It looks beautiful in this picture. If that's real stone I wouldn't rip out or paint. Anxious to see other comments to see if there is a way to work with this stone. Perhaps painting cabinets something other than white?

I'm not a fan of fake stone and the stone dominates the space. The rough texture around the stove looks like a problem. I prefer clean and simple lines.

All the best.

Clever, Mark, looks much better. I think it would be a long job dabbing with the A.S. brush!

I love that!! yes adds texture, tearing out stone might be more $ than a long weekend or 2 of chalk painting

Sledgehammers and beer.

you could have had a demo party as a drinking game during the debate.

Just FYI, the stone is real. Our house was built by a top custom builder in our area in 2001. If it were fake, no brained. I would have ripped it out already.

It would make me crazy but I think it depends on the style of kitchen you want to have , to tear it out will be a big job and messy .

I think paint it. A few shades darker than your cabinets, maybe a warm mushroom gray. Could keep a lot of character in the room, but I'd want to get my oven out of that alcove and maybe convert it into a picturesque hutch built-in...

If it isn't outrageously expensive ( relative term I know ) I'd have it removed. It looks odd to me, for some reason reminds me of theme parks or restaurants. If it bothers you you'll never be completely happy with your remodeled kitchen.

Would the Granite still go? What colour is it now? What about the rest of your home? Will white cabinets fit in?

Use mortar gray cabinetry and keep it!!! Its beautiful!

I would update the appliances and the backsplash and maybe paint and update the handles on the cabinets if $$$

I think the painted stone looks nice, although you're painting the grout also so it makes it look less real. Once you put in lighter cabinets, backsplashes, and paint

you may find that the existing stone warms up the space. I'd wait to paint the stone until after you see how it works with the cabinets.

Absolutely no way would I consider for one second ripping that beautiful stone out! You have a very unique design element by leaving the stone and choosing complementary colors that will highlight this feature!! So many kitchens are alike in many ways but yours is set apart!

Why not try painting it first. I think it would be nice painted white (about the only color I would choose). I would paint the nearby cabinets white too.

Tear it out. There's something about that stone that doesn't look right. It has a bit of a cheap look. Maybe it's the dark grout?

I would look into changing the colour of the grout to a lighter, creamier colour. I wouldn't rip it out. Everyone's kitchen is identical.

I would think long and hard before you rip it out. You can just paint the grout too. I've done it before on floor tile. It wears like iron and completely changes the look. They carry grout paint in the big box stores.

Theme park...that was my first thought! Just because it's real, and I'm sure quite expensive in its day, does not make it attractive.

Well, I know I would certainly paint the stone first before I tore it out. Why have everybody else's kitchen, when you can have something unique. Only you can determine that. Drywall painted Revere Pewter...oh, the excitement, lol

Painting will make it all so much better. NOT. It was a bad idea to try to make it look like a cemetery grotto to begin with and slapping some cheap craft paint on it isn't going to make it any better.

I can't see the rest of the kitchen, but I love the stone as it is. Have you thought about a taupe or gray for the cabinets. I know that currently white kitchens and gray or very popular, but there is something to be said for not being so trendy.

Here are some pretty colors for painted cabinets.

Love Susan's comments/ideas. Looks like you already use taupe in your home and taupe cabinets would be beautiful with the stone as is.