How to complement granite counters in this kitchen?

13 years ago

We are putting an offer on a house with a nice kitchen whose colors seem a little... off to me. Should we get the house, I plan on keeping the granite countertops. We might install backsplash eventually, but that's a long way off. Right now I'm looking for short-term, DIY ways to make the kitchen look more cohesive. (To me the cabinets and counters don't "go" together as well as they could.)

I'm considering painting the beige walls and/or staining the cabinets. Would staining the cabinets a little darker make them work better with the granite and floors? (I like the look of white cabinets but it seems a shame to cover up nice wood.)

What colors would work well in this kitchen to go with the granite's green and gold tones? Any pictures and advice are greatly appreciated!

(sorry about the lighting in the pics - no power when we toured, so no artificial lighting was available)

Featured Answer

nugget1985

13 years ago

Maybe just some really unique knobs or handles on the cabinets? Might help to change the look of the cabinet rather than going through a tedious staining project.

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Comments (18)

User
13 years ago
I don't think you should stain your cabinets. I think that wood and style looks more current and comtemporary when it's on the lighter side, and it may "ruin" them to mess with them just to try to match the counters. I agree about adding some contemporary stainless pulls to your cabients. When you are able to put in the backsplash, I'd take off the 4 inch granite backsplash and tile all the way down to the counter. Then at least there will be less counter and more backsplash to break it up.
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redheadedwmn
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
I would suggest adding a backsplash vs re-staining the wood. Installing a tile backsplash is a DIY project if you are willing to try. Maybe think about adding some door and drawer pulls to tie in the nickel/stainless finishes it will help make the kitchen feel more complete.

I can see your point with the colors. The wood seems warm with red tones and the counters are greenish. Maybe paint in the tan/brown family. Attached are some tile examples. If you are not ready to do a backsplash, use the tile as color inspiration :)
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Riddle Construction & Design
13 years ago
Based on the pictures provide it actually looks nice to me. Looks like the granite has a bit of the same warm honey color as the cabinets ? This is where a tile splash could really help out tying the two elements together, picking up the colors in the granite and the cabs to bring both to life.I would suggest a glass tile mosaic. Once you have the tile selected then from that, you could pick a paint color . I would steer away from trying to re-stain the cabinets. They look fairly new and will have a nice finish on them from the factory which is very difficult to duplicate with a re-stain.
Melissa Meverden
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the feedback so far! I really like the idea of adding some cool handles and avoiding the tedious task of staining, haha.

I feel like if I could find the right backsplash or wall color that would go a long way to tying things together better. I really like lighter, brighter kitchens, so I'd love to find some complementary colors to keep things from feeling too dark.
Melissa Meverden
Original Author
13 years ago
Does anyone know of an easy way to identify the type of granite these counter tops are made of? I'm hoping to find out its name so I can search for more inspiration photos... To me it looks beige, with warm green and brown tones. I've found a few granite types on http://www.1000granitecolors.com (see pictures) that seem pretty close.

It has been challenging finding pictures of kitchens with similar color cabinets and counter tops since the vast majority of kitchens nowadays are going with white cabinets!
kah416
13 years ago
Hi! Nice kitchen! Here's a few ideas I came up with. How about this pretty neutral green paint for your walls, and some hinges in this style...these are from pottery barn. You could do without a backsplash because of how busy the countertops are in the first place, but this green glass tile is kind of pretty. Or maybe just a touch of backsplash right behind the stove up to underneath the microwave may add a nice touch. A mosaic style in complimenting colors would be nice there, like the ones shown in the previous comments. Just a few ideas I had :) Hope I could help in some small way. Could you please post pics when the project is finished? I would LOVE to see what you decide! :) Best wishes! Here's athe link for the handles from PB :)
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/pitted-hardware/?pkey=chardware-knobs
kevingofron
13 years ago
I like the cabs/granite combo. I would paint the crown to pull the eye up and match a color in the granite.
Melissa Meverden
Original Author
13 years ago
kah416, great suggestions, thank you! I like the cool green paint color.

kegofron, would you recommend painting the crown molding a light or darker color to match the granite? That is something I hadn't thought of doing before.
kevingofron
13 years ago
I would go dark. A brown or dark olive would be a thought.
Melissa Meverden
Original Author
13 years ago
kegofron, I'm a little skeptical about your idea of dark crown molding, but we'll see. :)

I was able to see the house again today and this time was able to turn the lights on in the kitchen. I also took close-ups of the granite to get a better sense of what colors are present.
Melissa Meverden
Original Author
13 years ago
Many of the inspiration photos I've found with similar-colored cabinets are painted light greens or blues.

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deeblondbuzz
13 years ago
Cristalli Vaniglia Subway Tiles Look great with this granite.
deeblondbuzz
13 years ago
Looks like new Venetian gold granite?
Melissa Meverden
Original Author
13 years ago
deeblondbuzz, good eye! I think you're right. I found two examples of new Venetian gold granite (see pictures) that look like a match to me.

Do you have any pictures of those subway tiles with this granite? I'm not having much luck with Google using those terms.
deeblondbuzz
13 years ago
Not the best lighting, but I'll try to get a better shot later....
deeblondbuzz
13 years ago
These tiles have a crackled sparkle finish that I can't seem to capture with my camera....
kevingofron
13 years ago
You have to live in it Melissa :). If you keep the walls white, a cream color will be plenty contrast and still catch the granite.