are updating out kitchen and were going to choose Calcutta Ultra but now that I have seen your pics I love your quartz choice. Do you have an opinion about Calcutta Ultra vs yours?
Author
Thanks so much for reading! My sister used a glossy white subway tile (https://rstyle.me/+BAzuoH7Km02gISL89ZLcGQ) with white grout for a more subtle effect. That Calacatta Ultra looks gorgeous, and it truly is a matter of do you like the look of very traditional carrara marble where there is more delicate soft veining (which Minuet mimics) or the look of calacatta marble which has more substantive, dramatic veining and is popular in many contemporary or modern designs. Carrara tends to be a little greyer than calacatta which often is bright white. However, Minuet is bright as I describe in the post. It also depends on the kitchen design. I love the look of calacatta or quartz that looks like calacatta on those big luxurious islands with a waterfall edge. It feels very modern. But in more humble spaces, calacatta may look out of place. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions as I am happy to help.
Hi! I LOVE your kitchen! We have been doing on & off upgrades to our kitchen over the past year. Nothing major but a rejuvenation. The countertop had been put on hold a few months prior to COVID and now am finally getting back to it. Unfortunately, I have had my heart set on minuet for the countertops and now it seems that Home Depot is not carrying it any longer. Any advice?? Please..
Author
There are plenty of vendors outside of Home Depot so look locally at places which stock granite and marble since they probably have quartz as well. My own Minuet came from a local company, not Home Depot. Also check Viatera/LG Hausys website to find stockists.
The kitchen is beautiful! I plan to update our kitchen using Minuet quartz as well. I’m not sure what “white” would look best to paint our cabinets in a north facing room and one that will work well with the Minuet. Help! Ideas anyone?!
Author
You definitely need to see my posts about choosing white paint (type ‘how to choose white paint’ in search box), and choose at least 3 samples after the quartz is installed. Watch how they change throughout the day.
We just renovated a home and used Minuet in the kitchen and all the bathrooms. I used Simply White by Benjamin Moore and it really looks nice. I prefer a bit of a “warm white” as opposed to a bright white and was really happy with that combination.
I love your kitchen and was so impressed with your comparison of the various white quartz! I am remodeling my kitchen now and feel that so many choices have way too much gold for what I am looking for and others have too much ‘veining’ and or the veining is too dark against the white backdrop. I was 100% certain I was going to get simple white subway until I saw your polished marble against Minuet. Nice job. I do have a question, what hardware did you use on your cabinets?
Author
Thanks so much for the kind words and for reading. I do love our backsplash and never tire of the polished marble. Cabinet pulls are brushed steel, and do note the measurement is 3 3/4″ between screws rather than the length of the actual pull which is a little more than 5″ (a little confusing!) so here is the product: https://rstyle.me/+wl9b-8UTKzi2xpIlJW_EyA Let me know if you have any other questions – always happy to help.
Your kitchen is beautiful! I also just had Minuet countertops installed and love them! I am struggling to choose a backsplash tile and cabinet color.. I tend to lean to warmer, creams and taupe/beige. Is there a paint color (for traditional, oak cabinets) you would recommend that is light but leans to the creamy side that would work well with Minuet? Thanks so much for this post!!
Author
Thank you! My first choice for oak cabinets with Minuet would be a bleached look (sometimes called cerused or limed or stripped). I have yet to master any sort of technique for achieving that look though and would rely on an artisan with experience. To get an idea of what warmer colors look like with Minuet – see my post from yesterday: https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/2020/09/perfect-putty-paint-colors-for-kitchens-beyond.html which will help you get an idea visually and also equip you with some paint color samples to try.
I love your kitchen and just had my Minuet countertops installed. I am using a marble tile backsplash being installed today similar to yours and I will be installing the handles you have as well which are in my house already and have a really nice weight to them. Additionally I am painting with the Benjamin Moore white you recommend. For my breakfast nook attached to my galley kitchen I will be placing a while tulip table with a banquette and 2 ghost chairs similar to the ones your sister used. A “slate” tile floor was installed. Several of my upper cabinets will have glass doors,
Thank you ladies for your inspiration and my French bakery look! My kitchen remodel was way overdue!
Author
How wonderful, Laurie! I am so happy to hear how your design is unfolding, and of course it sounds perfect to me. I have had my eye on a Saarinen style round white dining table for a long time since it would be perfect for my breakfast area or dining room. You are reminding me how much I love those tulip tables! Stay in touch and send pics if you can!
Thank you for your post. Would you recommend Minuet for off white cabinets? I’m looking to update my kitchen by switching out the countertops but struggling to figuring out which quartz would best match my cabinets that are creamy (SW). Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Author
I love mixing whites and can imagine Minuet working with off white cabinets if there are other opportunities to bring pops of bright white and grey. You can also take a peek at Viatera Soprano which we used in our Arizona kitchen with grey cabinets.. It is a warm, creamy white which looks wonderful with Calacatta Gold marble, which we used on a statement wall. Hopefully you can get good sized samples of these to live with and compare before pulling the trigger. 🙂
I love your sisters subway tile. I am going with Minuet for counter and leaning toward the white subway. Do you think it would look good with wood cabinets. I do not have white cabinets. They are not honey but a warm color they are hickory
Author
I think it will look incredible! I love hickory cabinets and had them in the kitchen of our ranch home (before the French manor one). I think the warmth of the wood with the crisp white and grey will be gorgeous. Exciting!