I love Kraftmaid's 'Autumn Blush' on cherrywood: I'm using it in my master bath.

But I think this complex, colorful wood needs a granite as strong and rich as it is. Your saphire might be adequete, I'm not sure I've seen it in person, but of the two, it would be my pick.

But, at the risk of complicating your life, I really like the way it looks with Dakota Mahogany-- not thrilled with either pic, but they'll give you an idea:
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

Of course, a lot depends on your other elements-- flooring, etc.

I personally like the darker color but there are some really stunning kitchens with dark cabinets and lighter counters. I'm going to give you a link to a tool on the Corian website that really helped me decide which color route to go with for my counters. The room designer directs you to pick a kitchen picture and then customize the cabinet, wall and counter colors. You won't find your exact granite there, but it will give you an idea of how similar sample colors will look as a whole. Originally I thought I wanted light counters with my white cabinets. But when I saw a rendition of the entire kitchen, not just sample next to sample, I changed my mind. Click on ""My Room Designer" on the Corian website.

Here is a link that might be useful: Corian My Room Designer

Can you tell us more about your home and style?

The TB reads almost with olive undertones (which is really nice with cherrywood). IMO it will give your space a more earthy, organic look whereas the Sapphire a more dressy, elegant look.

I love the TB. I think it brings out the warmth of the colors of your cabinets and floor and like paulines said, it's earthy.

Your flooring has quite a bit of orange color in it and your cabs go more with the burgandy (blue) spectrum. It is hard to tell from the computer monitor as well. I think the Terra Brazila goes more with the floor and the Sapphire Blue goes more with the cabs. I am actually leaning more towards the Sapphire Blue out of the samples you have posted. However, what is the granite to the right and behind the TB? Did you try the cabs and flooring with that one? It is gorgeous!

Sorry to post again, but I did want to say that your granite slabs are very pretty and the choice is ultimately the ones you fall in love with.

I have lots of movement in my slabs so I tend to lean toward granite with lots of movement. However, I can see why both of you are wanting the slabs you chose. They are both very pretty!

Now again, with that said, there are granites out there with the orange and blues in them. Yellow River is one of those granites. Of course that is my granite. However, either of the slabs you chose are gorgeous! Let us know which one you decided upon!

Wow! I have cherry cabinets, and if I had seen the Terra Brazilia I would have gone with it in a heartbeat! I didn't care for the Sapphire Blue too much, but then I seem to be drawn to the movement of the TB. Good luck! I know what a big decision it is!

First, your cabinet color is beautiful. Great choice! As far as the granite is concerned my preference is for a dark color because of the formal, elegant appearance it gives with your cabinet color. Sapphire Blue is a beautiful stone but watch for fissures. Run your fingers over the entire slab very carefully, for the light might not pick up the fissures while the stone is in a vertical position.

Another dark color that might be nice with your cabinet color is Coffee Brown which might be too homogenous for your taste. Recently I saw a picture of a brown countertop with a backsplash of mini dark brown highly polished glass or marble tiles. The look was outstanding. Lots of light and reflection that with undercabinet lighting would be stunning.

Good luck in your search. Let us know what you finally select.

JB

I am still in the midst of deciding cabinet stain and wood, but time and time again I have been drawn to Sapphire blue/brown each time I look at granite. So that would be my choice. However, I do not like granite with too much movement so TB is not one I would have looked at.

Thanks everyone for the comments. Please keep 'em coming!

A little more info for you to go on: All appliances are black. Our house is a 2 story colonial, with hardwoods throughout the downstairs. The kitchen is open to a breakfast area and also to a rear foyer that connects to the downstairs den. It does have more of a formal feel, however that's hard to accomplish with a 5 year old and newborn!

The kitchen is L-shaped with the sink in the corner, underneath a window. We have a big island (6' x 4.5') that will be the focal point of the room. I have uploaded a schematic of the kitchen plan to the link I sent before (also provided below).

One thing we are concerned about is that the kitchen not be too dark. Although the breakfast area has tons of light (5 six-foot windows), the kitchen only has one small window in the corner. We are adding under-cabinet lighting and replacing one of the cans with three pendants, so hopefully that will take care of it, but we do like a lot of light. We have also heard that dark granite shows water spots and is harder to keep looking great.

Again, THANKS for all the helpful advice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picasa Gallery Updated with Kitchen Plan

I like the Terra Brazilia with your wood choices. The Sapphire looks too gray (could be my monitor).

Purely visceral reaction here, I like the Terra Brazilia. It looks beautiful, warm and rich to me. I like the understated movement, the color, the crumb-hiding properties of the grain, LOL, and with black appliances it's one less "dark" thing sucking light out of your kitchen, since that's a concern of yours.

I vote for the TB. I love lots of movement and agree that it looks warm and inviting.

I like the blue. I think it looks more unexpected and dramatic. Also, it goes better with the cabs.

Have you given a thought to a backsplash? That may help your decision making process.

Embrace the dark side!!

JB

I love the Terra Brazilia! I think it ties all the other elements together and will give the kitchen a lighter feel.

jb1176, too funny.

But robivy, go into the light!!! TB!

Another vote for the Terra Brazilla!

I have Kraftmaid black glaze, which I think is Autumn Blush based, might be a little darker than yours, but I used Blue graphite granite, which I found to be similar to the blue sapphire without being exact, so I posted a couple pictures so you could see the contrast...hth

Sapphire Blue would be my choice. I think it's elegant in combination with you cabinet stain choice.

Of your two choices, I really prefer number 1 (the Tera one). It is complementary. The other one is more of a contrast. I like the warm tones of the lighter one. It goes well with your cabinets and floor.

Love the sapphire blue!

Many, many thanks to everyone for your comments and pictures. I really appreciate it. We're going with the Terra Brazilia. We flipped a coin....literally!

Rob