If you're going to use a different material on the island, then select a very plain quartz. The granite is very busy and you don't want something to clash with it. So pick a plain off-white, black, or brown, whatever color is in the granite. But no or very little pattern.

I agree. Choose a quartz that is the same color as your backsplash tiles, in a solid. No pattern at all.

Thank you Diana & calidesign! We'll keep this in mind when we go shopping Friday. It wouldn't look odd for the island to be a different material than the perimeter right? I've seen the mixed counters in u-shaped kitchens with islands but since mine is a bit smaller, wasn't sure if it would look odd.

It's fine to have a different material there, as long as you coordinate the color and keep the edge style the same as the other countertop.

@calidesign - thanks!

@jck910 - I want to make the island all one height and there will still be some overhang. We personally feel that the raised counter is not the most practical for the space so we want to spend the money to get that down now to improve functionality & improve sight lines from our breakfast nook & living space. All the other fun, aesthetic stuff is going to wait until we've met some savings goals and feel like we've gotten good use out of our current finishes (since it's a new build, we can't justify overhauling it all right this instance since it's still a pretty nice kitchen).

I'd do an absolute black granite top and call it a day. With no overhang on the fridge side. In a perfect world, I would do nothing. And save every dime to replace the "new" kitchen that was a bit dark and dated to begin. No veined anything

To be honest I think you are making a mistake. You have a pretty kitchen...and the breakfast bar is functional and fine the way it is. I fear whatever bandaid countertop you put on the island today will not fit into your dream kitchen that you plan to do in the coming years...

I would keep the existing granite, paint the cabinets above the stove cream, and paint the island cream... adding some character... I would also change the bad hardware on the cabinets...the space is really too small to expend too much $$$ on. Dream kitchen may come with next house?

Honestly, if you have to wait a few years to get your dream kitchen then save the money you would spend on this and do the kitchen all at once. I would be afraid of just throwing money away when you plan on redoing the entire thing down the road.

I agree with Sustainable Dwellings. I have the same granite and espresso lower cabinets with cream upper cabinets, a soft white glazed subway tile and SW cream paint on the walls. The cream upper cabinets really lighten up the feel of the kitchen. We did this remodel at least 15 years ago and I have never tired of it. I still get compliments on our kitchen and yet in todays world it is probably considered “dated”. I’m personally tired of seeing so many white and grey kitchens when there are so many beautiful, subtle colors out there.

Oops, didn’t realize this post was from 2017. . . .

Would love to see what you decided.