Width of kitchen counter

In my opinion, the place for you to post these questions is either at the GardenWeb kitchen forum or ikeafans.com. The people who post there will obsess with you for as long as you like, post photos of what they did themselves and make many recommendations.

But the short answer is that people do just this all the time, and the width is great for buffets, casual wine self-serve stations, "landing strips" for keys & mail, etc.

Ikea finally formalized it a few years ago by offering some of their 12" deep wall cabinets as base cabinets, and offer a small array of interior fittings for the shallower depth (drawers, pull-out cages, etc.)

Just be sure to have enough 24" deep base cabinets, and of course realize that dishwashers and standard-sized sinks need that depth.

"Too little counter top space" depends on your own particular needs, and also on how much storage there is for crap that might otherwise clutter up your counters (toaster, Sno Cone machines, Cognac, Gran Gala, et cetera)

To make more walking room in a galley-type kitchen it it common to use 24" counter on one side and 15" on the other. A 15" would be a standard width, so no need for custom work.

As for the quartz question, a quality product like ceasarstone is actually more durable than most stones. It won't stain, is more heat resistant and is actually less likely to chip. Some stones like marble not only can chip but also at the impact site of a dropped pot, etc they can get a clouded "bruise".

Staining has been reported with many quartz products, and particularly with Caesarstone. There have been quite a few instances where difficulty was reported in getting the Caesarstone company to replace the stained countertops. That is exactly why I suggested that the OP ask his or her questions on a site devoted more precisely to that kind of question.

Thank you generalogoun. My opinion, offered as just one point of view, is based on 4 years of experience with Ceasarstone. It is in my own kitchens and those of others I know. When deciding what surface to get during a reno 5 years ago, I got samples of many material for countertops. I decided to do my own experiments. All samples were light in color. I put smashed raspberry and blueberry, red vinegar and balsamic vinegar, coke, lemon, and red wine on each sample and left the samples sit for 24 hours. Then I rinsed the samples off. The stone samples were a mess--with proper sealing they may have done better, but then I'd be busy having to reseal my counters however often which was a chore I did not wish to invite into my life. The quartz samples performed about the same as one another, but none better than Caesarstone. It washed clean but for a slight shadow where the wine had been (or maybe it was the raspberry). I rubbed it with some BonAmi or Barkeeper's Friend for a couple seconds and the discolorations vanished.

To date, despite being a serious cook, the material is flawless. It remains unchipped despite some bad accidents of dropping pots or bowls onto it.

Also, because Caesarstone came in 4'x 10' slabs, I was able to do the kitchen countertops without any seams.

I have no horse in this race, and for some the appeal of true stone even with its need for greater care will win out. A white marble top in a heavily used kitchen will surely stain and get some damage over time, but for many people that adds to its warmth and becoming an extention of the cook him/herself.

I'm very familiar with GardenWeb and it is indeed an excellent resource when renovating--excellent idea to check that site for additional views.

Here's an example of a shallow-depth base cabinet: http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/870104-condo-25-central-park-west-lincoln-square-new-york