OK, sorry, picture tiny. Trying again.

OK, still tiny picture. I re-sized and expected it to be HUGE!!! What am I doing wrong?!!

(I am sooooooooo sorry!!!) But I think I figured it out. Lordie!!!

{{!gwi}}

Tile samples, left to right: light/medium/dark:

This will be the granite, St. Cecelia Light:

I'm not sure what those colors are, but if your looking for country cottage, I'd stay on the lighter side.

{{!gwi}}

I like the middle one (Flaxen) since it picks up the gold in your granite, and it will probably transition better to the adjoining golden oak floors.

Here's all 3 tiles with the granite and a few paint chips...

{{!gwi}}

Here's a picture of the adjoining dining room floor.

{{!gwi}}

I vote for Flaxen as well. It will balance nicely.

Here's the FLAXEN (medium one) with the granite...

{{!gwi}}

(These pictures are so washed out... I hope you guys can get a decent idea of the colors, though...)

Thanks everyone, for the feedback!

Here's the BISQUE (lightest) with the granite:

{{!gwi}}

Here's the view from the back of the kitchen... the top (left) oak hardwood floor is the dining room; the floor to the right is the hallway.

{{!gwi}}

Sorry, I am terrible at this stuff...I kinda like them all for different reasons so my vote is null and void.

Question though...Do you have to decide on the floor before the countertop is installed? You are already set on your counter, so maybe wait until it is in and see what looks best then.

...without the distraction of the subfloor on the picture...

{{!gwi}}

That photo didn't post. OY!
Trying again!

{{!gwi}}

Nice choices so far! Hmmm-I really like the darkest of the three. Everything is so light--I'm thinking some contrast and weight down there would be nice? Plus it seems to pull those darker flecks out of your granite as well. Transition to the wood floor is a good point though--if that transition can't work with the dark one I'd go with Flaxen (medium one) but rule out the lightest of the three...

Thank you, everyone, for your input so far. It is SO valuable to me!

The lightest floor is pretty neat... a very close *match* to the granite, actually. But not quiiite, of course, so the "little bit off" (color wise) kinda bugs me. But of course, they will be 3' apart... so it might just look awesome!

I really like the dark one, too, for the way it brings out the dark areas of the granite... but not sure of how it would look next to the wood floors. Would a photo help?

The medium one seems kind of *safe*... and it is a very cool tile. I like it a lot, too.

Maybe I SHOULD wait till the granite is completely in, and then see what the OVERALL look is like??? (I guess I am just getting impatient!) What do you guys think? Do you think it would make the floor decision a lot easier?

Thanks again!
Lynn

(I am so sorry for the double posts and photo screw-ups in this thread! I don't know if it's ME or my computer?! Please forgive!)

I think the light is too light... will give a washed out appearance. The dark looks like your trying to match the wood floor but missed by a bit. Therefore... my vote is for the Flaxen. I like it alot.

Here's a photo of the medium (Flaxen) and the dark (Tobacco Clay) tiles with the granite sample in the middle.

Does this help?

I'd REEEEALLY like to order the floor soon, so that it can be installed right before or after the granite, because the floor will also hold up the appliance installations! But to be 100% thrilled with my (flooring) choice, I guess I cooooooould wait!!! (Yes, that was a whiny voice!) ;o)

{{!gwi}}

The light: Rapolano/RA-47/Bisque

My opinion: watching and listening to my boss with 20 years of design and natural stone and tile experience work her magic!
Light!!!! you do not want the tile standing out! You want the granite to catch the eye!

My best opinion

It all needs to Flow!
best wishes!

"little bit off" (color wise) kinda bugs me. But of course, they will be 3' apart... so it might just look awesome!
:

don't be so hard on yourself:
get the granite in:
then be simple on the splash; and the floor needs to floooow.
If the cabinets were darker: yes the middle one or the darker one. (like it kills me when people put slate on their kitchen floor that matches nothing in the kitchen! usually: sometimes can be pulled off! with Black granite! LOL!)

If you use the darker floor: people's eyes will be attracted to the darkest thing in the kitchen: you want that to be the granite vs. the floor:

My best opinion again.

Question, please: are ALL the photos showing up in the posts above? On my screen, I am getting some small boxes where a few photos should be. ????

Anyway, here's photos of each tile block butted up next to my wood (dining room) floor. Hope this helps.

Thank you!

Light tile (Bisque) and hardwood floor:
{{!gwi}}

Medium tile (Flaxen) and hardwood floor:
{{!gwi}}

Dark tile (Tobacco Clay) and hardwood floor:
{{!gwi}}

And another picture of all of them:
{{!gwi}}

Beautiful kitchen and samples. I would go somewhat light for cottage but have you looked at these floor tiles in Congoleum's Room Vision designer? It reads a very busy pattern when viewed on a full floor. Try some other samples that are simpler and light-medium to light. You've got plenty of interest with the counters and cabinetry.

You do realize you're coordinating with your cat...

Here's another photo of the Bisque (lightest) tile with the granite samples I have. What do you think, when you compare them?

The granite is definitely a bit *warmer* than the floor... but it is a remarkable similarity. I just can't decide if it would be AWESOME... or NOT???!!

{{!gwi}}

definitely without a doubt the darker one. I like the contrast. the lightest color is washed out looking, the middle color just kind of clashes and just does not compliment the granite at all to me. I would have think that my monitor is showing the true colors and what you are actually seeing. I just calibrated it today with the eye-one display.

As you just noted, they are too similar. I think it will be visually confusing and neither will really be the star. They're both beautiful, just too much of the same good thing. If the two contrast a bit (floor in a different sheen, less pattern that basically reads as a solid, color) the counter will stand out and the floor become a backdrop, appreciated on its own.

bmorepanic,
Haha, yeah, that would be our adorable Ragdoll, Boo (whose nickname is... TISKERS!) He's terribly nosy and in MOST of our remodeling photos!

He's been our supervisor and inspector throughout this whole project!

{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

I'm in the same position as you are right now. I am voting for the medium or darkest. Actually, the medium is my first choice. Just a note, remember that your floor is actually going to look lighter once the whole thing is laid. It's never as dark as you picture from a couple of tiles.

Therefore, the lightest one will just look blah and will wash out your granite. IMO.

tgd2008,
GREAT IDEA! Thank you. I went to Congoleum.com and did a mock-up room (not my own kitchen) in the medium tile (Flaxen)... what do you all think? Good for MY kitchen? Or... not so much?!

{{!gwi}}

I like the medium. I think the dark is just a little too dark. Love your cabs!

Don't know that tile in real life, but it looks too busy for your patterned granite to me. The speckled granites are pretty active by themselves. Squint and look at the chair fabric along with the floor, and pretend it's the counter material.

I guess the darker tile is the plainest and would probably set off your light rich golden counter, but also absorb alot of light. Do you want your kitchen floor to pop out as lighter from the surrounding rooms?

If you go with a lighter floor, you might look at including a dark accent tile to connect to the adjacent dark wood flooring.

What is your backsplash going to be?

OK... lots of great opinions and very valid points. Thank you all!

I am now starting to wonder if maybe those tiles ARE too busy for the kitchen? I want the floor to complement my granite... not compete with it.

Hmmm... let's toss two more options into the fray. What do you think of these?

#1 Mannington Adura; Seaside Collection, color: SAND DUNE (AT202):

Next to my dining room wood floor:
{{!gwi}}

With the granite:
{{!gwi}}

#2: Solarbrite Classic Collection, Catania; color: BISCUIT
Next to my wood floors:
{{!gwi}}

With the granite:
{{!gwi}}

What do you think? THANK YOU!

Lynn

No backsplash, except the standard 4" granite one. The rest of the area between the counter tops and the upper cabinets will be painted. With so much *here to stay for awhile!* (cabinets, counter tops, flooring) I'd like to keep that area *changeable*! ;o)

I wonder why so many of your pictures are missing. The only one that shows is the last one.

Check out marble.com too. They have a 2D and 3D designer tool so you can see a patterned counter with a patterned floor.

"Complement" not "compete." Those are the right words!

When I preview the post, the pictures are there. I don't know WHAT'S going on!!! I'm so frustrated!!! I'm using Picasa to host the pictures because of the recent problems with Photobucket.

Does it help if the page is refreshed?

I'm so sorry to be making this harder for you guys, but I don't know what to do differently!

Lynn

Trying again... this is the Mannington Adura (in color SAND DUNE) with the granite. I am posting it again because it isn't showing up for me right now in the post above. ???

{{!gwi}}

I won't click SUBMIT unless the photo shows up. So if it isn't here, I don't know WHAT went wrong!!!

My gut feeling is that I like the darkest one, but I would really love to see it next to your wood. I think that's one of the photos you tried to post, but it isn't showing up. Darn it!

It does seem like the first 3 tiles have way too much movement and pattern on their own for a granite kitchen. The mockup really draws the eye to the floor. but you would never really try to "match" your counters and floors except in color families (warm, golds, cool grays etc)--otherwiseyour cabs will look like the filling in a cookie sandwich! And it doesn't look particularly cottage-y.

I would hope to try to wait until counters are in....That will help you really see what the granite does and how or why you will want to set it off. It might suggest a whole new approach. And you'll get a better feel for how the kitchen plays off the adjacent wood floors. The granite and counters look like they will be beautiful--no regrets there--so cut yourself some slack and let the other pieces fall into place. Or at least, I would never be able to pick from these photos, so maybe that's why I am thinking, slow down!

I am laughing out loud at the cat photos....struck me funny. I have a yellow lab who plops all 90 pounds of himself into the middle of everything. We call him the worst GC of all time...

I liked the medium until you did the full floor simulation-then I thought it was "too much" (busy).

I love your granite & having seen it in my friend's kitchen, it looks AMAZING and catches your eye immediately upon entering. I think something in the Mannington series you posted might support that granite without competing.

Check out "acountryfarm"s Philadelphia Series tile. Might be a nice neutral.

Your granite on your white cabinets is going to look great.

And I was able to see everything you posted.

Good luck,
Katie