It's the pattern. It is so busy and speckled. The part at the perimeter is OK but the large area peninsula, which is such a focal point, just looks awful to me. It has black veins that hit right at the angles. I think a larger pattern would have worked so much better. Here are some close ups so you can see what I mean.

It's okay, and looks well done, but I don't think it's great with your cabinets and floor -- I think it would be better with something with more contrast. Whether to spend the money -- it depends if you have the money and are willing to part with it!

For me the problem is the counter against the floor. I'd keep the counter because it really is a gorgeous statement piece and replace the floor. The black veins is mother nature at work which I would embrace.

I think it looks great! Perhaps a different (darker) flooring would help?

If we could wave a magic wand and replace your granite with another one, what would it be?

I was disappointed with my granite for a number of reasons. Like you, I had to make a quick decision. I would give it more time. I'm happy with mine now.

How many more years do you plan to live in the house? If you replace the granite, is it an expense that will hurt you down the line?

The saying is live with it for a year, you may find you have fallen in love with it. It happens all the time. No never would I be tearing out perfectly good beautiful granite.

Yup - give it a year and then decide. I happen to like it.

It's great looking in photos. I wouldn't replace it without a clear idea of what you want. How high maintenance is it?

I like it as is too.

You have a pretty kitchen and counter. I'd invest that $6,000 instead. In 30 years at an ROI of 4%, it will grow to $20,000; at 6% to $34,000 . With 50 years growth at 4%, $42,000; at 6% to $110,000.

Not worth it, imo.

I like it, too. If you want a small change maybe put down some colorful placemats at the bar seating area or put a vase with some flowers on it.

I'd consider changing your backsplash. I know white subway tile is all the rage, but I think it's too white with your counter and cabs - and the lack of contrast is washing out the whole room. There's nothing that's picking up the movement and the other coloration in your tops.

I love it! Your second and fourth pictures which show the counter, backsplash, and cabinets together look magazine worthy to me. You mention being too busy and speckled - I personally think it looks calm compared to some granites with a lot of movement.

Your floor tile looks new so I would never suggest replacing and it gives the whole kitchen a soothing overall white look, yet not too white. Having said that, if that were my kitchen I would have chosen wood flooring.

If that were my kitchen, I would try a nice patterned rug but not in bright colors - perhaps shades of white, gray, brown, black.

I think it looks great! I agree with others to maybe try accessorizing the countertops with something in a color you love. Your kitchen looks really bright, clean and fresh, and I think it would look even better with some color added with a rug or other items on the countertop.

I'm sorry you don't like it but agree with the others that it looks great and fits your kitchen well. Give it more time.

@barncatz - love the link - thanks for posting it because it really is so true.

Wow, I so appreciate all the feedback and helpful comments. I guess it just didn't turn out the way I pictured it in my head and to spend so much money on it and be disappointed was very upsetting. To answer your questions, the tile flooring isn't new, it's 16 years old and is actually a bit darker than it looks in the pictures. We have wood flooring in the rest of the downstairs rooms that was put in a few years ago so we would have to try to match that to bring it in to the kitchen. Although I do think that would look nice. I like the idea of trying some placemats at the bar/counter area. I hadn't thought of that. And the advice of living with it a year is something I needed to hear. Oh and that link is so true too. Very helpful! It helps me put things in perspective. Another thing that may help is that we are getting ready to paint the kitchen and breakfast room a darker grey/beige (Benjamin Moore Pashmina). Maybe that will ground the room a little more.

Or - pull out the color of the garnets that are in that stone and put a crazy fuchsia or garnet kitchen aid mixer on the counter - needs some color overall - and I am not digging the canisters - they seem too warm in a cool kitchen.

I am not a fan of busy granite, either, but I like yours. I think some splashes of color on the counters would be nice. Try bright place mats or a runner with a bowl of fruit on it and see what you think.

Darker cabinets would help, too, and paint is a lot smaller (and less permanent) investment. :)

Donna

Yes, the canisters are old and I was thinking of getting brighter colored ones. I guess I haven't focused too much on accessorizing yet since I've been so focused on the granite :( I am loving all the advice and suggestions as decorating is NOT my strong suit.

Things rarely turn out the way you'd expect. I agree, live with it for awhile, then change it only when you find something else that is perfect, after you have figured everything else out. There was a reason you picked that granite. (I would not have picked it because of the busy high contrast pattern and I know how I would respond to it psychologically - I like clean wavy lines. I am still living with an old kitchen with butcher block laminate counters because I have not found the perfect countertop.)

I do like your backsplash.

I am doing a lot of the finishes in my house myself. I am learning to embrace imperfection. I don't do a perfect job but neither have a lot of reputable professional contractors that have done work on my house. (Most materials aren't perfect, houses are crooked, and contractors are on a schedule.) When things aren't perfect to begin with, then they get messed up a little more, they become part of the character and history of the house. I was never attracted to new builds as "home" because when I was a child, we moved from fixer upper to fixer upper. Imperfections, when repeated randomly, become easier to embrace and seem more intentional from a design perspective.

Wow, I so appreciate all the feedback and helpful comments. I guess it just didn't turn out the way I pictured it in my head and to spend so much money on it and be disappointed was very upsetting.

Funny you said that. I'm a fine artist who creates still life drawings. I don't think there has ever been a drawing of mine that has turned out completely the way I envisioned it in my head. In fact when I was much younger, I'd never finish any drawing or painting because I'd get 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through and trash it because it didn't look like the vision in my head.

As I grew up, I started to realize there's no such thing as perfection, but there is good enough and beautiful enough. So now when I create a drawing, I do the best job I am capable of doing at the time. And they must be good enough because they do sell (and not for peanuts!)

My point being, if in a year you still hate it, then yes replace it if it's in your budget. But first make sure all the elements are there. The newly painted walls, the placemats, the updated canisters, etc. Put the whole picture together first.

Then live with it and pat yourself on the back for doing a "good enough" job. My guess is you'll realize it may not have turned out quite how you envisioned it, but it actually turned out to be beautiful and "good enough" just the same.

All very good advice! I read this forum often and have wanted to post my "dilemma" for some time now. I am so glad I did because it really is helping me to hear your non-biased opinions. I will admit I am pretty much a Type A personality and I waited a long time to do this update to my kitchen and then to feel like I really made a mistake with my choice was disheartening. I am going to focus on getting the room painted and updating/adding some accessories and see how I feel about it then.

I think that right now, that large area of counter is in the foreground. Once you put some 'things' on it, it will move the background, like around the cooktop. Place mats would be a good idea. And/or flowers.

As to the backsplash, you might think about strategically placing some colored 'artsy' tiles in with the white ones. The trick might be finding them in 4x6 sizes.

Q: what brand/model is that vent?

I like your granite (and I don't like granite very often.) I think it looks great with your cabinets. I'm wondering if what might be unappealing to you is actually the backsplash; on my phone the tile looks like a true white and the cabinets/granite have a creamier off-white undertone.

(Yes. I drank the Maria Killam kool aid. Maybe CPs color calibrated eye balls can set me straight.)

:-)

I love your granite. So much that I think it's the same granite I picked for our basement kitchen! Right down to the black lines! We have gray cabinets and walls, no backsplash (basement), and I accented with red. If you like red, try some red placemats or other accents and see what you think.

Yes. I drank the Maria Killam kool aid. Maybe CPs color calibrated eye balls can set me straight.

Quick! Give her the antidote!

Wish I could set you straight but the problem again is we're looking on our monitors and each monitor picks up color slightly differently. Additionally, different materials will photograph differently in terms of color. So while two colors may look the same when viewed in person, say the countertop and the tile, the tile in a photograph may read more blue than the counter because of how it's photographed.

Actually the subway tile isn't a bright white in reality. We went to great lengths to make sure it was more of a creamy white that wouldn't make the cabinets look dingy. But I can see how it kind of looks that way in the picture especially since they are glossy.

And I do like red and had that in mind for accents (actually more of a cranberry). Fingers crossed somehow I can pull it all together.

That is exactly my favorite granite. I love it. Then again, that is the exact finishes, including the subway tile and cabinets, that I put into a house I rented out. And I still like that kitchen better than the one in my big house.

Oooh that is pretty!

@weedmeister-. The vent hood is made by Whirlpool but I don't have the model number handy. We've been very pleased with it so far.

If that stone is Kashmier Anything, you'll be staining it up quickly anyway, so you might not feel too badly replacing it.

It always surprises me when I start to read a post about how someone hates their granite, or cabinets, or whatever. Then when I see the photo, its beautiful. I think your kitchen is lovely, the granite is beautiful. I'd leave everything as is, it is true that you may need to live with it for a while and it will probably grow on you. I love the lightness and brightness of your kitchen, seriously, I'd leave it just as it is.

It has been extremely easy to care for. Nothing stains it. Our contractor said it is a very durable stone but he did mention that about some of the other light granites.

pattitx, I like your gracious response :). So glad to see your pretty granite getting the love it deserves. Have fun playing around with accessories and doodads!

I have to agree to give it a year. I think it's a beautiful stone. I like jannicone's suggestion of adding some color in accessories.

I love it, wish I had it. It seems to be the only thing in your kitchen with any color or pattern. So agree trying some accessories, or different wall color.

I agree with you about the drawbacks. Too busy without enough contrast and the craftsman-like layout to fit the veining doesn't add to the overall affect. An expensive lesson in how much you need to be involved even down to the full size pattern layout. I think you could leave the sink run and replace the peninsula with either the same material with a much more open contrasty pattern if you can find something. That would be my first choice. And I'd go out and hit every yard within reasonable driving distance with a pattern to tape on the slabs. And take a piece of yours with you. Or look for something with more drama and movement but still the same colors. Good luck.

I think the granite is beautiful. What you need are colorful accessories to make it all pop! The kitchen aid is a gorgeous color to consider using. Also a few colorful throw rugs maybe? Adding color will really transform and pull it altogether. You have a beautiful kitchen, just needs to be tweaked a bit.

OK, this is my opinion only.
I tend to like non-white kitchens.
Too much white can look too sterile and any perceived “flaws” stick out.

What this kitchen is suffering from is a lack of
color/contrast. The cabinets, the
counter, the backsplash, and the floor are predominantly white/light in tone. If you “fuzz” your vision while looking at
pictures of it, you do not see anything that stands out. You only have grey, stainless, or black accents.
I know so many people like the white on white on white look, but it needs
defining features to set it off. Just
like some women look better with make-up, your kitchen just needs some
integrated colors to warm it up and make the granite a good foundation for your
décor.

At this point, I’d add color by switching out the grey canisters
to ones with an accent color. I’d put a
larger, more colorful platter behind the cooktop (I presume you did not want to
mount anything through the backslash tiles there.) I’d replace the floor mat at the sink with a
more colorful rug. Do you have towel
bars exposed? Use some nice colorful towels.
Spices and oils can be stored on the counter in colorful
jars/canisters. If you have some small
appliances that will always sit out – add color with them (mixer, toaster,
coffee maker.) Paint the walls around
the cabinets and backsplash a deeper color – what you need is contrast in the
kitchen.

The above recommendations do not cost a lot. You don’t need stick with just one color
(like red), you could add combos that coordinate well (light green/purple,
yellow/orange/red, blue/greens). Once
your kitchen has been lived in for awhile showing its new colors, you may find
your nearly bullet-proof granite to be a welcome member of your kitchen
ensemble.

I think you have a great start to your kitchen. Most people dream of having a new and neutral kitchen. I feel like it lacks warmth though. This makes you stare at the granite. Perhaps try dressing things up with new cabinet pulls. I like a substantion polished nickel pull for beauty and shine. I would remove all your current accessories and add some warm and elegant ones. For examples, a beautifully grained large wood cutting board that stays out on the counter top. A lovely set of utensils, preferably wood, in a gorgeous holder. Perhaps blue and white chinese bowls and vases and an orchid (there are good fake ones too). Maybe some beautiful cookbooks. Add a lovely oriental rug (with a great rug pad) and you've got one stunning kitchen!

Thank you, thank you all so much. I have been so stuck focusing on the granite that I haven't been able to move forward in completing the room. We are actually planning to paint this weekend!! And i have been scouring the Internet for some colorful accent pieces. You have all given me such inspiration that I can't wait to put some of the ideas into action. I will keep you posted and more than likely ask for more advice along the way :)

I think that is one of the prettiest granites. Your kitchen is fresh, pretty, warm and crispy at the same time. I am sure you will enjoy working in that lovely room and I will be over for a cuppa!

Yes it sounds like the exact same granite. It has all of those colors. Coastal Fog is a beautiful color too, I'm sure that looked great. We have a very open floor plan so are trying to coordinate with the living room/open areas as well.

I love your kitchen as is, but if you feel you need some color, the suggestions to add some pops of color are good. Because your kitchen is so neutral, you could even paint the walls in color. I'd love a pale blue/gray, or green/sage in there. You could really do any color you like, that's the beauty of a neutral toned kitchen.

I think your kitchen looks beautiful as is but I do think you just need a pop of color somewhere. I would definitely live it for a while before I'd even consider removing it.

I know personally when I get something new I tend to focus on it and can't see anything else. Soon I get used to it and see the "whole picture" and grow to love it. For example, I recently had a new sofa and chair delivered. They were each larger than the ones they replaced and I was so upset, thinking they'd have to be returned because they were oversized for the room. Within no time I got used to them and now I love them. I hope you can stop focusing on your (beautiful) granite and look at the kitchen as a whole and love it. I think you've been given great suggestions for adding other accessories and that will help. I seldom find a granite I like but I think yours is very pretty, especially with your cabinets.