BLACK :)))

If you love seeing fingerprints and crumbs, even dust, go with black. I'm not saying you aren't an impeccable housekeeper, but the black shows EVERYTHING! I like the lighter granite as it has movement and won't show every little thing. I have Kashmir White and while it is lighter in color, when the light reflects off it, I can still see the fingerprints and streaks from where I wipe it down. Almost making me crazy!

I have used both colours over the years I like the Giallo myself over the Black. If you want the sharp two tone look that is great but the shiny black shows marks from glasses and cooking alot more, its like a glass cooktop you are forever cleaning it. Have you seen the black in an acid etched finish I find it softens the look. Check with your granite supplier, also the same acid etch on black pearl is nice as well.
Hope it helps you
Mike

Go with what you love! You won't regret it! You can also do a honed finished instead of polished and that will help with fingerprints. There is a kitchen in my portfolio with white subway tile and honed black granite if you want to check it out to see what the combo looks like :) I'll follow this with the link. Good luck!

I love the black. However, will you have it polished? will you have undercabinet lighting? Undercabinet lighting wil reflect in the polished black surface. water marks will dry and be noticable.

Crumbs etc, will be much more visible ( which could be a good or bad thing).

In the end, I think either is a great choice.

For my kitchen, I went with something closer to the Giallo. In a bathroom, I went with the black on a white vanity. Like having multiple children, I love them equally.

Here is the link... http://www.houzz.com/projects/80790/Clover-Kitchen

Go with Giallo and play around with black for accents. Giallo is tying your cabinets and floor .

I personally prefer the Giallo. I have used the Kashmir white with off white shaker cabinets before and I thought it looked beautiful. I know how stunning the black would be..... but if it was me I wouldnt be able to stand any dirt or marks....I would probably get obsessed with polishing it as I have before over other things....and it is no fun! I love it when things just look beautiful all the time. The black would act like a mirror.....imagine cooking and stuff on a mirror how terrible it would look. If you were entertaining and didnt wipe after every move it would look grimey in front of your guests. I hate getting obsessive compulsive over cleaning things.

I see you Shakersables! Told you I was obsessed! As I said before, you really can't go wrong with either one.

I HATE my black countertops. You will spend all your free time cleaning them!!!!

I believe you use this site to draw on the opinions of the experienced. Some choices have to be based on function over beauty. Your 2 options here are like girlfriends...one is going to get along with everyone and the other is going to be high maintenance that will oft times drive you crazy!

If you go with honed black granite or another dark matte countertop surface (we used dark soapstone) you won't have any problem with the surface showing everything. But black polished granite is very reflective and many feel it takes more work to keep looking its best. Between just these two choices in polished granite, I voted for the Giallo. But I think there are many options if you want dark counters.

If you go black. Go honed. Polished black is like a mirror like the other poster said. We have honed on our island and I love it. Although I also did marble on the perimeter which many people disagree with! Go with what you love!

Why are you only sticking to those two choices the black is not practical and the ornamental is outdated. What about a clean look like white or speckled white or bring some gray in?

With either choice you should hone the countertops. Contrary to the opinion of stone fabricators who have never lived with honed, it holds up just as well as polished and looks so much better . Shiny Granite looks outdated and cheap. Honed feels suede like and everyone wants to touch it-and it doesn't show water rings, and everything else.

Just a note on BLACK HONED granite, THAT has it's own issues of showing SMUDGES from oil in food and even oil from your hands. I am not chiming in as to which color to use, but if you want to use BLACK, I do would NOT use HONED surface. (Fiorano Tile Fabricators)

One consideration, Absolute Black and Black Galaxy do not require sealing, ever. In fact , if you try to seal them the sealer will just sit on top and not absorb.

I have black galaxy and love it. It shines easily. In my experience, not harder to keep clean than any other countertop I've had. Both choices you presented look beautiful. Get what you like best.

Giallo...

Looks perfect!

@Mandy....Love how your kitchen looks you have my kitchen doors !!!
We chose black granite I love how it looks
But on reading about the up keep
Time will tell
Tiling is our next stage.But due to so much choice
Going with paint for now

Nice job

I like the absolute black granite. Something like our Nero Black could be a better fit if you're afraid of crumbs and such standing out. You can see here- http://www.granitetransformations.com/southjersey/products/granite-countertops/colors/

Looks like those who've voted for black are losing at the moment. I'd say, go with your gut!

It looks wonderful, Mandy! Very fresh and bright. Enjoy it!

Hi Mandy… are your cabinets off white? Did you use white subway tiles? What colour is your grout? Very nice.

I had black and found it a pain to keep it looking good. Shows EVERYTHING. even after cleaning, I had to buff out the swipe streaks.

I think black would match the white cabinets.

I have had both black and giallo in my kitchen over the years. The black looked great, but the amount of work to keep it looking great was exhausting. This time we went for the giallo and it is perfect. Would pick it every time

I had black before and my interior designer said it had to go. Brightened things up with white granite, white cabinets and this beige subway tile

The patterned granite is hard to tell when it's dirty. Pretty but gross

Seriously, don't you clean your kitchen counters at least once a day? I don't get the crumb thing with granite. Or the smudges on SS for that matter. I expect to clean often.