hard to tell from the pics, but since that is a dark gray wall, pick the stone that has the best gray tone to it. Is that Travertine on the floor? The pics are super tiny, so unable to enlarge them to get a good look. Prob the middle one. don't like the Gold in #3. #1 might be ok. Maybe keep looking for another remnant? lol

Have you thought about doing a nice walnut or acacia butcher block? Then do a cool mirror subway tile backsplash.

or just get some white quartz

Thanks Beth. The walls are actually a dark brown. The flooring in the room is carpet and the dry bar area is wood (left over from the builder). I can try to post larger pictures if I can figure it out.

such a small area. I'd do something really cool w/that space. Out of curiosity, what does the granite guy want to charge you for cutting a small piece to fit that spot?

He said about $500 for the stone and install. It's 26x63 inches. These are the options from the first place I have tried. I have more running around and pricing to do but it's hard with two young kids in tow!

that's pretty high for that small of space. remember, those remnants are already bought and paid for. It's a simple square w/no sink cutouts. Install is nothing. Since you do a lot of your own work, you could install it. lay down a piece of plywood for the support bottom. now make a template for the granite piece. have him cut it and finish the front edge. shouldn't be more than a few hundred. 500 is too much.

also check craigslist. It's such a small piece, private owners have leftovers they try and sell for $50. Then just take it and have it cut to fit.

We are helping another poster on here. She is getting a huge L piece remnant for her bathroom (over 8') with two sink cut-outs AND the sinks, cut and install for 750.

He's ripping you off for 500. Show him $250 cash and tell him to take or leave it. then go somewhere else.

I just looked on Craigslist near me. here are two:

your size that you need, $60 (just needs to be trimmed to fit) quartz

this guy is offering bigger pieces for $100. much better stone than those generic ones you're looking at. a price point for you should be about 7 bucks a sq ft.

I agree with Beth - stay away from the gold tones. I think that would clash with the gray, White Springs is always a nice choice because of all of the cool/warm tones combo. And adding a contrasting or reflective backsplash would look great in that space! For your granite pricing & no time dilemma - I would just call some places and ask if they have a decent selection of remnant pieces, maybe you could avoid a wasted trip.

Thanks a lot ladies! It's hard to know the appropriate price for these things when you aren't in the industry. I'll check out Craigslist in the morning!

Also check out Caesarstone: they have half slabs in certain colors which can be pretty cost-effective. I agree a crisp white or a cement gray might be very nice in a simple solid--no pattern.

Almost impossible to judge your colors from your photo and description. Can't even tell whether the cabinet is white, tan, gray, or...

I'd take a paint sample, at least, along with me to the stone yards, so you can see both in the same light. That will probably be the most important match.

Joseph- building in some support on that wall is in the plans but thanks for the reminder!

Agreed the colors came out weird on the screen. The wall is a dark raisin brown color and the trim and cabinet are a dark taupe. Builder choose the colors as it was an inventory house.

So y'all think contrasting stone color...

No opinion on color, however, I think a dry bar is the perfect spot for something either dramatic or/ or expensive ( but you're trying to keep costs down ). For our dry bar we used a beautiful onyx in cream, grays and light tannish tones underlit by LED's. Expensive but beautiful.

I'm in the Houston area. I saw some on Craigslist. It was mostly smaller pieces or pieces with a sink cut out already in place. I'll keep looking. I think there is a builder surplus place that is sort of close.

hmmm, let me see if Flo can see this. she is a designer on here and lives near you. maybe she has a source. hang on a sec.

Hey! Karen. I have several places i use. When i get back to my office i will post ideas for you.

There are 4 places I can recommend, but they are on the North side of Houston. What general area are you in and I can try to see what I can find out tomorrow for you.

North Houston works. I'm in the cypress area and willing to drive for a decent deal!

OK, you are closer to these places than I am but hey, It's Texas right. We drive to Cat's Spring for dinner! 2 hours away with great friends. Anyway, I have 4 places that I trust the most in the greater Houston area. Now this is just for granite, although they can direct you to a fabricator if you need one. #1 Felipe Cartagena, at Designer Stone Center, great guy, great stones, good remnant supply (usually), 11811 Brittmore Park Dr., Houston, TX 77041 713-862-0120; #2 - Hilltop Granites, Sho Sarker, 8758 Clay Rd. Suite 410, Houston, TX 77080 (there are several granite spots there so make sure you go to the right one, although, you can check out the others there as well). Vivaldi - 13040 Hempstead (near Clay) Houston, TX 713-534-1277, not sure my rep is still there but anyone can help you. Last, but not least and they do have great pre-made stuff that might work as well since you have such a simple job. Graham Dodds, Texas Custom Granite Company281-861-8775, check their website on line because I don't have their address and they are a bit tricky to find. But I would start with Designer Stone Center, call ahead and make appointment, tell Felipe I sent you. Let me know ahead and I can get in touch and make sure you get taken care of. Good luck. call me if you need further assistance 832-643-2165.

Flo, you're the best! Karen, Get something dramatic! this is a cool little space. jazz it up as best you can!

Thank you so much ladies! I will be granite hunting this weekend!

Good luck. Yes, go for exotic granite. Some beauties our there. Call before you go because not all are open on Sat or Sun. Let us know how it goes. There are several more but those are where I would start. Also, if they don't have anything that strikes your fancy, just ask them if they could recommend a remnant place. It seems "cheeky" to ask, but I do it all the time. Usually, they are happy to help because they all send each other customers. Some won't or they will say, "ya, know, I don't have a good feel for that." That means, not sayin and there is probably a place within a mile of their place. Hempstead is "granite row" so there are tons of granite places along that road and nearby. Have fun. Do get a babysitter because these yards are no place for kids, especially in the heat we are having. I hope you find something amazing!

It's such a small piece, maybe they could even recommend a fabricator who has some small pieces. there is sure to be something exotic. someone mentioned the onyx. you could get that lit from underneath and it would be a great bar piece. or find a leftover agate piece or even recycled glass.

I went running around on Hempstead this afternoon. Unfortunately expo was closed by the time I got there but I will try back on Monday. Here are a few options I found. All will be $100 for the piece before negotiations (is this something to negotiate?). I would need to find a fabricator to do the edging and transport. Any of these seem like good options to you?

The first is polished travertine, the second is a gray marble (but probably too gray) and the third is a granite (but I need them to pull the whole piece out b/c he said there are some rust stains).

Hi, Karen--

These are lovely options! I just finished my dry bar install, too ('tis the season, huh?). Think the polished travertine you found might just be a winner - it has a great balance of warmth without feeling golden at all. As far as edge treatments go, have you thought about a live or character edge? That may be a fun way to 'go for it' design-wise and make it a focus as Beth suggests.

Beth, Fig+Olive here in Newport Beach has a huge central bar constructed out of that lit from inside golden onyx. It is the coolest.

I like the idea of a rough edge. I'll have to sell it to my husband though he leans a bit more traditional/conservative than I do. Do you think we could transport the stone in an SUV without it cracking? The guy at the yard seemed to think I would need a truck with an a-frame. I was ready to throw it in the back!

fairway,,,,I've see Fig and Olive but have never gone inside! Now I'll have to!

Karen,,,,the first one is nice. how big is it? can you put it on a piece of plywood and lay it flat to transport? anyone w/a truck?

100 sounds about right. Fabricator can cut for you at your home. Maybe Flo knows someone. Rough edge is also a nice design. we have it on the piece on our coffee bar.

I like the travertine for your space the best. I don't recommend the chiseled edge with that stone however. It can continue to sluff off product which is kind of a mess. I would not transport this myself. Basically, get your fabricator to go get it, take to their shop and do what cutting is needed and deliver it and install. Might be a couple hundred or so, and it is well worth it. Call Chris and David Gardner at ICM Marble 281-242-9009 and see if this is a job they would do. They have done a huge island slab for me but it has been several years ago now, so call them ahead. As I mentioned, loads have gone out of business. The reason I like Designer Stone Center is they are a one stop shop. Get the stone, they fabricate, and install. For me, that makes life a whole lot easier. They have all the warranty then too. You can run to Expo if you want, but I haven't had good luck with them. But I handle bigger jobs, typically so for this, might be OK. If you like that travertine, I would grab it. It is in demand and that is a nice piece for sure from what I can see. Did you put a hold on it? If not, I would ask them to hold it for you. They will usually do that for a couple of days. Hope you keep having good luck. I knew Hempstead would have something you like somewhere! So many places. And would you believe about half have gone out of business in the last 4-5 years.

So......it's installed. I'm not sure I love it. The color turned out yellower in the room than in the granite yard. Rookie mistake. It's fine but not as great as it could have been. Now I'll look for backsplash options to bring out the grays.

I also should have grabbed the 3cm instead of the 2...

If you don't like it, get something else. Yes, you might have spent a couple of hundred, but will you look at it every day and say "it's too yellow?". Find a color/style you like and sell this one on craigslist :)

The color looks like it has been sealed with a sealer that changes the color. Yea 3cm would be better. Maybe you can negotiate a trade with the granite company? Then again once you get bar items on top it probably won't matter much.

looks fine where I'm at. how about a mirror subway tile?

as for yellow tone, maybe change out the temperature of your light bulbs to something cooler? worth a shot

It's in the media room so usually the lights are very low. I think we'll be ok. Kinda kicking myself about the 2cm v 3cm. For some reason I thought the rest of the house had 2cm everywhere; it definitely has 3cm everywhere else! Oh well, it was only a few hundred and works for now.