Note the plural. For someon who is into wooddorking and cooking, I am
somewhat ashame to say that I have a 30-year old completely
inefficient kitchen that is now falling apart. I am designing a new
one (thanks Swing for the sketch-up library) and am trying to figure
out what to use for counter tops.

Note the plural. Maybe there is one best overall material, but I am
not necessarily averse to using more than one.

So what would you use in an ideal kithcen:

Arborite/Formical/High pressure laminate?
Solid surface a la Corian or others?
Paperstone?
Wood - vertical "real" butcher block or horizontal laminations? What
wood if not maple?
Stone (granite, marble)?
Others I missed?

Right now I'm inclined towards high pressure laminate with maybe a
wood section, or a separate bread/pastaboard that could slip under the
counter like my father did many years ago. The Arborite has lasted 30
years in my kitchen with only a couple of ugly spots. I realize the
solid surface stuff can be repaired, but how much of a real advantage
is that?

Note that these are just my initial thoughts and am quite open to
being convinced otherwise.

Thanks in advance for your collective wisdom.

Luigi